A mix of warehouse and new construction. Creation of a space that embodies the "Ongoshi-shinshin" spirit.
A five-minute walk from Suitengumae Station on the Hanzomon Line or an eight-minute walk from Hamacho Station on the Toei Shinjuku Line brings you to a pure white building. This white cube, which you might pass by if you are thinking of a so-called "sneaker store," is the setting for this report, "T-HOUSE New Balance.
There is no signboard, nor is there anything placed in front of the store that reminds one of "New Balance. We first spoke with the store manager, Mr. Kato, about the store design, which cannot be ignored when getting to know this shop.
Tomohiro Kato / Manager, T-House New Balance
After working for a construction company, his passion for fashion led him to an apparel company.
He has experience selling domestic and imported brands, and joined the store in 2020, just in time for the opening of T-House New Balance in Nihonbashi Hamacho.
Customers often say to me, 'I walked past it once. Actually, this building is based on a 122-year-old warehouse that once stood in Kawagoe. We dismantled the old warehouse's framework and moved it into a newly built reinforced concrete structure. It is a different concept from typical renovations of old private houses, and the exterior has a symbolic design with no signage.
Relocating a warehouse into a new building...? If this description does not ring a bell, the interior should give you an idea.
The store's interior, which is made of bare concrete, has exposed wooden pillars, and the vaulted ceiling is made of wooden frames, a traditional Japanese construction method. The fixtures also retain elements of the storehouse, with holes for horizontal timbers called "nuki" through which molded boards are inserted as support materials, allowing them to be used for racks and lighting fixtures.
The building's concept is not only to preserve traditional structures, but also to use them for modern functions, constantly changing them and creating new values. That is the concept of this building. We asked architect Tsune Nagasaka (Schema Architectural Planning) to supervise the design and interior design. The viewpoint of expressing classic elements in a modern way, while respecting them, has something in common with New Balance products, doesn't it?
The background music in the restaurant, "T-HOUSE Soundswhich cooperatively operates the "Rambling RecordsT-HOUSE invites Global Record Labels "Vinyl Tour", a record shop-type installation being held with the full cooperation of T-HOUSE. Nearly 100 vinyl records are displayed in the store, and the price range is friendly, with the volume zone around 3,000 yen per TP9T, or 6,000 yen per TP9T at the highest.
The hole in the wall also serves as an "infill" space where various fixtures and fittings can be installed according to the purpose of the space. We regularly hold pop-ups of various genres here, and we are currently holding "T-HOUSE invites Global Record Labels " Vinyl Tour", an installation that welcomes independent record labels from eight countries around the world. Vinyl Tour", an installation featuring independent record labels from eight countries. In conjunction with this, we removed the racks and installed shelves for vinyl records. Another appeal of this structure is that it allows for flexible display, such as art and photographs. Events are held every 1 to 1.5 months, so if you visit the store in that cycle, you will be able to experience the latest expressions of the New Balance lifestyle.
