Retail Example : Nicolas G. Hayek Center in Ginza, Tokyo

Nicolas G. Hayek Center's retail innovation techniques

 Many leading fashion houses' flagship stores are located in Ginza with the highest concentration of Western shops in Tokyo. Ginza is one of two locations in Tokyo considered to be the best locations for a luxury goods store. Nicolas G.Hayek Center is located on the street bi-directionally in Ginza with a green vegetation rising up the wall. This building is used both as headquarter and flagship store of Swatch Group Japan, which has won all kinds of architectural awards in Japan.

 The Swatch Group succeeded in securing space in the middle of these Ginza Street. During the construction period, they realized the difficulties to put a variety of group's brands in the building. Among the 19 watch brands owned by the Swatch Group, only seven brand store were scheduled to launch in the building, the Breguet, Blancpain, Glashütte Original, Jaquet-Droz, and Leonart Leon Hatot, Omega, and Swatch.

▲ Nicholas G.Hayek Center (Image Credit : Naoya Fujii)

 These brands have their own brand power and fame. Therefore, the key was to bring the diversity and value of these seven brands into one building harmoniously. What they found as a solution was to independently connect all the floors from the 2nd floor to the 4th floor by each elevators. By doing so, they minimized the necessity to put all the stores on the first floor which is highly notable and accessible for customers. 

 Instead, they built a structure that could reach each brand's sole store by each elevator and it keeps the uniqueness of the brand's atmosphere. Unlike conventional commercial buildings, this structure has the effect of keeping the value of each floor equivalently. More importantly in this building, elevators connecting individual stores are used as a kind of 'showroom', not just a carrying device. Small showrooms for each brand are installed that customers could intuitively know which floor to go to.

▲ First floor of the building (Image Credit : Swatch Group Website)

 Majority of the luxury brand stores boast their splendor and dignity, which could be a psychological burden for the general public. However, on the first floor of the center, which is a concept of "Avenue Du Temps", there is no distinction between the inside and outside of the building, so anyone can easily and freely access the store through the building's first floor.

 In order to enter the individual store, it was necessary to ride the designated elevator. This also lessen the overcrowdedness of the store. The openness philosophy is reflected in the design. service centers(5th to 7th floors) and the offices(8th to 13th floors) are both visible from the road. Customers can easily see how their employees work through the windows.