Vol.16

Architecture at the intersection of NIGO®︎'s past and future

NIGO®︎

NIGO®, the legendary creative director, has ensured that every detail of NOT A HOTEL TOKYO reflects his tastes, his interests, and his encounters with inspirational people and cultures across his entire career. For NOT A HOTEL TOKYO, he tapped into his deep passion for architecture and interior design, his past successes in upleveling the retail industry through his stores and offices, and his experience designing his own homes. We sat down with NIGO® at his office to learn more about the inspiration behind NOT A HOTEL TOKYO and the creation of this space that he describes as containing his “entire worldview.”

NIGO®’s Archive of the Past Inspires His Future Creations

The name of the 2022 exhibition of NIGO®’s vintage clothing collection at his alma mater, Bunka Fashion College, was “The Future Is in the Past.” As that phrase suggests, his innovative and unique creations have always been born out of respect for the great designs and creators he has come into contact with in the past. “After spending my teenage years absorbed in fashion and music, I became interested in furniture when I was about 24 when I moved out of my small apartment. At that time there was a global craze for Eames furniture, and I started collecting a lot of Eames pieces. After a while, Mike D of the Beastie Boys, who was visiting Japan, told me I should also check out Jean Prouvé. From there, I started doing more research, visiting Patrick Seguin’s gallery in Paris and buying pieces in New York. I like that Prouvé’s furniture is durable and suitable for everyday use. The custom-made table in the living room of NOT A HOTEL TOKYO was made to match Prouvé’s chairs, and we plan to install a door designed by him as well.” The exposure to world-class interior design led to an interest in architecture. “I was invested in doing interior design and interior decoration for my stores, and from 1996 I began to work with Masamichi Katayama, which got me more interested in architecture. Then I built my own house in 2000. I like spaces that are simple like boxes. Concrete, pure white, interiors that highlight what you put inside. What’s interesting is, whether I work with Katayama or other architects, people will say, oh this house is “so NIGO.” I don’t know why. It’s the same with fashion. When I did my first show for KENZO, people said it was a very “NIGO-like collection.” I wonder what it means to be NIGO-like (laughs).”

The 2% Playfulness Rule

In 2011, he sold and parted ways with NOWHERE and A BATHING APE®, which were foundational forces in Tokyo street culture. NIGO® then launched a new apparel brand, HUMAN MADE, in 2011. He has also served as the artistic director of KENZO since 2021. He continues his various collaborations across many fields, born from a wide range of friendships with people such as Pharrell Williams. What makes NIGO®’s work unique? “We probably share the same awareness that we don’t want everything to be too predetermined. It’s like wearing a suit with sneakers. You could call it deconstruction. I think about that quite a bit, and I’m conscious of it when I create spaces, like my home. I try to make it about 98% complete, and then add some playfulness to the remaining 2%.” “2% playfulness”: Hearing that puts the elements of NOT A HOTEL TOKYO in a new light, such as the capsule beds in the guest rooms. “When I built my house by the sea a few years ago, I came up with the idea of ​​using capsule beds, like those in capsule hotels, for the guest rooms. I needed a place to host my guests, but I didn’t want it to take up too much space. People who come to visit say, “That is such a good idea.” For NOT A HOTEL TOKYO, I updated the design a bit. When I was thinking about the architectural plan, I was watching the Star Wars drama series Andor, in which there is a capsule hotel-like prison where electricity flows through the floor. That scene was very memorable. Maybe that influenced me on the somewhat inorganic atmosphere of the capsules.”

Collaboration with Long-time Friend KAWS

NIGO® has been collecting the artist KAWS’s works as an individual collector for many years. KAWS’s statue, which will look out from the roof over Tokyo Bay, combined with the location makes NOT A HOTEL TOKYO an even more unique piece of architecture. “I’ve made many orders to Brian (KAWS) and have had him make and display various things. It’s evolved even further, and this time his iconic statue will be placed on a clifftop. Not only has Brian evolved as an artist, but our partnership is always changing over time, which makes it one of my favorite things to work on. I love the ocean, but the scenery at NOT A HOTEL TOKYO is even more interesting, because you can also see cargoships and Yokosuka on the opposite shore. And if the weather is good, you can see Mt. Fuji. It’s not just a view of the ocean, but it’s a picturesque location that could be framed like a landscape painting. I think you’ll be surprised to find a place like this so near Tokyo.”

Architecture as a Way to Appreciate the Location

Not only has NIGO® directed the spatial direction of numerous stores, ateliers, and offices, but his taste and creativity are also fully displayed in his home. What kind of space is a home for him? “When I built my first house, I thought, “I’ll never build a house again!” It was just such a difficult process. But if I happen to come across a great piece of land, I want to try building a new one. For example, in the case of the house in Kyoto, I fell in love with the tea house culture and the systems and rules there, so I started looking for land close to places where I could go to the tea house with a sake cup I made myself and quickly return home after. I looked for a place over five years, but I couldn’t find a good one. I was finally introduced to a good piece of land through an acquaintance, and I was able to build the house. And even then, I thought, “I’ll never build a house again,” and then as soon as I come across a good piece of land, I forget about that (laughs).” For NIGO®, the act of building a house may be a way to appreciate a piece of land he likes more deeply. “I’m the type of person who thinks about how to spend my time as efficiently as possible. I like the efficiency of being able to go there without carrying any luggage when I have a house in a place I like. However, the flip side is that it’s hard to manage. I have to make time to go there even when I don’t have anything to do. When I arrive at the house, I open the windows and start cleaning, I feel like the building is alive. I feel like the building is happy when I go there even only once a month. I always think that a building is only complete until the people move in. When you think about it that way, you can use NOT A HOTEL whenever you want, but unlike a hotel, you can own it and you grow alongside it. I feel like this is probably the best thing for a building.”

THE NIGO HOUSE

Each of the experiences he has had creating numerous houses and spaces is directly linked to the quality of NOT A HOTEL TOKYO. “Building a house is a process of trial and error. With previous projects, I failed over and over again. There are so many parts where I think, “I should have done it this way.” That experience was put to good use for NOT A HOTEL TOKYO. The same goes for the tea room. We made it as neutral as possible, a four-and-a-half-tatami mat room, considering that it might be used by people who have never experienced a tea ceremony. But it would be boring if it was too ordinary, so we devised the position of an alcove in the tea room and arranged it so that the ocean could be seen from the windows. We placed great importance on the presentation, and we ended up with a tea room that makes me want to brew tea there as soon as possible. Even in the computer renderings, we made sure to have my avatar properly wear the right socks and we adjusted the direction of the kettle. Recently, when I build a house or office, I’m thinking that I definitely want to include elements like tatami mats. Thinking that people from overseas will come to the house, I want them to experience Japanese culture. At the HUMAN MADE office, for example, we have Prouvé shelves in the tea room space, which actually go very well with mid-century products. Charlotte Perriand in particular was influenced by Japan, so it goes well with Japanese design. I regret that I realized this pairing too late in life. I’ve been reengaged with Japanese things again in the last ten years or so and I’ve realized how amazing they are.” NOT A HOTEL TOKYO, which is also a culmination of NIGO®’s spatial direction, is his fourth “home.” “Thankfully, when guests come to Tokyo, they often say, “I want to go to NIGO’s house.” So many people have come to see my spaces, but NOT A HOTEL TOKYO is in a very attractive location and is the ultimate space that pursues the highest level of perfection and detail. It contains my entire worldview.”