The softer side of nature: Aesop’s evocative new Sapporo store
Australian skincare brand Aesop is the whole package. Actually, 'skincare' is perhaps a reductive term given the brand's exploded remit, that now also comprises organic deodorants, fragrances, burning oils and timeless shaving ephemera – but either way, the label's efficacious plant- and lab-born products would be top-tier even without the irresistible minimal design of its packaging and the organic, design-led interiors of its stores.
A new outpost in the northern Japanese city of Sapporo – Aesop also has stores in Tokyo, New York, London, Melbourne, and more – is a defacto apex for a brand with an irrefutable knack for retail architecture.
Spanning a modest 48.6 sq m, the Stellar Place store interior channels both Sapporo city and the broader Hokkaido Prefecture's benign, poetic landscape – from white birch forests to fog-washed mountains, silhouetted above the city itself.
It's a wilfully lofty – and perhaps sentimental – remit, keenly realised by Koichi Futatusmata and Ritsu Shibata of the Fukuoka-based design firm Case-Real (with lighting design by Branch's Tatsuki Nakamura).
Striving for an aura simultaneously 'dynamic but somehow fragile, with a sense of roughness but also delicate', the duo harnessed Sapporo freestone as the space's key material. An easily-mined and lightweight volcanic tuff, freestone has been used as a public building material in Hokkaido for over a century; in its smooth and roughly unrefined forms (both are utilised here), the rock is simultaneously practical and highly evocative of its regional environs.
The light grey expanse is offset with shelves and fixtures in vibration finish stainless steel, together creating a muted, refined space that screams gallery more than concession. That the products themselves – here reconstituted as 'man-made artifacts co-existing with the harsh side of nature' – remain a focus is testament to Aesop's ever-ascendent identity.
The lofty design brief has been keenly realised by Koichi Futatusmata and Ritsu Shibata of the Fukuoka-based design firm Case-Real – with lighting design by Branch's Tatsuki Nakamura
INFORMATION
For more information, visit Aesop’s website
Photography: Takumi Ota
ADDRESS
Aesop
JR Tower East 2F
Sapporo Stellar Place
Kita 5-jo Nishi 2-chome, 060-0005
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Tom Howells is a London-based food journalist and editor. He’s written for Vogue, Waitrose Food, the Financial Times, The Fence, World of Interiors, Time Out and The Guardian, among others. His new book, An Opinionated Guide to London Wine, will be published by Hoxton Mini Press later this year.
-
The new dawn of Japanese whisky
Japanese whisky has long been the pinnacle of sophistication for connoisseurs. Our spirits writer Neil Ridley looks at this year’s best releases, and a new breed of distillers bringing innovation into the mix
By Neil Ridley Published
-
Tour a new Sardinian hotel hidden among sand dunes
Hotel Le Dune Piscinas is a cosy five-star boutique resort surrounded by the untamed natural beauty of Sardinia’s Costa Verde
By Ifeoluwa Adedeji Published
-
Looking forward to Tate Modern’s 25th anniversary party
From 9-12 May 2025, Tate Modern, one of London’s most adored art museums, will celebrate its 25th anniversary with a lively weekend of festivities
By Smilian Cibic Published
-
Why Aesop’s B Triple C Facial Balancing Gel is a cult classic
Aesop’s B Triple C Facial Balancing Gel moisturiser, which recently celebrated its 20-year anniversary, stands the test of time
By Hannah Tindle Published
-
Renowned architects design sculptural beauty packaging
Architects Kengo Kuma, Oskar Leo Kaufmann, and Tokujin Yoshioka are designing a new landscape in the world of beauty packaging
By Mary Cleary Last updated
-
Christopher Raeburn and Aesop redefine adventure for today
The Adventure Roll-Up is a sustainable carrying case for hand care that can be made at home, created by Christopher Raeburn and Aesop
By Mary Cleary Last updated
-
Snøhetta channels James Bond for Aesop’s new Sloane Square store
By Elly Parsons Last updated
-
Skin and ritual: Aesop’s mesmerising Melbourne windows
By Carrie Hutchinson Last updated
-
Brand extension: Aesop opens a seamless new store in São Paulo
By Vanessa Bell Last updated