2008／Wakayama city／Wakayama／JAPAN
The hair and beauty salon “alalu” was designed with the concept of two ideas; firstly, it was to propose a new style of hair salon where the very best of services were provided to each customers, in order to beautify hair and heart, and secondly, as a multi-purpose space that could be used for organizing beauty skill lessons as well as for various communication purpose.
The styling section is a horizontally expanded single space that can be temporarily divided for individual guests by opening up “Hiraki-do” doors. The idea of the “Tukeshoin” structure in the Shoin Style is applied to the usage of this function-combined yet one undivided space with vague boundaries. Individual spaces are sectioned off by these large Hiraki-do doors, producing reasonable privacy as well as openness.
When a guest arrives, one Hiraki-do door is opened, showing an individual cutting booth hidden behind the door. It produces personal and private atmosphere for the customer. The Hiraki-do door provides adequate privacy with a partitioned booth, prepared for the guest with a chair and all. Also by opening up, the door lets in natural soft light from the window. The visit of one customer transforms the open space.
Photography by Sohei Terui