After 18 years of operation, fragrance house Le Labo has completed a comprehensive architectural overhaul of its Daikanyama flagship in Tokyo. Notably, the boutique marked the brand’s first location outside the United States when it opened. However, the newly redesigned store now reflects a stronger sense of place through a tactile architectural concept.
Local firm Schemata Architects led the transformation. The studio introduced a design that balances urban industrial textures with natural materials. Consequently, the updated space positions craftsmanship at the center of the retail experience.
Laboratory relocation highlights artisanal production
The renovation primarily aimed to emphasize the manual process behind the brand’s fragrances. Therefore, the architects reconfigured the floor plan and relocated the in-store fragrance laboratory to the building’s front.
As a result, perfumers now work directly behind large street-facing windows. This visible production process functions as a living display for passersby while simultaneously connecting the boutique with the surrounding urban environment.
Material choices also reinforce the concept of craft and duality. The architects explained the design intent clearly:
“Le Labo proposed wood and concrete as materials,” the architects explained, “suggesting that the city’s defining characteristic lies in the blending of opposing forces: intense energy and profound tranquillity.”
To implement this idea, the studio used red cedar treated with uzukuri, a traditional Japanese woodworking method that removes softer wood fibers to expose pronounced grain.
Material experimentation shapes interior identity
The design team then adopted a cyclical construction process. First, they used the treated cedar as formwork for new concrete architectural elements. As the architects described the process:
“By pouring concrete into formwork that emphasised the wood grain’s uneven texture, we produced precast panels where the grain was transferred onto the surface, which we then employed as walls.”
Afterward, the same wooden formwork materials were salvaged and repurposed to build display shelving and interior furniture.
Meanwhile, the ceiling was stripped back to expose the original concrete structure, including lighting recesses and historic duct grooves. Consequently, the interior highlights the building’s structural history while reinforcing the theme of visible craftsmanship.
Ultimately, the project creates a visual dialogue between textured cedar and raw concrete. Through this approach, Schemata Architects delivers a retail environment rooted in Tokyo’s architectural character while reflecting Le Labo’s dedication to handmade production.