Silver Interior Space and Exhibition Design · 2026
Taneya Club Harie Retail Store
by Uds Ltd.
- A' Design Award 2026 Silver Winner in Interior Space and Exhibition Design
- Awarded April 15, 2026
- CLIENT: UDS Ltd.
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 20,159
- Verification code 2F06780F7F · Verify this award
About Taneya Club Harie Retail Store
Taneya Club Harie is a retail store located inside a department store in Kusatsu, Shiga, Japan. The store brings together traditional Japanese confectionery brand Taneya and Western patisserie brand Club Harie in one space. The design follows a single concept of strata, expressing layers of time. Ceilings and fixtures are formed by layering precisely cut wooden panels shifted by millimeters. Solid chestnut wood and lacquer mark the Taneya side, while light laminated plywood marks the Club Harie side. The flowing curves guide visitors deeper into the store and ease congestion.
Positioned within the contemporary discourse surrounding experiential retail design, this interior by Daisuke Takamiya demonstrates how architectural intervention might transform commercial space into an environment of contemplation and cultural celebration. The design appears to engage with long-standing traditions of organic modernism while simultaneously honoring regional craft heritage through its sophisticated integration of natural materials and artisanal sensibility. The undulating ceiling forms, executed in what appears to be traditional earthen plaster techniques, suggest the flowing contours of natural landscapes—perhaps evoking rolling hills, terraced agricultural forms, or the concentric ripples of water disturbed by falling droplets. This biomorphic vocabulary establishes an immediate experiential contrast with conventional retail environments, inviting visitors into a space that privileges sensory richness and temporal slowness over transactional efficiency. The technical achievement evident in the seamless integration of concealed illumination within each ceiling tier demonstrates considerable command of contemporary lighting technology deployed in service of atmospheric rather than purely functional ends. One observes how the warm amber glow emanating from these cove details creates an envelope of golden light that unifies diverse material surfaces and merchandise presentations within a coherent chromatic environment. The central circular display island, rising in stepped concentric rings, functions as both functional merchandise platform and spatial anchor, establishing a ceremonial quality appropriate to the presentation of carefully crafted confections. Traditional elements—the checkered packaging patterns, the brushwork signage, the natural wood materiality—participate in an ongoing conversation between heritage and innovation that characterizes much thoughtful contemporary design. The viewer might contemplate how such spaces serve not merely commercial functions but cultural ones, preserving and celebrating craft traditions while making them accessible to contemporary audiences seeking authenticity and meaning in their consumption experiences.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- This is the design project for the Taneya Club Harie store at the Kintetsu Kusatsu department store. The uniqueness of this design lies in its function not merely as a commercial space, but as an art installation that tells the brand's philosophy. Under the single, powerful concept of "strata," it seamlessly connects the contrasting worlds of "tradition" and "innovation," inviting visitors into an immersive brand experience. In a department store environment lined with homogenous stores, it creates overwhelming originality and a memorable experiential value.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Total Floor Area: 285.28sqm
- Tags
- RetailDesign, InteriorDesign, Conceptual, WoodInterior, Patisserie, FlagshipStore, Tradition, Innovation, Sustainability
- Production Technology
- This organic and complex form was realized by drawing all curved surfaces with millimeter precision and making repeated adjustments. The unique texture of the ceilings and fixtures is created by layering precisely cut wooden panels, shifting them by millimeters. For materials, solid chestnut wood and lacquer were used for the Taneya side, while light laminated plywood was used for the Club Harie side to accentuate their respective identities.
- Design Challenge
- The greatest challenge was to harmonize the two conflicting brand identities of "tradition" and "innovation" within a single space while enhancing the appeal of both. Another significant technical challenge was realizing the massive and complex organic form with extremely high precision under budget and time constraints. To overcome this, we achieved it by meticulously drawing all complex curved surfaces with millimeter accuracy and collaborating closely with the constructor.
- Project Duration
- Timeline: The design was submitted to a competition in 2021. Construction began in April 2023, and the store opened to the public in June 2023.
Location: Inside Kintetsu Department Store, Kusatsu, Shiga, Japan - Operation Flow
- This space interacts with the movement of its visitors. The flowing curves of the fixtures and ceiling, like strata, naturally guide customer flow deep into the store, easing congestion and creating an enjoyable sense of exploration. This allows people to unconsciously explore the worlds of both brands and interact more deeply with them. It provides a more intuitive and comfortable shopping experience than a conventional grid-like store layout.
- Research
- This is a design research project aimed at creating new brand value and improving operational efficiency within a department store environment. First, we analyzed the history and philosophy of "Taneya" and "Club Harie" to extract the essence of the brands. Next, we identified the lack of memorable experiences and inefficient customer flow in typical commercial spaces as key issues. As a result, we developed the "strata" concept, where form and function are inextricably linked, successfully enhancing customer circulation while optimizing staff workflow to create a memorable experience beyond mere convenience.
- Inspiration
- The starting point was the question of how to express and fuse two distinct identities-traditional Japanese confectionery "Taneya" and innovative Western patisserie "Club Harie"-within a single space. The source of inspiration was the magnificent "strata" created by nature. We aimed to express the brand's accumulated history and its vision for the future throughout the entire space with the poetic concept of the layering of time.
- Image Credits
- Image #1 : Nacasa & Partners, 2023
Optional Image #1 : Nacasa & Partners, 2023
Optional Image #2 : Nacasa & Partners, 2023
Optional Image #3 : Nacasa & Partners, 2023
Optional Image #4 : Nacasa & Partners, 2023
Optional Image #5 : Nacasa & Partners, 2023