This project is notable for Jamo as the first time it has worked on a large-scale residential building. Sadahiro Nakamura from the branding/design agency “Transit General Office”, who worked as a producer for the project, defined the building’s concept as an “urban lodge”. Jamo’s task was to realize that concept in the public spaces (entrance hall, lobby, etc.) and three apartment designs. Our point of departure was the idea of greenery and natural warmth that is often missing in urban residential towers and the question of how best to incorporate those elements in the residential spaces and building as a whole. Jamo started with first thing people see: the building’s entrance and lobby. Here, the idea was to make these areas into a giant sunroom, using large glass windows as much as possible to create a subtle division between interior and exterior and to allow people to enjoy plants and natural light even while indoors. In residential spaces, Jamo’s first priority was to use quality materials (such as herringbone patterned floorboards and plank panel wall) that express a sensuous richness. The use of natural materials where possible helps create a lodge-like atmosphere, helps residents establish their own style, and gives the interior a “well-loved” appearance over time. Jamo’s Chinatsu Kambayashi oversaw the styling of the building’s showroom units.

Jamo designed the first store for the new women’s brand “ELFORBR”, part of the Sazaby League family of brands. The store opened in March 2013 in the “Flags” shopping center in Shinjuku. ELFORBR is aimed at young women in their 30s or late 20s and describes itself as offering “effortlessly traditional” clothing. It imagines its clothing worn by a woman born in London and now working in New York and living in Brooklyn. As an expression of the brand’s aesthetic, Jamo anchors the interior with a red kiosk. Adding a different element on a bold classic British style, the space gives strong visual effect and also draws people into the store. While there’s an overall coherence to the interior, with the design rounded out with wood flooring and hanging lamps, it also offers diverse areas to explore, with six differently themed product areas. Jamo’s interior stylist Chinatsu Kambayashi also helped as a buyer for the various lifestyle items.