Eataly Ginza: A Garden of Gastronomy in Tokyo's Elite District

Uds Ltd.'s Award-Winning Design Transforms Retail Space into Italian Culinary Haven

The inspiration for Eataly Ginza comes from the bustling downtown area of Ginza, one of Tokyo's most exclusive commercial districts. The design was planned to integrate with the existing "Tsutaya Bookstore", Japan's largest bookstore, which occupies most of the 6th floor of Ginza Six. The concept of "Eataly Garden" was born from the idea of creating a rich, green space that extends beyond the alleyway-like layout of the bookstore.

Eataly Ginza's unique design features a series of small stores, reminiscent of a garden, with streetlight-like lighting, plantings, and benches. This layout creates a comfortable and inviting atmosphere for visitors, allowing them to experience the values that Eataly cherishes. The goal of Eataly is to convey the importance of rich food experiences to as many people as possible.

The design realization of Eataly Ginza involved creating a sense of spatial expansion by devising a zoning plan with as few horizontal partitions as possible. The ceiling is skeletonized, and streetlights of the same design are placed throughout the space to create a sense of unity. The backside of the thorne features louvers on the ceiling, creating a calm space that resembles a semi-outdoor space.

The project, which started in July 2020 and opened on August 25, 2021, is Eataly's first store in Japan with an area of approximately 1,000 square meters. The design research for Eataly Ginza involved inspecting Food Hall mobile stores around Japan and examining plans for Eataly stores around the world. This research helped Uds Ltd. to create a plan that expresses the qualities of Eataly while being suitable for the Japanese market.

One of the challenges faced during the design process was achieving consistency between the drainage and other facility plans and the zoning plan to express Eataly. The design team overcame this challenge by loosely partitioning the space with aisle widths and plantings, creating the illusion of a mixed space that is more familiar to Eataly stores around the world.

In conclusion, Eataly Ginza is a testament to Uds Ltd.'s innovative design approach, transforming a retail space into a garden-like Italian food market. The design has not only won the Silver A' Interior Space, Retail and Exhibition Design Award in 2022 but also offers a unique culinary experience to visitors, embodying the essence of Eataly's concept.