A Brand Experience Shaped by Heat and Change
At Rinnai Aoyama, Rinnai’s first flagship space for consumers, we shaped the entire brand experience—from the development of the brand concept to identity, spatial design, signage, café, culture book, catalogues, CGI, and communications. Built around the concept of “Echoes of Warmth,” the project reinterprets Rinnai’s long-standing philosophy of shitsujitsu - gōken, an ethos of integrity, simplicity, and uncompromising craftsmanship — as an experience that leads to a richer and more considered way of living. By bringing architecture, interiors, graphics, and content together under a single philosophy, we created Rinnai Aoyama as more than a flagship space: a place where people gather, engage in dialogue, and cultivate new relationships with the brand.
Echoes of Warmth
Rinnai’s new brand experience space in Minami-Aoyama is the company’s first flagship showroom created for consumers—a new kind of initiative that moves beyond the conventions of its traditional B2B showrooms. More than a place to display products, it was conceived as a community: a place to cultivate relationships with architects, interior designers, chefs, and other professionals and partners, while fostering a growing circle of people who understand, support, and advocate for the brand. The space serves three primary roles. First, to build meaningful relationships with stakeholders and develop the social capital that forms the brand’s broader foundation. Second, to provide an elevated environment in which people can experience Rinnai’s products and encounter the brand at its best. Third, to explore new areas of business, with the custom kitchen business at its core, and create a stronger preference for Rinnai by name. Together, these roles are intended to strengthen the value of the brand, elevate its perceived value in the market, and establish greater pricing power.
The space was designed around the concept of “Echoes of Warmth” Just as a fire draws people together, encourages conversation, and allows warmth to quietly spread, Rinnai Aoyama was envisioned as a place where encounters and exchanges generate a warmth that can be carried forward. The three principles of heat transfer became a metaphor for the visual identity and spatial expressions throughout the project—transforming a fundamental aspect of Rinnai’s technology into a symbol of the energy created through human relationships.The first floor is a lounge and showroom designed to deepen connections with professionals and creatives. Beyond presenting products, it provides a setting in which Rinnai can share its philosophy and vision for the future, cultivating a community of advocates around the brand. The fourth floor is an experiential showroom and salon centered on custom kitchens. Intimate and informal, it connects the entire relationship—from discovery and consideration to purchase, support, and ultimately long-term affinity with the brand.
The spatial design brings together two seemingly contrasting qualities: strength and restraint, softness and sensitivity. An industrial sensibility informed by German thought and modernism is combined with the softer, minimal qualities found in Nordic and Japanese cultures. The result is an environment that feels both refined and lived-in—a quiet place within the intensity of the city where people can reflect on what it means to live well.Rinnai Aoyama also represents an expansion of the relationships the company has cultivated throughout its history. Building on the trust it has established within industry, the space creates new connections with influential voices across design, architecture, and contemporary living. By moving beyond purely transactional relationships and cultivating social capital rooted in empathy, trust, and goodwill, Rinnai can evolve from a manufacturer people choose into a brand people actively believe in and support.
The encounters and conversations that begin here are like small embers. Over time, they gather warmth, pass from one person to another, and spread outward into society. Through this movement of heat, Rinnai begins a new chapter as a brand seeking not only to make better products, but to make everyday life more beautiful and society richer.
Deliveries & Scope
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Project Team
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Executive Director, Senior Art Director
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Executive Director, Senior Gestalter
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Gestalter
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Team
Production : Tomoatsu Hattori Creative Director (CASADUY / UTEC) / Genki Imamura Brand Director (B&H) / Misako Fujimoto Content Director (inu) / Tomohisa Funahashi Project Management Office (COPILOT Inc.)
Interior & Facade : Koichi Futatsumata Chief Designer (CASE-REAL) / Koichi Shimodaira Senior Designer (CASE-REAL) / Miki Kuboyama Designer (CASE-REAL) / Tatsuki Nakamura Lighting Designer (BRANCH LIGHTING DESIGN) / Yuko Takaura Planting Designer (GREENETTA) / Atsuro Takahashi General Director (BUILD) / Tatsuya Sasaki General Manager (BUILD) / Osamu Hashimoto Construction (BUILD) / Shinnosuke Arahata Construction (BUILD) / Yoshihiro Hayakawa Signage (ITOKENSHO) / Styling : Yusuke Takeuchi Stylist / Food & Beverage : Yuichi Murakami Advisor (CREW) / Hibiki Fujioka Barista / Kanta Kobayashi Barista (inu) / étéco Bread / LUCKY COFFEE MACHINE
Web : Chiharu Kodama Art Director, Designer (ium) / Kumi Sakai Designer (ium) / Fukiko Daigo Manager (ium) / Yu Seya Developer (Snipe) / Yuichi Oishi Security Engineer (Feedtailor) / CRM : Shun Marusawa CRM, Product Manager (Tsuzucle)
Brand Film & Photography : TJ Director (YOIN) / yansu Producer, Photographer, DOP (YOIN) / Shinsaku Uemura 1st AC / Kohei Sahara 2nd AC / Himena Aihara 3rd AC / Atsushi Hirano Super Assistant / Takumi Yamada Lighting Director (SHUHEI) / Kazuya Imose Lighting Assistant / Munenori Kikuchi Lighting Assistant / Wakana Hair & Makeup / Yuto Suzuki Hair & Makeup Assistant / Yu Okamoto Project Manager (YOIN) / Sakito Natoyama Colorist (ARTONE FILM) / Wataru Miyashita Model (YOIN) / Kana Nagashima Hand Model (YOIN)
G:LINE Film : Motoi Shito Art Director, Planner (Sitoh inc.) / Motoi Furuya Designer (Sitoh inc.) / Daiki Fukao Film Director, Editor (Fukao Film Institute) / Kenichi Shimura Cinematographer / Yohei Ono Cinematographer (Fukao Film Institute) / Kyoko Nagase Copywriter (Nippon Design Center) / Takeaki Mitoma Gaffer / Sho Kimura DIT / Yuta Miura Camera Assistant (wakaba) / Yutaka Adachi Camera Assistant (wakaba) / Atsuya Bonno Lighting Assistant / Takahiro Kihara Lighting Assistant / Makoto Takeuchi Lighting Assistant / Ryosuke Mine Grip (VIG) / Wataru Toda Grip (VIG) / Yohei Ono Colorist (Fukao Film Institute) / Takumi Kubota Compositing (redspider) / Takanori Yamazaki CGI (Nippon Design Center) / Akifumi Ogino CGI (Nippon Design Center) / Noriyuki Sato + Makiko Sato Music (Heima) / Kimiko Hiyamizu Food / Ken Adachi Set Design (Fukao Film Institute) / Koji Miki Set Design (Cinq-art) / Masato Okamura Props (assign) / Yuko Sato Props (assign) / Masaki Usami Costume (aufheben) / Mayumi Sanjo / Noa Nishiura Production Manager / Satoshi Muraki Producer (Nippon Design Center) / Kazuomi Eto Producer (Nippon Design Center) / Sayaka Mawatari Makeup (SAMSON Sophia) / Nanako Fujisawa Makeup (SAMSON Sophia) / Sanako Nishikawa Casting (needsplus) / Saya Fujimaki Casting (needsplus) / Sorasooho Model / Mayu Hirano Model / Junpei Okazaki Model / Shoichi Model / Kosei Yanagihara Production Manager
Air Bubble Technology Film : yansu Producer (YOIN) / Yusuke Tanaka Director (Elagan) / Asuka Fujino Editor / Architectural Photography : Daisuke Shima Photographer (ad hoc) / Nanako Koyama Photographer / Photorealistic CGI : Akito Uemura CGI Director (LIT design) / Shogo Sakamoto CGI Project Manager (LIT design) / Makito Shigeta CGI Designer (LIT design) / Kazuma Hirahara CGI Designer (LIT design) / Motion CGI : yansu Producer (YOIN) / Shinichi Endo CGI Artist (YOIN) / Journal Editorial : Naoshi Ikai Writer / Yikin HYO Photographer / PR & Communications : Miki Koike Communication Director (How) / Kana Nakamura Communication Director (How) / Mie Aizawa Communication Director (How)
Special Thanks : Ryokai Otsubo Procurement Agent (inter office) / Yasuharu Kuzaki Uniform Director (ATON) / Yasutaka Kawahara Uniform Manager (ATON) / Daichi Shimizu Uniform Sales (ATON) / Tokyo Lithmatic Sales Tools & Goods Printing / Yamada Photo Process Pamphlet Printing / HAGURUMA Envelope Printing / Sun M Color Culture Book Printing / Takizawa Printing Burger Paper Printing / Towa Mark Name Tag / Kyoei Kagaku Kogyo Menu Plate / @aroma Scent Design / Sentaku Brothers (LIVRER) Gift