EN Skincare Salon and Store

Kinoshita's spatial intervention within this historic vaulted chamber represents a sophisticated meditation on the relationship between temporal depth and contemporary refinement, positioning the skincare experience within an architectural framework that suggests both geological permanence and alchemical transformation. The designer appears to engage deliberately with traditions of sacred and healing spaces, wherein the enveloping stone vault evokes ancient thermal baths, monastery cellars, or grotto sanctuaries where transformation and purification have historically occurred. The technical achievement lies in the precise calibration of material contrast: the rough, irregular texture of the limestone masonry with its centuries of accumulated character against the immaculate geometry and mirror-polish of the brass furniture creates a visual and tactile dialogue between nature and artifice, permanence and precision. The circular motifs recurring throughout the design, from the suspended ring lights to the cylindrical seating to the implied circles of the product vessels, establish a symbolic vocabulary of wholeness and completion that resonates with skincare's promise of renewal. The mirror's strategic placement amplifies spatial perception while introducing themes of reflection and self-examination central to beauty ritual. Product display along the lateral wall adopts museum-quality presentation principles, treating each vessel as a precious object worthy of contemplation rather than mere commercial inventory. The chromatic restraint operating within warm earth tones unified by brass accents creates an environment of enveloping warmth that suggests both the skin's own golden undertones and the precious nature of self-care practice. One might observe how the space invites visitors to pause, to inhabit a threshold between historical depth and present moment, between natural material and refined product. What transformations does this liminal space prepare us to undergo?

Designed for new Japanese cosmetics brand En, the store occupies of an 18th-century building in the center of the French capital. The name "En" translates as "beauty" in Japanese, but can also mean "circle" and "connection". These three translations all inspired the design of the store. On the ground floor are two bright minimal spaces, furnished with curving brass partitions and furniture. Meanwhile the basement reveals the building's history, with exposed stone walls and a vaulted ceiling.