Kii inc.
architectural design office

キイは、新井里志、中富慶からなる建築デザインユニットです。 建築的な視点を軸に、建築・インテリアのデザインと設計、家具やプロダクトのデザイン、ショーウインドウディスプレイなど 自分たちがイメージする場所をつくるために必要なことのすべてをデザインします。

新井里志 Satoshi Arai
architect / designer
1984年群馬県生まれ。2014年Kii inc.設立

中富慶 Kei Nakatomi
architect / designer
1980年福岡県生まれ。2014年Kii inc.設立
2020-2022年 東北大学大学院工学研究科都市・建築学専攻 特任講師

Awards
German Design Awards 2020 Winner
ICONIC AWARD2019 Innovative Architecture Winner
iF design award 2018
IDA International Design Award 2018 GOLD PRIZE
IDA International Design Award 2018 GOLD PRIZE
IDA International Design Award 2018 Honorable Mention
ARCHITECTURE MASTERPRIZE 2018 WINNER
ARCHITECTURE MASTERPRIZE 2018 HONORABLE MENTION
ASIA PACIFIC INTERIOR DESIGN AWARDS 2017 BRONZE PRIZE
DSA空間デザイン賞2017 銀賞


Kii inc., is an architectural design office founded by Satoshi Arai and Kei Nakatomi.
Kii is an old Japanese word meaning pleasure, relaxation and enjoyment.
The word is cited in The Precious Key to the Secret Treasury, an ancient work by the monk Kukai.
The choice of this name reflects our desire to produce spaces with pleasure, relaxation and fun as per the word's definition. Rather than cookie-cutter ideas of what a building or residence should look like,
our aim is to vigorously pursue our own idea of quality design.
This approach creates greater fun both for the builder and the user or resident.
While the high level of technology required to produce standardized products is laudable,
we would feel sad if such products were the only option.
We strive for greater fun and more freedom in architectural design.
Pleasure, relaxation and enjoyment reside at the core of our design philosophy.

Satoshi Arai  architect / designer
1984 Born in Gunma.
2014 Established Kii inc.

Kei Nakatomi  architect / designer
1980 Born in Fukuoka.
2014 Established Kii inc.
2020 Associate Professor at Tohoku University.

Häagen-Dazs & LOUNGE

location : Omotesando,Tokyo,Japan
usage : Promotion Event
floor area : 128.6㎡
period : 2017.3.23-2017.3.25
construction : mari art

“白と黒だけでつくられたラウンジ”

Haagen-Dazs のクッキー&クリーム味の発売25周年を記念して開催された、喫食体験イベントの会場デザイン。

部屋の中央で白と黒に分けられた、アイスを食べるためのラウンジ。
床、壁、梁、家具を徹底して白と黒でつくることで、クッキー&クリームらしさを感じることのできる空間にしようと考えた。

白い部屋は、白く明るい光と直線的なデザイン、黒い部屋は、電球のやわらかい光と曲線のデザインでできている。
また、器やカトラリーをインテリアをつくる要素として取り入れることで、Haagen-Dazsらしさのある空間とした。

白と黒に分けられた質の異なる空間と、それをつなぐ”&"の象徴的な文字。
白と黒、2つの空間が交わる場所をデザインすることで、バニラ(白)とクッキー(黒)の”出会い”を体験できる場所をつくった。

“Lounge Space made of Black & White”

A space design for the sampling event of Haagen-Dazs Cookies & Cream which was held to celebrate its 25th anniversary.

A lounge space for grown-ups. It’s the core target of the product.
Inspired by the colours of the product, we decided to divide the whole room into 2 colours, Black(Cookies) & White(Cream).

Floors, walls, beams and furniture.
Everything was made of Black & White to create the best space to enjoy eating the product.
Bright light and linear design were applied to the white room and soft light and curved design to the black room.
Moreover, we utilised dishes and cutleries as materials to decorate the room.


Two opposite spaces made of only black & white and the golden object “&” which connects those two rooms, successfully created the experience where people can feel the happy encounter of Cookies(black) & Cream(white).