TORAFU ARCHITECTS

The exhibition space which links with “MUJI IS Mujirushi Ryohin (MUJI) archives”, a book published for MUJI’s 40th anniversary.

In the book, various items are categorized by “verbs” expressing the motivation and thought process behind the product development rooted in each respective item instead of being categorized by general product categories.
We planned to design the exhibition, where 15 verbs correspond to each respective item one by one to show the verb and the product integrally. The verbs are assigned to each 600 mm diameter paper tubes cut in various heights, whose insides exhibit the corresponding products. The paper tubes standing close to each other, likened to a forest, have holes like those carved in the trunk of trees. The holes highlight each product by functioning as a frame for them. These products appear to be raised up by the light in the holes finished with white sheets and lighted up with a bulb to remove any shadows. Going through the Forest of Verbs, visitors will find a 40-year-long chronological table on the back wall, which displays MUJI’s history.

Instead of a unilateral way of exhibiting, such as showing products displayed on shelves, we aimed to create a space where visitors can actively feel MUJI’s thoughts and visions, which the 15 verbs express, through walking around and looking into holes of the trees in the forest.