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A
TANGIBLE SYMBOL IN TOKYO
The Aveda Tokyo Lifestyle Salon
and Spa was recently honored with the Store of the Year Award in
the Annual Institute of Store Planners/VM+SD International Store
Design Competition. The salon, designed by FRCH Design Worldwide,
was inspired by Aveda’s
mission statement, and, said the jurors, is “the ultimate example
of how those values can translate into a built environment.”
It also lauded the salon for “its confident use of materials”
and for “pushing the brand in a new direction in a powerful
fashion.”
Indeed, the facility artfully blends the company’s desire to
inspire, nurture and
connect people who aspire to a lifestyle grounded in wellness, healing,
spirituality, fashion and environmental stewardship. It was constructed
using many locally derived sources and recycled materials. Specific
environmental features include:
* wood flooring and stairs are
made of Sokoita wood reclaimed from a demolished century-old farmhouse
in Hida Takayama;
* cabinets made from compressed
corn stalks;
* rooftop solar panels to help offset energy needs;
* fixtures and furniture made
from tamo oak, a locally-sourced and
sustainable wood;
* lighting fixtures chosen for
energy efficiency;
* walls that are finished with
low- VOC paints that reduce off-gassing and are non-toxic and non-polluting
to the environment;
* positioning of the salon on
the second floor to take advantage of the ample natural daylight,
which lends itself to hair coloring services;
* walls in the spa treatment
rooms made of soil, straw, sand and a watery clay that solidifies
naturally without any synthetic hardening agents or excess energy;
* and plants specifically chosen
for their air cleaning qualities and their connection to Aveda products.
GUIDING QUESTIONS
Aveda offers this list of key questions to ask before designing,
specifying, buying or using:
* Do we need it? Can we do without it?
* Can we borrow, rent or get it gently used?
* Is the project designed to minimize waste? Can it be smaller,
lighter or made from
fewer materials?
* Is it designed to be durable or multi-functional?
* Is it available in a less toxic form? Can it be made with less
toxic materials?
* Does it use renewable resources?
* Is reuse practical and encouraged?
* Are the product and/or packaging refillable, recyclable or repairable?
* Is it made with post-consumer recycled or reclaimed materials.
How much?
* Is it available from a socially and environmentally responsible
company?
* Is it made locally?
* Do we need it? Can we live without it?
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