For NAGOMI, which manufactures aroma oils from waste wood from thinning, this salon, which embodies the brand concept, is the perfect place to communicate the value of its products and services to users. The wood used in the salon is from Izumi-Senshu, the same area where NAGOMI produces its oils, and the intimacy with the space is directly linked to the familiarity with NAGOMI aroma oils and the company's policy of utilising resources. In addition, NAGOMI aroma oils are displayed in hollowed-out cavities in the wooden pillars in the treatment space, visually expressing the fact that the oils are refined from wood from Izumi-Senshu.
The salon is a base for promoting environmental conservation through local production for local consumption of resources and the use of waste wood by providing high-quality spatial design and therapeutic experiences. In addition, the timber pillars that make up the salon space are made of Senshu timber, including waste timber, making it a place where the quality of locally produced materials and the potential for the use of waste timber can be communicated. The earthen paint used for the floors, walls and ceilings has a history of use as a material for earthenware since the Yayoi period over a thousand years ago and, together with wood, is an important material supporting Izumi's history and culture.
The design of this salon was an opportunity to brand the painted materials as Habitat and pass on the technology to the next generation. The plan, with the treatment space in the centre and sanitary and storage areas on both sides, provides an optimum flow plan for both practitioners and users. The pillars and beams, which are the structural materials of the building, are hidden from view from the treatment space, making the space simple and noiseless, and allowing for a more relaxed atmosphere.
The materials used in the treatment space, with the exception of some equipment, are all natural materials, making it feel as if you are in the natural world, even though you are indoors. The wooden pillars with their bark left intact give the space an accent, giving it the shimmering appearance that only natural materials can provide. The colours of the bark and soil of the natural forest that emerge in the low-lit space give users a sense of calmness.
