Free International Laboratory I

When we first opened F.I.L some acquaintances asked me why we don't play music in the store.

When I was younger, on the day I bought a new album, I would always run back home to sit by my record player alone and listen to it. With nervous and anticipated excitement I'd place the record on the turntable and play it over and over again as I read through the lyrics. I'm sure I'm not the only one whose first encounter with music was like this.

At the risk of sounding overly nostalgic, I actually liked and looked forward to the nervousness that came along with playing a new record; the seriousness of the moment felt meditative and always brought on an unintended silence, tranquility, or focus.

These days purchasing albums and other products can be done efficiently through the internet. As things become more convenient I find myself experiencing the benefits of technological progression directly. It feels like this convenience and speed are changing the style and methodology of consumption.

Prior to opening, as I explored ideas for F.I.L, I thought about the essential characteristics that the store needed to have. I thought about creating a space where products would be showcased with a deliberate seriousness, an ambiance of subtle tension.

It is for this reason that we do not play music in F.I.L None whatsoever. No sounds at all.

I do not feel as though music is unnecessary. Quite the contrary, actually. But I'd rather have a small hand in the lives of our customers and friends by offering a venue for them to face the music directly, live, on special occasions, the same way they face our product without it in silent reflection.

I'm positive that I do not fully understand the problems that the music industry is facing today. The only insight I can offer is that like other creators, musicians might potentially share some of the same concerns or worries, and benefits for that matter, that the current rapid-paced consumer cycle yields. But more importantly than that is the rare and lucky opportunity to perform for others - customers, consumers, really - who give their full attention and focus to what has been created (music and product).

F.I.L is also designed so people can experience the product in a neutral yet comfortable space. I asked myself what kind of design elements would allow a person visiting our store to feel comforted. After careful consideration of all possibilities, I concluded that high ceilings, hon-shikkui plaster, natural light, the balance between that light and shade, antique furniture, the use of greenery or some organic component, and the scent occupying the space, were all essential elements.

I first started the brand because I notices too many products with a lot of marketing, but very little substance. I just wanted to make something with meaning, so I had to minimize all the noise.

When I came up with the retail concept for F.I.L, or Free International Laboratory, I needed someone who could help me design the shop. I visited a lot of stores as research, and I didn't like any of them. But one day while at an art gallery, I thought, "This would be the perfect place for my product," so I tracked down the architect who designed the art gallery, Naohiko Hino, and asked him to design a store for me. He was a little confused in the beginning because he thought I was asking him to do a retail space design. After submitting his first draft, which I didn't like, I told him to "just do what you do" and make a comfortable space. I told him that the space should be like a gallery, or a temple or shrine, where customers could experience the product without any noise while still being comfortable. Natural light was critically important. So we ran with the gallery idea and used it for our first F.I.L shop.

For our F.I.L stores, we work with Japanese craftsmen who do hon-shikkui plastering. Hon-shikkui is traditionally used in Japanese castles. We wanted to use the hon-shikkui technique for all of our stores since the plaster must be applied by hand, so we had craftsmen from Kanazawa, who usually work on castle restorations, do the walls and surfaces of our stores.

If you visit an F.I.L store, the white walls look almost completely flat and even, but they aren't. They are slightly irregular and actually uneven, but it's almost undetectable. This subliminal unevenness gives us such a rich feeling that cannot be recreated by a machine. It can only be achieved by hand. These white walls, which softly reflect incoming natural light and cast exquisite shadows, are a key element of F.I.L.

From a design standpoint, all our F.I.L locations share this same underlying concept. However, the individually distinct qualities of each space have been emphasized and incorporated into the final design. As a result of this, every F.I.L shop possesses characteristics unique to each location.
- Hiroki Nakamura

Visvim