INTERIORS

Singapore Welcomes New Okamura Showroom

by Portfolio Magazine
12 Oct 2020

The Japanese brand's flagship showroom also features a 7-meter tall vending and gachapon machine

Since its start in 1945 in Yokohama, Japan, Okamura has provided high quality products and services for offices, education, healthcare, R&D, commercial facilities, and distribution centers under the motto "Quality pays for itself". Fast forward to 2020 in Singapore, Okamura recently opened its flagship showroom in Cecil Street, which, in addition to showcasing products and services, allows guests to rest, work, and experience what the brand is all about.

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The 4,800 square-foot, two-storey space also takes fun into consideration, breaking away from the brand's conservative mold through bold installations and interactive spaces. According to Shawn Eng, Regional Business Development Director APAC at Okamura, "It is important for individuals to innovate collaboration in today's digital world where a lack of human interaction is evident." 

What results is a 7-meter vending machine that houses Okamura's award-winning products, greeting walk-in patrons and allowing them to access the items in an interactive manner. With Japan known for its plentiful vending machines, this state-of-the-art automat breathes the very essence of Japanese culture in the showroom.

In addition, the showroom's biophilic design makes the space warm and inviting. Wooden accents, soft lighting, and plant installations soften the space, while floor to ceiling windows draw in natural light, as well as giving passers-by a "widescreen" view of the creative structures and products.


(Related read: Reliving Mid-Century Modern Japan)

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The second level of the showroom houses the Okamura Singapore team. Contrary to usual practices of privacy and confidentiality, Okamura Singapore took a bold step to open up the office space to the public as part of the showroom experience, allowing patrons to understand how the brand's designs will look in an actual office setting. The office is fitted with Okamura's smart office systems, with seamless cable management alongside their iconic office chairs. As a result, it brings about more human interplay between patrons and Okamura's team, re-emphasizing what and why the new showroom space is all about and created for.

Finally, a two-storey Gachapon station bids patrons farewell before leaving the showroom. This jumbo Japanese toy machine dispenses a variety of Okamura trinkets and seasonal memorabilia in colorful capsules for guests to bring home, in hopes of extending the Okamura experience beyond the Cecil Street space.

Okamura's new showroom isn't just a work space or a community gathering fort. The space expresses the brand culture in a dynamic environment, encouraging users to share, connect, engage, and exchange thoughts and ideas that set the landscape for creativity and imagination.


For more information, click here

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