The Ice Cubes, complete retail building with frit glass cubes in Tokyo, Japan

May 28, 2011 Category: Commercial Building, Retail

Located in Tokyo, Japan, The Ice Cubes, complete retail building with frit glass cubes was designed by Jun Mitsui & Associates Inc. Architects. By developing the formal strategy as a series of interlocking cubes the architects were able to massage the complicated building envelop shape into a dynamic composition. This strategy not only solved the complex building form but also gave the freedom of adjusting the forms according to the additional building programs and structural considerations.

Jun Mitsui & Associates performed careful studies to make the structure and insulation look as thin as possible. The cube surfaces are covered with a baked ceramic frit pattern on the outer-most surface of the glazing. By doing so, a pure-white cube expression can be achieved. Had the frit been applied on an inner surface, the colour of the cubes would have been greenish due to the green tint of the glass.

The Ice Cubes, complete retail building with frit glass cubes design by Jun Mitsui & Associates Inc