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The Ice Cubes-Jun MitsuiThis dramatic cubic building in Tokyo is more than just a fashionable retail space for H&M. The Ice Cubes was carefully designed by <a href="http://www.jma.co.jp/projects/commercial-hotel/#entry-2" target="_blank">Jun Mitsui & Associates Inc. Architects</a> to appear feather light and thin as well as very cool -- and we don't just mean hip. A <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/fritted-glass" target="_blank">fritted glass</a> exterior makes the building look frosted and allows daylighting in, but not too much heat. The building is shaped as a series of interlocking cubes, from which it takes its name.1
The Ice Cubes-Jun MitsuiThe building's compact site required special attention to maximize space, thus the store became a mid-rise tower composed of interlocking cubic volumes.2
The Ice Cubes-Jun MitsuiA dramatic street level facade shows off the new fashions behind louvered shades on the interior.3
The Ice Cubes-Jun MitsuiAt night The Ice Cubes glows dramatically.4
The Ice Cubes-Jun MitsuiProgrammatic and structural requirements helped shape the volumes, which were also required to appear light as a feather.5
The Ice Cubes-Jun MitsuiThe site also had very strict requirements as to the available air space (tenku-ritsu) and sun/shadow requirements.6
The Ice Cubes-Jun MitsuiWorking closely with the glass manufacturer, Jun Mitsui and his team designed a baked ceramic frit pattern on the exterior of the glass.7
The Ice Cubes-Jun MitsuiIf the frit pattern had been placed on the interior of the glass, it would made the glass look green. Since they were going more for a frosted look, the frit patternis on the outside and thus milky white.8
The Ice Cubes-Jun MitsuiThe fritting is not only an aesthetic strategy, but also an energy efficient strategy that helps keep the building from overheating, while still allowing in daylight.9
The Ice Cubes-Jun MitsuiThe end result of The Ice Cubes was very dramatic and attracted H&M, who values the high-impact design, as the main tenant.10
