FlatFlat by SAKO Architects

photo © Chikao Todoraki / Sasaki Studio Inc

Project Name: FlatFlat
Project Location: Tokyo, Japan
Project Type: Showroom Interior
Architects: SAKO Architects
Building area: 328sqm
Design Period: 2008/06-2008/07
Construction Period: 2008/07-2008/08

photo © Chikao Todoraki / Sasaki Studio Inc

Where Organic Meets Inorganic
text by Katerina Tasheva for deZona
FlatFlat by SAKO Architects in Harajuku is the store where the visitors are actually able to experience Hangame, an online games portal, and Hange.jp, a games portal for mobile phones, developed by NHN Japan Corporation. The store is located at the center of Harajuku, a part of Tokyo, known internationally for its youth style and fashion. It occupies a narrow space of 3.5 meters wide by 45 meters long with complicated plan and structure as the result of repeated reconstruction.

photo © Chikao Todoraki / Sasaki Studio Inc

text by SAKO Architects :
The concept of the store is the future park and we attempted to combine virtual element with real space opens to anyone. It is not only the space where organic principle and inorganic principle stay together, but it represents the modern society consists of real and virtual environments.
Organic principle consists of curved lines has a space characteristic of a cave which is the various space that people can discover own place to stay depending on each purpose and feeling while the different scenes unfolds continually. We attempted to create a space that people feel like snuggling up to the organic form that curves based on human body dimensions. Visitors do not hesitate to enter the store because of the sense of closeness. On the other hand, Inorganic principle consists of white wall surface fixtures, neon tubes of ceiling illumination and mortar floor creates virtual character. We used the lines, which let neon tubes, and the prevention of crack seam of mortar offset the forms of the wall surface fixtures. They stimulate curiosity of the visitors by synergy with the forms of the fixtures and lead them to the inner part of the narrow space.

photo © Chikao Todoraki / Sasaki Studio Inc

photo © Chikao Todoraki / Sasaki Studio Inc

photo © Chikao Todoraki / Sasaki Studio Inc

via Yatzer

Nokia Playland with Sooff

Nokia has launched a new branded virtual world campaign - Nokia Playland.


Quite exciting new site by Nokia in partnership with Sooff, the technology provider and virtual world operator. The website is in Chinese and targeting a local market with a handful of simple fun games. This campaign is focussed on raising interest in a line of mobile phone products including the N95 8GB, N78 and 6220.



Sooff, also known as Show Off is a flash-based 2D virtual world that is targeted at local youth audience. Think Habbo in Chinese with improved graphics very local Hong Kong flavour.

It's an interesting move by Nokia and has gathered some amount of buzz in the online world. It shows them willing to move beyond traditional advertising model online and engage even more with their audience in the avatar communities they enjoy to spend their time.

To get in to the Nokia Playland, users only need to fill in their simple personal details, like email and username, then they can create their 2D avatar based on preset face, hairstyle and fashion items. It is 100% free to register as “players”. Inside Nokia Playland, there are 4 main zones which line up with Nokia features – “Snap Zone”, “Chic Stage”, “Beat Area” and “Playland Notice Board”.

1. Playland Notice Board – an introduction area of the Playland.
2. Snap Zone – a mini game which players need to take a particular snapshot, the less time taken and the less flame needed, the higher score the player receives.
3. Chic Stage – a mini game where users need to use the “Nokia Maps” function to find out where the headphones have been hidden inside the Playland.
4. Beat Area – a mini game where users need to hit arrow keys on the keyboard in rhythm to line up with certain beats of the music

The site is simple and easy to understand. Users can get the selling point of different series Nokia mobile through the games inside. Additionally, it create an interesting brand experience to the targeted group – primarily teens, by an avatar community which is fun and relevant.

Whilst there are chat and PM functions, the rest of the community features found in all 2D avatar sites such as friends lists, profiles and albums are lacking. And user feedback from those who have tried the site is that it is fun for a certain time while doing the handful of mini-games, but becomes a lot less interesting after.

The key issue from the user point of view is that Nokia Playland is single brand environment.

Existing Sooff users cannot use their avatar in Playland, nor interact or chat with Playland users. For the long term though, it's unlikely a single brand virtual world is going to have compelling staying power as a destination beyond the initial buzz. As can be seen by the success of sites such as Stardoll and Meez, mix-n-match platforms which let users enjoy many brands as well as user generated content have far better success in retaining and rapidly growing their user base.

However if the main goal of the campaign is to be a short-term creative & engaging marketing campaign for youth, then Nokia has certainly done very well.

via VR Fashion