Laughter Hair Salon

Laughter Hair Salon
© Takumi Ota

LAUGHTER HAIR SALON

SIDES CORE

ARCHITECTS
SIDES CORE

CONSTRUCTION
THE

LIGHTING DESIGN
DAIKO, Yoriaki Kokubu, DAIKO

INTERIOR DESIGNERS
SIDES CORE

SPACE DESIGN
Sohei Arao

DESIGN
Sumiko Arao

MANUFACTURERS
Daiko

PHOTOGRAPHS
Takumi Ota

AREA
89 m²

YEAR
2021

LOCATION
Shinagawa City, Japan

CATAGORY
Wellness Interiors, Retail Interiors

Laughter Hair Salon
© Takumi Ota
Laughter Hair Salon
© Takumi Ota

The north entrance faces a main road and features a wide, open space with high ceilings. The south end of the salon has a mezzanine level that rises 1580mm above the main floor.

Laughter Hair Salon
© Takumi Ota
Laughter Hair Salon
© Takumi Ota

From the high windows, cutout views of the sky are visible. We designed this salon to take full advantage the space, which occupies the full length of the building from north to south.

Between the façade and interior, a wall that is the same height as the mezzanine delineates the cutting area. This blocks the line of sight from the main road while still letting in natural light from above.

Laughter Hair Salon
© Takumi Ota
Laughter Hair Salon
© Takumi Ota

Messenger wires strung near the ceiling run longways into the space, serving as hangers for mirrors and partitions. The wires can be used for a variety of purposes.

The parallel east and west walls are rendered a pale, complementary color. When gazing into the styling mirror the change in color creates a memorable sensation akin to that of looking at the surface of water.

Laughter Hair Salon
© Takumi Ota
Laughter Hair Salon
© Takumi Ota

Further into the interior, the shampoo area is housed between the wood-paneled wall and mezzanine, which are the same height. The valley becomes a calm and tranquil space.

The shampoo area is flanked by the restroom and back room, both boxy, enclosed spaces. This placement preserves the location’s north-south open flow, one of its defining characteristics.

Laughter Hair Salon
© Takumi Ota
Laughter Hair Salon
© Takumi Ota

The mezzanine level in the back of the salon services as a studio space to photograph the salon’s hair designs. It could also be a gallery. Messenger wires allow for the future expansion of the salon’s functional space.

We designed the salon’s logos and counters with the mezzanine’s step up/level up in mind, a motif with a positive connotation.

Laughter Hair Salon
© Takumi Ota
Laughter Hair Salon
© Takumi Ota

The salon’s name “Laughter” reflects the owner’s ideal of making the salon a place that engenders smiles and joy.

Fittingly, the salon has been busy with clients since it opened.

Laughter Hair Salon
© Takumi Ota


Laughter Hair Salon
© Takumi Ota
Laughter Hair Salon
© Takumi Ota
Laughter Hair Salon
© Takumi Ota
Laughter Hair Salon
© Takumi Ota
Laughter Hair Salon
© Takumi Ota
Laughter Hair Salon
© Takumi Ota
Laughter Hair Salon
© Takumi Ota
Laughter Hair Salon
© Takumi Ota
Laughter Hair Salon
© Takumi Ota
Laughter Hair Salon
© Takumi Ota


Laughter Hair Salon
© Takumi Ota
Laughter Hair Salon
© Takumi Ota


Laughter Hair Salon
Plan