Casetify has launched its first flagship store in Japan, in the city of Osaka, ramping up its expansion in Asia. 

Casetify Osaka, designed by Hong Kong-based architect André Fu, aims to bring the allure of the Shinsaibashi neighbourhood into the store, with the craftsmanship of traditional Japanese Shoji lanterns serving as a link between the local landscape and the vibrant world of popping colours for which the Casetify brand is known. 

The whole concept, according to the brand, is anchored on a goal to celebrate the project’s context with contrasting shapes and forms, “portraying the neighbourhood’s cityscape in a universe where geometries juxtapose against each other”.

“It is an engaging opportunity to re-imagine the spirit of Casetify in the context of contemporary Osaka with my personal aesthetics,” said Fu. 

“A lot of my work is rooted in the idea of a journey that takes the contextual quality of each project into an architectural medium.” 

Fu has chosen full-height shoji lanterns as the medium for the scheme in order to bring that idea to reality. The store features cylindrical shoji screens and linked curving walls, as well as a customer-customizable area. Casetify is regarded as a brand that offers on-the-spot personalisation at its 28 retail locations worldwide.  

The Casetify Osaka store also has cultural centres where artists may display their collections and connect with the local art community through festivals and other activities.