The Tsutaya Book Apartment is the latest unconventional store from Japanese book store chain Tsutaya. Opening in Shinjuku, Tokyo, this innovative retail space defines itself as part store, office and hotel that caters to locals and travelers. Built upwards the space separates itself onto three floors with each offering accommodation, relaxation and work activities all centered around books. Shinjuku is traditionally a very cramped space and does not offer much in the way of coworking or short tourist stays, so the Book Apartment was set up to fulfill both of these needs.
The entrance to the Tsutaya Book Apartment can be found on the fourth floor, which features a shopping area as well as a reception desk to check-in. The fourth floor also houses an impressive coworking area that sports plenty of informal sofas and table seating, as well as technological amenities. The fifth floor houses lockers, bathrooms and showers for guests who wish to stay longer. The sixth, and final floor, is for women only and offers private rooms with tatami mats for sleeping. While not attached to the Tsutaya Book Apartment, the building is also home to a Starbucks, Family Mart and a Sake Bar.
Unconventional Book Stores
The Tsutaya Book Apartment is a Clever Use of Space in Tokyo
Trend Themes
1. Vertical Mixed-use Spaces - The Tsutaya Book Apartment's combination of retail, office, and hotel spaces in a single building offers new possibilities for vertical mixed-use developments.
2. Book-themed Coworking Spaces - The Tsutaya Book Apartment's coworking area themed around books presents an opportunity for bookstores to explore novel ways to attract remote workers.
3. Women-only Sleeping Rooms - The Tsutaya Book Apartment's reserved sleeping rooms for women highlight the potential market for private, safe, and comfortable spaces for female travelers.
Industry Implications
1. Hospitality - Hotels can look to the Tsutaya Book Apartment as a blueprint for creating unique and multifunctional spaces that cater to both travelers and locals.
2. Retail - Bookstores may consider incorporating coworking or collaborative spaces and themed environments to attract younger audiences with diverse interests and needs.
3. Real Estate - Developers may explore vertical mixed-use projects that integrate traditional and non-traditional tenants to maximize the use of limited urban space.