Palazzo Molteni Tokyo marks an important milestone in the ongoing collaboration between Vincent Van Duysen Architects and Molteni&C. Located in Minami Aoyama, the building has been conceived as a true house for the brand—an architectural expression of Molteni’s vision of domesticity, lifestyle, and design culture in the heart of Tokyo.

Designed by Vincent Van Duysen, Creative Director of Molteni&C since 2016, the project translates the identity of the brand into a sculptural architectural language. The building is conceived as a monolithic and tectonic volume, where the façade directly follows the organization of the interior spaces. In this way, the exterior becomes a clear reflection of the domestic environments within, reinforcing the idea of the building as a home rather than a conventional retail space.

The architecture is defined by a careful interplay between masses and voids. Solid volumes are contrasted with generous full-height openings, terraces, and framed views, creating a dynamic rhythm across the façade. While the composition is strongly geometric and expressive, the architectural language remains restrained and quiet, in line with the studio’s approach to timeless and essential design.

A key inspiration for the façade’s graphic articulation comes from the Katsura Imperial Villa in Kyoto, whose refined compositional logic and cultural significance informed the project’s geometric patterns and subtle sense of playfulness. This reference serves as a respectful homage to Japanese architectural heritage while establishing a dialogue between European design culture and the local context.

Spanning approximately 1,000 square meters across four levels—three above ground and one underground—the building hosts a series of domestic settings that present Molteni&C’s collections in an immersive and residential atmosphere. Each floor unfolds as a sequence of living environments, allowing visitors to experience the brand’s design philosophy in a spatial narrative that mirrors the intimacy of a home.

Palazzo Molteni Tokyo is the first architectural project by Vincent Van Duysen in Japan and represents a significant step in Molteni&C’s international development. Conceived as both architecture and sculpture, the building embodies the essence of Molteni’s DNA—refined, timeless, and deeply rooted in the culture of living—while establishing a strong visual presence within the urban fabric of Tokyo.

Photos by Massimo Colagrande, Koji Fujii

Info: Molteni.com