Our name, and our work, draws inspiration from Japan, specifically Omotesandō 表参道, the famous zelkova tree-lined avenue in Tokyo’s Shibuya district. One of the world’s premier “architectural showcase” thoroughfares, Omotesandō is home to luxury brand boutiques and flagship stores right alongside countless one-off shops, cafes, and bars. Omotesando evokes both luxury and popular culture, the fine and the funky, and its distinctive aesthetic marked by a mélange of Japanese and international styles. And history: Omotesandō’s raison d'être lies in its function, now lost, as the main approach to Meiji Shrine, one of Tokyo’s—and Japan’s—spiritual and historical landmarks.

Omotesando during the construction of the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line, 1960s