Japanese designer Naoshi Kondo has created an unconventional retail installation called "Buried Souvenir Shop" on the sandy shores of Atami, Japan, as part of the ATAMI ART GRANT 2025 program supported by Pasona Art Now. The temporary commercial structure challenges traditional retail design by being partially embedded in the beach sand, creating a unique architectural exploration that examines the relationship between tourism, land use, and collective memory.
The installation takes the familiar concept of a souvenir shop and dramatically reimagines it through its tilted, half-buried form. This distinctive positioning recalls the childhood experience of burying and uncovering objects in beach sand, transforming a simple commercial gesture into a deeper meditation on concealment and discovery. The structure operates as a fully functional retail space while simultaneously serving as an artistic commentary on how tourism intersects with place-making and environmental interaction.
Inside the shop, visitors can purchase actual souvenirs, but the building's unusual orientation fundamentally alters the shopping experience. The surrounding beach landscape becomes an integral part of the retail environment, with the ocean prominently framed through a single large opening that turns the natural view into a key component of the commercial space. This design approach challenges conventional boundaries between interior and exterior spaces, making the seascape an active participant in the retail experience.
The project was constructed under temporary building regulations and assembled directly on-site, reflecting a pragmatic approach to unconventional architecture. By positioning a working commercial establishment within the constantly shifting terrain of a beach, Kondo deliberately questions established boundaries between architecture and land use. The installation serves multiple purposes simultaneously, functioning as commerce, installation art, and spatial research.
Through this innovative approach, the Buried Souvenir Shop merges practical commercial objectives with conceptual artistic goals. The project demonstrates how everyday architectural typologies can be reimagined to create new forms of spatial experience and cultural commentary. By embedding commerce within the natural beach environment, Kondo creates a dialogue between human activity and natural landscape that reflects broader questions about tourism's impact on place and memory.
