There’s a certain allure to Tokyo’s storefronts – the colors, the textures, the urban decay – that have inspired many artists and designers. For Stockholm-based designer Christopher Robin (yes, he was indeed named after the boy in Winnie the Pooh) that inspiration came when he had the opportunity to visit Tokyo for the first time last year. Upon returning, he began a side-project called TokyoBuild.
Christopher Robin begins each project by going on Google Street View and clicking down the side streets of Tokyo until he finds a storefront that he likes. However, the replication stops here. Working largely from his imagination, Robin draws up plans for the storefront, but at a miniature scale of 1:20. Working with a combination of materials and techniques, the designer meticulously fabricates and assembles his creations with the utmost attention to detail. From rusting corrugated steel facades to manhole covers out front, nothing gets overlooked.
As a child, Robin had always been surrounded by miniatures. His father built and collected model trains while his mother created dollhouses. Now, Robin works as a designer for fashion brand H&M so his TokyoBuild project was a natural extension of his background, interests and skills. Robin just wrapped up an exhibition in Stockholm, where he displayed his miniature models. But you can keep up with his work on Instgram.
(thanks for the tip Tina!)
October 20, 2019 at 12:44 am
Is it possible to purchase any of Robin’s work??
October 20, 2019 at 3:14 pm
Hi Jyl – you’ll have to reach out to the designer directly.