Muji shelving units combine to create a living space in Fumihiko Sano's installation
Tokyo architect Fumihiko Sano used Japanese design brand Muji's popular steel shelving system to create this room-like installation for an exhibition exploring standard units of measurement (+ slideshow).
![Fumihiko Sano installation with MUJI shelving](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/02/installation-studio-phenomenon-muji-steel-shelving-design_dezeen_936_2.jpg)
Sano, who is the founder of Studio Phenomenon, created the temporary structure for the exhibition Measuring: This much, That much, How much?, held at Tokyo's 21_21 Design Sight gallery from February to May 2015.
Titled Unit of Muji, the installation was constructed using the brand's first furniture item – a steel shelving unit that went into production in 1996.
![Fumihiko Sano installation with MUJI shelving](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/02/installation-studio-phenomenon-muji-steel-shelving-design_dezeen_936_7.jpg)
Twenty years on from its launch, the self-assembly shelf has become a staple of Muji's interior design range. Sano's design aimed to offer a fresh interpretation of the familiar product's usage.
"For this exhibition, I came up with the idea to expand the function of the shelf from just a storage space to a space to live in," said the architect. "The result of this concept is 'Muji's measurement', where the storage and living space is seamlessly unified."
![Fumihiko Sano installation with MUJI shelving](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/02/installation-studio-phenomenon-muji-steel-shelving-design_dezeen_936_12.jpg)
Sano said the product's measurements of 800 millimetres by 370 millimetres were informed by the dimensions of the shaku – a standard measuring unit used in traditional Japanese architecture.
The installation was made up of shelves with two different lengths that formed a grid applied to both the horizontal and vertical surfaces. Smaller units stacked to create pillars at the corners supported the space's external walls.
![Fumihiko Sano installation with MUJI shelving](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/02/installation-studio-phenomenon-muji-steel-shelving-design_dezeen_936_1.jpg)
Irregularly arranged shelves displayed a selection of Muji's homeware products and clothing items. A staircase and dining table that extended into the internal area were designed to enhance the idea of a liveable space.
"By using steel shelving units to build a kind of style commonly seen in Japanese architecture, where the pillars are installed instead of walls for support, I suggested a new perspective on the living environment of Japanese people," Sano added.
![Fumihiko Sano installation with MUJI shelving](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/02/installation-studio-phenomenon-muji-steel-shelving-design_dezeen_936_18.jpg)
Only a couple of joints had to be removed from the existing shelving units to enable the configuration of multiple items without any welding.
The simple connections and minimal metal-rod surfaces were left visible to emphasise the lightweight construction.
![Fumihiko Sano installation with MUJI shelving](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/02/installation-studio-phenomenon-muji-steel-shelving-design_dezeen_936_16.jpg)
Fumihiko Sano has previously designed a dimly lit, wood-lined room for conducting ceremonial gift wrapping at a member's club in Paris, and installed a freestanding wooden display counter that runs the full length of a crafts showroom in Tokyo.
Photography is by Daisuke Shima/Nacása & Partners.