Corporate museums and exhibition facilities have long been planned as "public relations devices."
Photos of past presidents, a company timeline, displays of major products, and panels showing awards and number of patents.
It is designed to allow visitors to quickly understand the company's track record.
This method is reasonable.
In particular, Japanese companies believe that "trust = showing results,"
We have built a sense of security by clearly showing numbers and results.
But there is an essential problem here.
I can understand it, but I can't remember it.
The panel-based exhibition structure is similar in format regardless of the industry.
As a result, visitors will end up with the impression that the company is well-organized.
It's not bad, but it's not strong either.
The moment the corporate museum became a "space for organizing information,"
The experience will be no different from a website or brochure.
Information is processed in the mind, but it doesn't remain in the body.
What is required for future corporate museum and exhibition facility design is:
It is not a "space to explain" but a "space to make you feel."
The space itself embodies the company's philosophy.
That's what we call "unexplained branding."
1 |Brands are not something to read about, they are something to experience
A brand is more than a logo and advertising copy.
The texture when you touch the product, the comfort when you use it, and the texture that deepens over time.
When the company's philosophy and technology are evident, people are convinced.
A brand is not something you understand with your head, but something you accept with your body.
The same goes for corporate museums.
Increasing the number of display panels does not necessarily strengthen the brand.
The atmosphere the moment you enter the space, the feel of the materials, the way the light enters, and the sound resonating.
The whole of this communicates the company's stance.
The reason why the INAX Live Museum in Tokoname City, Aichi Prefecture, is seeing an increase in visitors is also
This is because the focus is on "experience" rather than simply exhibiting.
Through tile making and mud ball making,
This allows employees to physically experience the earth, which is the company's origins.
Experiences leave a much stronger impression than descriptions.
2 | Toraya's "strength without words"
Located in Akasaka, Tokyo Toraya Main Store The large wall behind the counter on the second floor has a polished black plaster finish.
The person in charge of plastering was my teacher. Akira Kusumi Mr.
The Toraya logo quietly appears there.
There is no explanation, but the deep black of the walls and the shadows created by hand-polishing speak volumes about the company's tradition and dignity.
This company, which deals with the delicate culture of Japanese sweets, maintains the same delicacy in its space.
There is no explanation, but the space itself speaks of the company's dignity.
The important thing is not that it uses high-quality materials.
The reason for selecting the material is consistent with the company's history and values.
A traditional Japanese technique called plaster.
A finish that accepts aging.
A composition that eliminates excessive decoration.
All of this corresponds to the company's timeline.
The same goes for corporate museums.
Floor, wall, ceiling and display case fittings.
Such details reflect the ethics of a company.
Space is a device that makes a company's unconscious visible.
3. White space creates trust
Interpretive exhibits fill the space with information.
On the other hand, there is a sense of space.
・Keep a distance between exhibits
Minimize explanatory text
・Create a composition that draws the eye
White space is not something unfinished. It is space for visitors to think and feel for themselves.
I can't say for sure.
Don't force it.
This attitude shows the maturity of the company.
The quality of the space reflects the confidence that the message can be conveyed without being too forceful.
4. A space that matures over time
The space that gives you a sense of space has a time axis.
Plaster deepens, solid wood changes color, and stone acquires a lustrous appearance with wear.
Change is history, not deterioration.
Choose materials that will mature over time, rather than finishes that prioritize short-term looks.
It also represents the company's stance on the future.
A corporate museum is not complete when it opens.
The design must take into account how the building will look in 10 or 20 years.
Summary | Future Corporate Museum Design
There is plenty of information available online.
That is why what is required in real spaces is the "quality of presence."
It's not about what to exhibit, but how to be.
Space to explain encourages understanding.
A space that exudes trust creates trust.
A corporate museum is not an extension of public relations, but a place that embodies the company itself.
“"Branding without explanation" means conveying a company's philosophy through the quality of the space.
What is needed to achieve this is not an increase in the number of words, but an increase in spatial precision.