This project was to create a hair and make up studio for Japanese stylist Michio Fukuda. The unit, including a new mezzanine to house utility and office areas, was tiny. Working with the utilitarian aesthetic of the existing concrete shell, we built a slick new installation, reflecting Fukuda's strongly contemporary attitude to hairdressing.

To the existing base of blockwork and concrete shell, we added a sealed sand and cement screed floor. The plasterboard mezzanine fascia and ceiling were painted, and a vibrantly painted MDF stair blade with galvanised metal treads was introduced. Lime coloured ceramic tiles and a maple veneered ply reception counter added to the simple, graphic look of the salon, and careful attention to lighting, texture and colour softened the overall impact. 'Furniture' elements were designed to separate the space into waiting, washing and cutting areas. 

Following the success of this project, Powell Tuck Associates was asked to design two sister salons in Tokyo.