Located in Shanghai, Sigma Space presents a carefully calibrated interior environment designed by ONOAA STUDIO for SIGMA’s China presence. The 500-square-meter space translates the brand’s philosophy, “Beyond the technology, is Art,” into a spatial experience that brings together precision, material sensitivity, and visual restraint.
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Rooted in SIGMA’s Japanese heritage of craftsmanship and innovation, the project organizes the interior into a sequence of reception, product display, and gallery zones. Rather than separating these functions, ONOAA STUDIO allows them to overlap and inform one another, creating a fluid environment that reflects three core ideas: being, crafting, and seeing. The result is a space that encourages observation and pause, aligning closely with the contemplative nature of photography itself.
Material selection plays a central role in shaping the atmosphere. Tactile surfaces and muted finishes establish a sense of calm, while carefully controlled lighting defines spatial depth and guides movement through the interior. Display elements avoid overt spectacle, instead framing SIGMA’s products as objects of study. This approach reinforces a gallery-like condition, where technology is presented through clarity and proportion rather than excess.
References to SIGMA’s Aizu factory are subtly embedded throughout the design. Details inspired by industrial precision and manufacturing discipline appear in joinery, junctions, and surface treatments, reinforcing the brand’s legacy without resorting to literal motifs. These gestures ground the space in SIGMA’s production culture while allowing the Shanghai location to assert its own identity.
The lighting strategy further enhances this balance. Soft illumination highlights textures and edges, supporting close inspection while maintaining a warm, composed environment. By avoiding dramatic contrast, ONOAA STUDIO ensures that attention remains on the relationship between object, material, and space, an approach that mirrors the careful calibration required in image-making.
Sigma Space ultimately functions as a place of encounter rather than transaction. Visitors move through an environment designed to foster emotional connection, where the tools of photography are framed as instruments of perception and craft. The spatial narrative supports SIGMA’s positioning at the intersection of engineering and visual culture, offering a setting that feels both precise and quietly human.
Through restraint, material clarity, and spatial coherence, ONOAA STUDIO delivers a project that speaks to SIGMA’s values while contributing a measured architectural presence to Shanghai’s retail and cultural landscape.
