When you say this is the next chapter of BELOWGROUND, what did you want to preserve from the original spirit, and what needed to grow up?
Koichi Futatsumata: We wanted to preserve BELOWGROUND’s original identity as a community where diverse elements — music, fashion, food, and art — come together and intersect. At the same time, we aimed to give the space a mature and forward-looking atmosphere.
Naomi Hirabayashi: For BELOWGROUND’s new beginning — finding its rebirth in Hong Kong, a city defined by its energy, edge, and unstoppable momentum — it needed an identity with unmatched resilience, bold attitude, and the adaptability to take on anything.
How did this collaboration come together? Early on, how did you divide responsibilities — what belonged to space, what belonged to identity, and where did those overlap?
Koichi: This collaboration was initiated through Ryan-san’s direction. While we had not worked directly with Hirabayashi-san before, we were indirectly connected through having several shared clients. In terms of roles, we were responsible for the interior design, while the graphic elements, including signage, were led by Hirabayashi-san under Ryan-san’s direction. We supported the process by producing images for signage scale studies.
Naomi: It all started when Ryan, the director, discovered me. From our very first online conversation, we immediately clicked. Since the spatial design had already been progressing, I quickly grasped the direction BELOWGROUND was aiming for. Regarding elements like signage and other places where the logo would appear, I suggested a few ideas, and Ryan processed them and connected them with Futatsumata-san. I feel we were able to collaborate in a way that went beyond the boundaries of our individual roles.
How did you and LANDMARK align on expectations for the new BELOWGROUND?
Koichi: Through repeated conversations, we aligned on the design direction. At the beginning, we proposed two directions: one that embraced the raw expression of the existing concrete structure, and another inspired by the MTR, using tiles, metal, and stone elements. The latter approach was selected, and we continued refining the details together.