ULTRASUEDE SHOWROOM
Japanese materials group Toray commissioned designers Ryosuke Fukusada and Rui Pereira to create their first Europe-based showroom, located in Sintra, near Lisbon, Portugal. The brief called for an immersive environment for Ultrasuede, Toray’s premium suede-alternative material.
The primary challenge was to establish a calm, refined brand experience within an active sewing factory with no outward-facing windows. The designers identified an opportunity to develop an interior that contrasts with the industrial surroundings—an environment that encourages creative exploration and direct engagement with the materials on display.
The spatial concept draws heavily from the context. The team envisioned a transitional threshold between factory and showroom, referencing French mid-century structural aesthetics and the warmth of stained birch plywood cladding. This combination creates a controlled, serene atmosphere that anchors the brand narrative.
A key feature celebrating the showroom’s Sintra location is the integration of ceramic tiles by Viúva Lamego, one of Portugal’s oldest manufacturers of handmade ceramics. The reception counter, sampling console, and bathroom surfaces are finished in 10 × 10 cm high-gloss blue glazed terracotta tiles, providing a chromatic and textural counterpoint to the micro-cement flooring, birch-clad walls, and exposed steel elements.
To display the extensive range of Ultrasuede colours and fabrication possibilities, two custom wall-mounted display racks serve as the central focal points of the room. Adjacent to these racks, a lounge area furnished with Anza stools, benches, and coffee tables enables tactile interaction with the materials. The tiled console incorporates four large drawers for storing samples, prototypes, and mock-ups. Two mannequins further illustrate the textile’s potential for apparel applications.
To introduce natural visual depth and increase spatial openness, the designers cut a large interior window into the warehouse wall, visually connecting the meeting area to Toray’s stockroom. This meeting zone includes a custom conference table and upholstered stools featuring various Ultrasuede colours and finishes.
An industrial sewing machine was integrated into the showroom to facilitate rapid sampling, demonstrations, and on-site experimentation with the material.
When the showroom doors are closed, the space becomes acoustically and visually insulated from the factory environment. It is transformed into a softly illuminated, warm interior atmosphere defined by birch wood surfaces, upholstered elements, and the tactile richness of the Ultrasuede collection—effectively concealing the industrial context outside and immersing visitors in the brand’s material universe.
2025 // Commission by Toray group.
Designer in collaboration with Ryosuke Fukusada.
Photos by Francisco Ascenção