© Takumi Ota
- Architects: Schemata Architects
- Location: Nakameguro, Meguro, Tokyo 153-0061, Japan
- Architect In Charge: Jo Nagasaka / Schemata Architects
- Project Team: Ryosuke Yamamoto, Yui Matsushita
- Area: 397.32 sqm
- Project Year: 2016
- Photographs: Takumi Ota
- Construction: TANK
- Collaboration: SOUP DESIGN(sign), hoshizaki(kitchen), WHITELIGHT.Ltd(sound plan), 1lux(lighting plan), GRANSCAPE Inc.(plant plan)
© Takumi Ota
From the architect. It was such a great honor for me to design the renovation of my favorite building that I used to see every day. About nine years ago, we had co-established a shared office HAPPA across the street from the building and relocated our former office there; we employed to observe the neighborhood through the glass and this building was my most favorite among others on the street.
© Takumi Ota
Incidentally, Blue Bottle Coffee decided to open their fifth shop there and we were commissioned to renovate the building to accommodate cafe/office, spaces used for barista training and workshop. It was a three-story steel structure formerly used as an electric factory, and we intended to hereby create a “fair relationship” between all people present, which is our basic spatial concept for Blue Bottle Coffee.
© Takumi Ota
Floor Plan
© Takumi Ota
Section
© Takumi Ota
Since this neighborhood is located far from the station, the streets are lined with many unique and small-sized shops. In order to continue the sense of small scale into the space, floors are divided in a stepped-floor style, while utilizing the existing openings formerly used for loading/unloading and storing. Horizontal pivot windows installed on the front glass façade help defining the boundary between the interior and the surrounding environment, while establishing a visual relationship of “see and be seen” so that people become aware of each other’s presence wherever they are in the space.
© Takumi Ota
http://www.archdaily.com/799007/blue-bottle-coffee-nakameguro-cafe-schemata-architects
Sig Nordal 