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Architects: Keiji Ashizawa Design
- Area: 216 m²
- Year: 2021
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Photographs:Ben Richards
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Lead Architect: Keiji Ashizawa
Text description provided by the architects. The Blue Bottle Coffee Shibuya Cafe is located a short walk from the busy atmosphere of the downtown area. Designed as an urban retreat situated between two parks, the interior is the second Blue Bottle Coffee produced by our studio.
Walking through Kitaya park past customers enjoying coffee on the Ishinomaki Lab benches, you first encounter a large, curved tile counter surrounding the kitchen area. These tiles, with a special volcanic ash glaze, are a key material to connect the interior and exterior and were developed as a collaboration between London material manufacturer, Dzek, and the Amsterdam-based design studio Formafantasma. Throughout the cafe, more than 7000 tiles were carefully laid by a single skilled artisan.
On the ground floor, we placed tables of differing heights - a high counter with stools so that people can watch the barista preparing their coffee, and a lower table for people to enjoy the park from inside.
Moving up to the second floor, you will find a variety of seating options designed to suit the needs of different customers. At one end of the space, a lowered floor area with banquette seating (upholstered in an autumnal orange textile) can be separated off from the main area via a grey, sheer curtain. An oval dining table in the center provides a casual, communal atmosphere for sitting around, and a high counter table with a library-like light allows for quiet groups and singles to sit at the rear of the space. At the far end, a low, tiled coffee table is surrounded by comfortable lounge chairs and sofas.
In addition to the early morning coffee/food menu, appetizers and natural wine will also be available in the evening. We hope that visitors will enjoy the warm atmosphere as if they had been invited to visit the welcoming house of a close friend.
