Schemata Architects creates basswood-lined interior for Blue Bottle Coffee

Plywood panels are used to conceal storage and serving hatches inside this Tokyo coffee shop by Schemata Architects.

Schemata Architects was brought on board to design the interiors for Blue Bottle Coffee‘s fourth Japanese store.

Located in the lively Roppongi area of Tokyo, the shop is on a back street away from the the busy main road.

It faces a concrete public plaza and a small park filled with shrubs and plants, and is set behind a completely glass facade.

“Our design is based on our vision of a cafe staying beside the plaza and quietly embracing the environment,” said the architects.

Inside, the cafe is lined with panels of basswood plywood, which brings warmth and colour to the otherwise stark white and concrete space.

Some of the plywood panels are used to conceal storage cupboards, while others slide open to reveal serving hatches.

“The entire walls are composed of regular repetition of wall cabinets with doors, while the strict regularity is moderated by inserting irregular grids of frames encasing several doors.”

Small tables set by the windows can accommodate small parties, while larger groups can sit around a high-level table towards the back of the cafe.

Schemata, which was founded by architect Jo Nagasaka in 1998, often opts for the minimal approach when designing interiors and furniture pieces.

Its most recent projects include a Japanese eyewear store with a deconstructed interior and a minimal fashion boutique that is framed by a gigantic glass window.

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