nana’s green tea SAPPORO PARCO
Hokkaido, Japan / 2011

“Seat”

Nanaha Corporation is a company that introduces “a new form of Japan” to the world through “matcha” (powdered green tea). They arrange high grade matchas in modern style and provide them as a menu such as matcha latte. And their intention is to make the space into a”contemporary style tea room”, not a “Japanese style tea room”.

People used to enjoy powdered green tea, which originates in China, sitting in chairs circling around a table. After it came to Japan, Joo Takeno and Rikyu Sen created “sado” and people started to enjoy “tea” sitting on the floor. However, due to the cultural enlightenment that occurred in the 19th century, people set aside the traditional culture of Japan and developed a style of tea ceremony called ryurei, which people sat in chairs.

As a result of trying to describe the difference of theses “seats” by space, I made a slope on the floor, shortening the length of chair legs according to it (at the same time, there is a deep hole that is similar to hori-gotatsu [low, covered table placed over a hole in the floor] where the people place their feet).
This allows people to experience the alteration of sitting in a chair from sitting on the floor without changing the eye line or actually making actions to sit on a chair.

I am hoping that the guests can feel the history of “tea” at the nana’s green tea Sapporo PARCO shop, which is “a modern tea room”.

Photos by Keisuke Miyamoto

< PRESS >
Shoten Kenchiku Aug. 2012 Issue

< AWARDS >
2012 – The 46th SDA Award – PRIZE WINNER
2012 – DSA Design Award 2012 – PRIZE WINNER