nana’s green tea ARIO KURASHIKI
Okayama, Japan / 2011

“A space between the mountains and the sky”

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”.

In Okayama Prefecture, there is Korakuen, one of the Japan’s three most beautiful gardens.

Ikeda Tsunamasa, the second lord of Okayama-han, ordered his men to create Korakuen with the intention of making it a relaxing place. It is a garden that is designed to enjoy the view from the various buildings that are built inside.  The scenery has been changed due to the preferences of the lords of each time as well as the situation of the society, but those changes have made the history of the garden.

Normally, a borrowed-scenery would be put in front of the garden. However, the view from Korakuen’s tea room includes the Sou Mountain, which is located outside of the garden, making it look like it is part of the garden. As a result of the mountains overlapping with the bright view or the garden, it seems as if garden itself has a depth.

Therefore, I had suggested to bring in a borrowed-scenery of mountains in the shop.

The mountains that come out from the floor function as partitions. And the partitions that hang from the ceiling, which cut the air, are expressing the sky that had been cut by the mountains. By putting both together, I have created “a space between the mountains and the sky”.

Photos by Keisuke Miyamoto

< PRESS >
DELICIOUS+FASHION DINNING (China) Aug. 2014 Issue
47 (UK) Jan. 2013 Issue Grobal Innovation Report
bob (South Korea) Feb. 2013 Issue 103
Shoten Kenchiku Aug. 2012 Issue
FRAME (Netherlands) Jul. 2012 Issue

< AWARDS >
2012 – AICA Construction Examples Contest 2012 – EXCELLENCE PRIZE
2012 – The 46th SDA Award – PRIZE WINNER
2012 – DSA Design Award 2012 – PRIZE WINNER
2012 – JCD Design Award 2012 – Best 100