COFFEE BEANS & BEINGS / CUPS OF JAVA IN JAPAN

GUEST BLOG / By Cajsa Carlson, writer, Dezeen online architecture magazine--Nestled beside a park in Funamachi, Japan, the Funamachi Base Cafe & Sweet Shop offers visitors a delightful blend of flavors and sights. Designed by Schemata Architects, this establishment seamlessly merges indoor and outdoor spaces, inviting passersby to explore its offerings. 

 The venue comprises three interconnected structures: a restaurant, a sweet shop, and a building housing an office, kitchen, and workshop. Inspired by its riverside location, the design encourages a natural flow from the adjacent greenway into the cafe. 

Adjacent to the park.

Founder Jo Nagasaka envisioned the facility as an extension of the park, with courtyards and flowerpots blurring the lines between exterior and interior spaces. Expansive roofs extend from each building, creating sheltered areas where guests can savor treats like the cafe's signature bean buns. 

See image below. To further dissolve the boundaries between inside and out, the same materials—concrete and Douglas fir wood—are used throughout. Exposed PVC pipes, typically found in outdoor gutters, traverse both interior and exterior surfaces, enhancing this seamless integration. The buildings' facades feature a light-brown pattern, contributing to an industrial aesthetic that sets them apart from traditional Japanese structures. 

This design choice simplifies construction and offers a distinctive finish. Schemata Architects, led by Jo Nagasaka, is known for innovative designs that harmonize with their surroundings. Their recent project, the Komaeyu bathhouse in Tokyo, was shortlisted for a Dezeen Award in 2024. The coffee shop is located at 2-1 Funamachi, Ogaki, Gifu Prefecture. 

The photography is by Yurika Kono. 

Project credits: Architect: Jo Nagasaka / Schemata Architects Project team: Yuko Yamashita Construction: Giken Collaboration: Monochrome (solar panel integrated roof), Fukushima Galilei (kitchen)