This is a proposal for a series of stand alone cafes for the oustskirts of Tokyo.

The main element of the design is the roof. The roof in white metal is shaped as to suggest a filter.

A filter is what makes coffee. Through its white membrane it filters the ground beans, resulting in the coffee.

In our design we use the idea of a filter in a few ways: 

The slat walls “filter” the views. When entering the space while walking towards the space, the slat walls will “filter” the interior views.

The slat walls also provide "zones”, privacy for the people enjoying their coffee or meal.

Project Data:

Location: various, Japan

Area: 225m2

Project year: 2019

Programme: Cafe - restaurant

Scope: Programme, Design development, Interior design

Project team: Martin van der Linden, Ayumu Ota, Dhruv Kohli, Yoko Kimura, Manon Lhommelet, Mauela Cresta.

About van der Architects:

van der Architects is a Tokyo-based, international architecture firm. We focus on providing creative solutions to work-place related issues. We have also designed airport lounges, renovated embassies, built houses and provided bonafide design services for an after-school and community-centre in the earth-quake affected area in North Japan.

The firm was founded in 2001 in Tokyo by Martin van der Linden, a Dutch architect educated in the Netherlands, Japan, and the UK.