This project began when a beer bar in Kagurazaka, Tokyo, which had been patronized for nearly 20 years, was forced to relocate due to the sudden demolition of the building.
We had not yet made any plans for the next location, so he decided to move all the fixtures and equipment that could be reused, including furniture and light bulbs, as he saw fit and then figure out what to do next.
Many people supported the reconstruction of this popular bar through crowdfunding. We decided to reuse these fixtures and equipment as much as possible and retain some of the design while aiming to create a space where people can enjoy beer even more.
The most distinctive feature is a beer counter built into the bar counter. It has a large-capacity refrigerator underneath that can store twelve beer barrels. At first, we considered ordering a custom-made refrigerator from a manufacturer. However, we decided against it due to cost constraints, the fact that it would prioritize functionality and conceal beer barrels, and the fact that it would look like a supporting character. Instead, we made a refrigerator as if we were making furniture, revealing beer barrels through the double-paned acrylic doors so customers can see how they are replaced daily.
In the overall plan, the counter seats are arranged around this beer counter, and the table seats are arranged concentrically outside it. With the relocation, the number of seats has almost doubled. So, we planned a layout that allows the two owner sisters to efficiently serve customers as before, with a view of the seating area from behind the counter and an operational flow that does not interfere with each other.
A closet visually separates each table from the others, and the low ceiling creates a slightly closed-off space, like a private room. Also, to emphasize the casual atmosphere of a beer bar, we made standing areas at the end of the counter, by the window overlooking the streets of Kagurazaka, and at the waiting counter in front of the entrance.
In addition, two existing toilets were slightly reduced in size to create a compact smoking area. Although the dimensions of each space are minimal, the spaces have been optimized three-dimensionally by placing the hand washbasins at opposite corners and incorporating the smoking area counter above the toilet bowl. The ashtrays are removable for fire safety and returned to the counter after use.
Due to the narrowness of the access route, we decided that the length of each component would be no more than 2 m and designed accordingly. This inevitably resulted in many joints in the countertop, but we have deliberately created an intricate appearance by carefully manipulating how the components overlap at these joints. As mentioned earlier, the furniture, doors, and metal fittings from the previous location have been reused. Some are put to new uses or combined with new materials in the new location, so one can look for them like a treasure hunt. The counter and blinds by the window were fixed by sandwiching the building's mullions with wooden boards. They were made to stand upright without using any imposing structural materials in the bare steel frame of the building.
The overall atmosphere of a bar is important, but it is also important to have something new to discover or something you want to touch that catches your eye when you look around or lower your gaze. It's like a kind of "visual delight” that you notice when spending time alone, like a glass or ashtray. Here, we have scattered visual delights by carefully handling the architectural details like a small object.
The red lamp that served as a symbol of the previous bar is now hanging discreetly under the counter by the window so passers-by in Kagurazaka can see it as they look up. This space was created to encompass contradictory wishes: to simultaneously be a popular spot and a hideaway - a place where people can enjoy themselves in groups or alone.
