Keiji Ashizawa Design Co., Ltd

Blue Bottle Coffee Shibuya Cafe

Blue Bottle Coffee Shibuya Cafe
© Ben Richards

BLUE BOTTLE COFFEE SHIBUYA CAFE

Keiji Ashizawa Design

AREA
216 m²

YEAR
2021

PHOTOGRAPHS
Ben Richards

LEAD ARCHITECT
Keiji Ashizawa

LOCATION
Shibuya City, Japan

CATEGORY
Coffee Shop, Coffee Shop Interiors

Blue Bottle Coffee Shibuya Cafe
© Ben Richards
Blue Bottle Coffee Shibuya Cafe
© Ben Richards

Text description provided by architect.

The Blue Bottle Coffee Shibuya Cafe is located a short walk from the busy atmosphere of the downtown area.

Designed as an urban retreat situated between two parks, the interior is the second Blue Bottle Coffee produced by our studio.

Blue Bottle Coffee Shibuya Cafe
© Ben Richards
Blue Bottle Coffee Shibuya Cafe
© Ben Richards

Walking through Kitaya park past customers enjoying coffee on the Ishinomaki Lab benches, you first encounter a large, curved tile counter surrounding the kitchen area.

These tiles, with a special volcanic ash glaze, are a key material to connect the interior and exterior and were developed as a collaboration between London material manufacturer, Dzek, and the Amsterdam-based design studio Formafantasma. Throughout the cafe, more than 7000 tiles were carefully laid by a single skilled artisan.

On the ground floor, we placed tables of differing heights - a high counter with stools so that people can watch the barista preparing their coffee, and a lower table for people to enjoy the park from inside.

Blue Bottle Coffee Shibuya Cafe
© Ben Richards
Blue Bottle Coffee Shibuya Cafe
© Ben Richards

Moving up to the second floor, you will find a variety of seating options designed to suit the needs of different customers.

At one end of the space, a lowered floor area with banquette seating (upholstered in an autumnal orange textile) can be separated off from the main area via a grey, sheer curtain.

Blue Bottle Coffee Shibuya Cafe
© Ben Richards
Blue Bottle Coffee Shibuya Cafe
© Ben Richards

An oval dining table in the center provides a casual, communal atmosphere for sitting around, and a high counter table with a library-like light allows for quiet groups and singles to sit at the rear of the space.

At the far end, a low, tiled coffee table is surrounded by comfortable lounge chairs and sofas.

Blue Bottle Coffee Shibuya Cafe
© Ben Richards
Blue Bottle Coffee Shibuya Cafe
© Ben Richards

In addition to the early morning coffee/food menu, appetizers and natural wine will also be available in the evening.

We hope that visitors will enjoy the warm atmosphere as if they had been invited to visit the welcoming house of a close friend.

Blue Bottle Coffee Shibuya Cafe
© Ben Richards


Blue Bottle Coffee Shibuya Cafe
© Ben Richards
Blue Bottle Coffee Shibuya Cafe
© Ben Richards
Blue Bottle Coffee Shibuya Cafe
© Ben Richards
Blue Bottle Coffee Shibuya Cafe
© Ben Richards


Blue Bottle Coffee Shibuya Cafe
Plan Ground Floor
Blue Bottle Coffee Shibuya Cafe
Plan 1st Floor

Keiji Ashizawa Design Co., Ltd
T +81 35 6895597 F +81 35 6895598
Keiji Ashizawa Design Co., Ltd
2-17-15 1F Koishikawa Bunkyo-Ku Tokyo 112-0002, Japan