In the picturesque City of Otsu, nestled within the scenic Shiga Prefecture, Koyori architects have once again left their mark with a thoughtfully designed select shop and cafe.
Completed with their signature touch, this establishment seamlessly blends into the cultural fabric of Otsu, offering a unique experience that bridges tradition and modernity.
The select shop, curated with a discerning eye, showcases a range of carefully chosen goods, providing a tasteful snapshot of contemporary and local craftsmanship. Paired with a cozy cafe space designed for relaxation, visitors are invited to savor both the aesthetic and culinary delights in a setting that harmonizes with the city’s atmosphere.
Koyori’s ingenuity is evident in the subtle integration of the establishment into Otsu’s surroundings, creating a haven for locals and tourists alike to appreciate the serenity and cultural richness of Shiga Prefecture.
Location: City of otsu, Shiga prefecture
Building use: Select shop & Cafe
This is the interior design for “aswell”, a select shop and cafe on the ground floor of a retro reinforced-concrete apartment block beside Lake Biwa in Kayanoura, Ōtsu-shi, Shiga.
Aswell is located in a quiet spot away from the main trunk route.
By removing the previous store’s aluminium windows frames that were out of place in the relaxed concrete building that suggests the passage of time, we returned the building to its original expression with a simple composition having just a large opening with wooden fittings.
The interior has been laid bare to reveal notes and drawings made on the building itself when it was built, and we have used a simple composition that gently contrasts the similar expressions of the reinforced concrete floor, ceiling and pillars that have stood since then and the newly installed mortar counters and fixtures.
We have also combined copper, steel, wood and other materials that gradually change their expression with use in various places to tie the whole together into a luxurious space.
