Blue Bottle Coffee's first cafe in Kobe is situated in the former foreign settlement.

© Takumi Ota

Architects: Jo Nagasaka + Schemata Architects

Location: 1 Maemachi Chuo-ku Hyogo Japan

Project Team: Masami Nakata

Area: 214.1 m2

Project Year: 2018

Photographs: Takumi Ota

Construction: TANK, Atelier Loöwe INC.

Collaboration: BOOTLEG (sign); HOSHIZAKI TOKYO CO.,LTD (kitchen); WHITELIGHT.Ltd (sound plan); Endo Lighting (lighting plan)

© Takumi Ota

Text description provided by the architects. Blue Bottle Coffee's first cafe in Kobe is situated in the former foreign settlement.The settlement was built for foreigners in 1868 when Japan opened the port of Kobe to foreign countries. Many old western-style buildings still exist and there is a distinct exotic atmosphere in this area. Daimaru Department Store Kobe is located at the entrance to the foreign settlement. High fashion brand stores line up on the ground floor and upper floors are occupied by Kobe's top companies.
© Takumi Ota

Plan - Section

© Takumi Ota

This building is not an old western-style building, but it is designed to look like one. Blue Bottle Coffee Kobe Cafe is located at a high-ceiling and ample store space on the ground floor, sandwiched between high fashion brand stores.

© Takumi Ota

© Takumi Ota

Our design aimed to maximize the...