images ©Katsuhiro Aoki
Onibus Coffee has brewed up their first location outside Tokyo. Designed by Torafu Architects and located in Nasu, Tochigi, the coffee shop joins Good News Neighbors, a group of environmentally conscious businesses.The idea was to establish the coffee brand’s identity while blending in with the surrounding neighbourhood and nature.
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Half of the layout is dedicated to seating, while the other half will house the kitchen, roasting room, staff room and storage. The counter is placed along an external wall facilitating a window opening for takeout from the outside corridor.
As an upcycling initiative, the brown plastered floor at the center of the seating area is made out of coffee bean waste, which was conceived after several experiments. The stark difference in colour and texture in-between the coffee bean floor and adjacent flooring, lends the feel of a rug at first glance.
Furthermore, the discarded stumps of the cherry, zelkova, pine and camphor trees from the nearby forest were repurposed as tables and seats. The store’s signage was also created using the very same stump.
The colour temperature was carefully chosen according to the functionality of the room. White light illuminates the roasting room to aid the staff in identifying authentic colours and textures of the beans, while warm light in the seating area provides a cozy and comfortable experience.
The store design not only brings nature indoors, but also adds to the sustainable cause of Good News Neighbors.
ONIBUS Coffee Nasu
24-1 GOOD NEWS NEIGHBORS 106, Takakuotsu, Nasu, Tochigi 325-0303, Japan (Google Map)
Hours 10:00 – 18:00
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