kengo kuma designs observatory/café in japan as a ‘staircase to the sky’
the tottori takahama café appears as a hybrid structure of cross-laminated timber and reinforced concrete, seemingly stepping upward.
Tottori Takahama Café: a hybrid structure stepping upwards
Kengo Kuma and Associates (KKAA) introduces its latest creation to the coast of Japan. Overlooking sand dunes and open waters, the Tottori Takahama Café appears as a hybrid structure of cross-laminated timber and reinforced concrete, seemingly stepping upwards like a ‘staircase to the sky’. Topping the two-story café is a viewing rooftop shaded by a sculptural wooden pergola, offering sweeping views of the landscape ahead. Ultimately, with its textured and wood-paneled exterior, the building exudes a warmth that gently blends in with the nearby dunes
kengo kuma pays homage to the city’s folk crafts
As an homage to Tottori, which is well-known for folk crafts (‘Mingei’) culture, the team at Kengo Kuma and Associates incorporated local craftsmanship into the café interiors. ‘Chairs are designed with cross-laminated timber, while light pendants are made of Washi paper sprinkled with local sand. The bathroom sinks are made by Nakai-gama, a Tottori Mingei pottery workshop, which uses a beautiful combination of green and black glazing,’ explains the practice.
When night falls, warm-toned lighting enlivens the textured façades and rooftop pergola, adding dramatic flair to the Tottori Takahama Café without taking away the inherently intimate atmosphere that floods its spaces.
project info:
name: Tottori Takahama Café
location: Tottori, Japan
completion year: 2022
area: 199 sqm
architecture: Kengo Kuma and Associates | @kkaa_official
team: Minoru Yokoo, Taichi Kuma, Hirono Yamamoto, Yoo Shiho
construction: Taisei Corporation, Daiwa Kensetsu
lighting: Daiko Electric Co., Ltd.
photography: Kawasumi-Kobayashi Kenji Photograph Office
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