keisuke hatakenaka clads tokyo tea shop in translucent polycarbonate screens

‘tea shop parvati’ by keisuke hatakenaka architects studio is a specialized shop selling and serving darjeeling tea close to senkawa station in toshima-ku, tokyo. located on a corner site, the shop is designed to be fully open to the street thanks to the translucent polycarbonate screens that clad its front side. the screens are operable and can be easily adjusted, while together with the rotating window of open counter on the other side, the project meets the owner’s request for a store where customers can drop in casually.all images by nao takahashi

keisuke hatakenaka architects studio has divided the tea shop in three separate zones: the seating area; the kitchen; and the storage space where tea leaves are stored at a specific temperature. the seating area can be completely opened up to the street in front due to the polycarbonate sliding screens, which can be easily adjusted depending on the desired level of privacy. the other side of the corner building features a rotating window and an open counter for take-away customers.

the japanese studio has utilized the existing eaves, tend and shutter, adding only the budget-friendly polycarbonate screens. in order to reduce the cost of construction, each step of the project was designed to be completed separately by itself, while the owner participated in the construction process. the interior of the tea shop features existing wooden furniture from the previous store, which are complemented by raw concrete on the walls and ceiling.

project info:

name: tea shop parvati

architect: keisuke hatakenaka architects studio

location: 3-2-8 kaname-chou, toshima-ku, tokyo

floor area: 40.80 m2

wood work: plus-T

furniture work: promenade furniture

equipment work: TNK planning

sign: tamago