NAO transforms a historical georgian ruin into a traditional japanese teahouse

a Japanese cultural icon in the heart of old Tbilisi

In Tbilisi, design studio NAO has transformed an historical Georgian ruin into a Japanese teahouse, fusing the charms of two distinct cultures into one. Preserving the structure’s innate charm, the team retained much of the exterior’s original character, including its distinctive 5.8-degree lateral tilt, from which Teahouse 5.8 derives its name. A design workshop was convened, bringing together local Georgian architecture students and emerging architects. Over the course of two weeks, the collaborators brainstormed ways to preserve the traditional Georgian environment while incorporating Japanese cultural elements.

nao bridges two rich cultural aesthetics for teahouse 5.8

With minimal interventions to preserve the structure’s historic charm, studio NAO inserted a horizontal level which was layered with cement by local workers — a nod to both Georgian history as well as Japanese minimalism aesthetics. Sustainability was additionally a key consideration, with the design team utilizing materials from the demolition process to construct the sub-floor, sub-wall, and sub-ceiling. Within the teahouse, the existing old brick wall was accentuated with the soft glow of LED strip lights, while traditional Japanese Tatami floor mats were imported to the site.

‘As a result of the transformation, the old empty ruin has turned into a cultural exchange space between Japanese and Georgian people. The whole process of the renovation was a meaningful exchange activity too, and now it is functioning as a community hub among neighbors through a Japanese tea ceremony,’ notes lead designer Nao Tokuda.

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project info:

name: Teahouse 5.8

location: Tbilisi, Georgia
designer: NAO

lead designer: Nao Tokuda

collaborator: local Georgian architecture students and young architects

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