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Architects: SPEC
- Area: 64 m²
- Year: 2023
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Photographs:Kenta Hasegawa
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Manufacturers: K LIGHT STUDIO
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Lead Architects: Motoki Ishii
Text description provided by the architects. Daifuku is a traditional Japanese confectionery. At Aito-Denkimochiten, their special Daifuku is made from mochi rice cakes using the same method used 100 years ago, without any additives or preservatives, and they have been selling it at the same location. They are considered fresh for only five hours, and the amazingly soft mochi is filled with a delicate, feather-light red bean paste.
In order to emphasize the delicacy and beauty of Daifuku, the sales space is devoid of unnecessary decorations and contains only the minimum necessary functions. Daifuku are individually wrapped by hand, not by machine. Therefore, each Daifuku has a slightly different appearance, and the warmth of human hands can be felt.
The counter where Daifuku is displayed was not designed to be cold and orderly but rather to be linked to the warmth of Daifuku.
The counter has an organic round shape, and the top panel has exposed metal fittings that are usually hidden on the backside. The traces of human handiwork, combined with the soft white grain of the wood, synchronize with the Daifuku and enhance its attractiveness.
Next to the sales space is a workshop for wrapping Daifuku, facing the street. Lace fabric with round holes is layered across the glass, framed like a picture frame, and the center circle subtly visualizes the movement of people in the room, making the presence of the craftsmen felt by passersby. Each cut surface of the cut fabric is wavy in its own way, forming a unique expression that transcends calculation.
By giving traces of handiwork and human warmth to the minimalist white canvas, the spatial composition was appropriate for the placement of Daifuku, which has been meticulously selected.
