project : : Yoruya Aoyama Winebar : : Tokyo, Japan : : 2020~2021 : : 36m² (constr) : : 

program : : Winebar and restaurant : : 

credits : : Javier Villar Ruiz coPrincipal at HaCo (LEAD) (AOR) (LIG) : : 

synopsis : : This minuscule restaurant in Aoyama district only opens from late night and discreetly has no sign at the door. The plan is organised so the chef himself can leave the kitchen to serve both counters simultaneously or even greet customers at the door. Whilst the two counter tops are placed at the same height, keeping this small space simple and symmetric, their different floor levels allow one counter to be for confortable dining seating and the other one for casual standing drinking. Spontaneous conversation is then eased since all customers, seating or standing, stay at the same level. Tones are dark to keep the space intimate; side walls are slightly slanted to lean confrotably when tired or tipsy; some colorful dry flowers are placed according to teh chef's mood and an old outside bike-box turned cellar reveals itself at night when tastings happen : : photos by K. Tanaka : :