YUMA SATO's Merci Shop presents a studied composition of contemporary residential architecture photographed in temperate daylight, revealing a two-story structure articulated through crisp white…

Warm pale timber frames the foreground seating where straight-backed chairs with horizontal slat backs and squared legs in a light natural wood finish, possibly ash or beech, surround two tables…

A monolithic concrete table extends into the foreground, its cool gray surface reading as smooth and substantial, anchored by a crisp white structural column that rises vertically at left…

A double-height interior volume presents a refined architectural composition where horizontal timber treads ascend the left side in staggered rhythm, their warm honey-toned oak grain contrasting…

A precisely demarcated spatial envelope rendered in cool neutral tones establishes the primary compositional field of this architectural interior, where light gray surfaces spanning floor, walls, and…

Merci Shop by Yuma Sato is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 Bronze A' Design Award in Architecture, Building and Structure Design Competition Category.

BronzeArchitecture· 2025

Merci Shop

by Yuma Sato

Client: Koto Architecture Lab Inc

Bronze A' Design Award Winner in Architecture Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #172637

Visit Site View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Merci Shop

Merci is a plant cafe built in a rural setting between two cities. The cafe is surrounded by roads and looks out over scenic countryside views. Wooden construction methods and advanced structural calculations allow extensive open ceilings. A central open atrium brings unity to the diverse spaces and fills the interior with natural light, creating a restful place at any time of day. The flooring is made from recycled coffee grounds solidified with cement, and the outer walls use natural materials. Local ingredients are served, supporting regional circulation and the surrounding community.

The Recognition

About the Bronze A' Design Award

Merci Shop is a Bronze A' Design Award winner, a highly prestigious recognition granted to outstanding designs distinguished by creativity, ingenuity, and astuteness. Bronze winners are amply skillful and strikingly creative artifacts that authenticate the vast experience, imagination, and resourcefulness of their designers. Merci Shop is expected to be a highly regarded, admired, and cherished object that is notably professional and innovative. This Bronze A' Design Award-winning design incorporates best practices in art, science, design, and technology, and is excellent for its attention to detail. Merci Shop splendidly satisfies needs, touches desires, charms feelings, and appeals to curiosity.

Image Analysis

Color Temperature: Slightly CoolSymmetry: PartialBackground: No Clear Backdrop

Where to Get It

Sustainable Architecture for Community Spaces

We design buildings that enrich local communities through sustainable materials and thoughtful integration with nature. Our portfolio spans cafes, residences, offices, and educational facilities, each crafted to create happiness and connection.

Discuss Your Project

View in the Design Shop

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: This is a plant cafe where you can enjoy scenic rural views. It values nature and utilizes its facility surrounded by roads to create a space filled with natural light, making it a relaxing environment at any time of the day. The open atrium brings unity to the diverse spaces. Additionally, we focus on using more natural materials to create a sophisticated atmosphere.
Tags: cafe,regional circulation, nature,universality, coexistence
Production Technology: The building was constructed using wooden construction methods. Advanced structural calculations were employed, making extensive use of open ceilings. The finishing materials included flooring made from recycled products of coffee grounds solidified with cement, and the outer walls used natural materials, resulting in a sustainable building.
Research: In this architecture, the most important thing is a space for creating a new and nostalgic future that blends in with the community. We aimed for a space that maximizes the goodness of the area while being able to design for the future.
Inspiration: The idea was to build a peaceful structure in the countryside that connects the two cities.
Amidst the aging population and depopulation, it was crucial to support the local cycle and create a landscape loved by the community.
Project Duration: We will continue to expand, starting with Okayama City in 2024. We aim to open multiple stores in the future.
Operation Flow: This building is a cafe open to the local community, and a space that aims to promote local circulation. It aims to be an indigenous land that uses local ingredients. It also has an eye on inbound tourism, as a place where people can enjoy sightseeing at traditional Japanese facilities that are a tourist resource for the region.
Team Members: sen ko home
Image Credits: photo:Iku Asanuma