The Japanese stone roasted sweet potato food wagon has long been an important presence in Japan's winters, bringing warmth and gently illuminating the town as night falls. It was reimagined through a contemporary design approach. In Kyoto, where the cityscape features a rhythm of horizontal and vertical elements like lattice windows, it was designed to integrate diagonal elements, adopted for structural reasons, in a way that complements Kyoto's streets as the ground and forms a figure within it.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- The Japanese stone roasted sweet potato food wagon has long been an important presence in Japan's winters, bringing warmth and gently illuminating the town as night falls. I reimagined it through a contemporary design approach. In Kyoto, where the cityscape features a rhythm of horizontal and vertical elements like lattices windows, I focused on integrating diagonal elements, adopted for structural reasons, in a way that complements Kyoto's streets as the "ground" and forms a "figure" within it.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- l1880, h1225, w1385 (main)
l3400, h1920, w1450 (include truck) - Tags
- food wagon, food truck, architecture, lighting, car design
- Production Technology
- Initially, the budget was limited, but as professionals in architecture and construction, we decided to adopt an architectural approach rather than a high-precision industrial one. The frame, serving as the main structure, was made with wooden framing by carpenters, and the surface was finished with FRP membranes by waterproofing and painting specialists. By treating it as an extension of our usual work, we maintained quality and reduced intermediate costs with trusted colleagues.
- Project Duration
- The project started in summer 2020 in Kyoto, with the first unit being developed, followed by the second unit in 2021 and the third unit in 2022 with minor updates. In 2023, the development of the fourth unit was carried out, incorporating the insights gained from the previous models
- Inspiration
- In Japan, during winter evenings, people with frozen hands from the cold buy warm roasted sweet potatoes, warming both their hands and hearts with the heat as they make their way home. It is a very familiar scene. When designing, I wanted to capture the nostalgia that resonates in the hearts of the Japanese. I aimed to express this warmth, like the soft orange light seen through a house's shoji screen, in office districts, in front of train stations, and in residential areas.
- Image Credits
- Image #1: ryo kotaka, unit1, 2020
Image #2: ryo kotaka, unit1, 2020
Image #3: taichi hirata, unit3, 2022
Image #4: taichi hirata, unit4, 2023
Image #5: taichi hirata, unit4, 2023 - Patents
- Copyrights studio tata, 2024
Press releases are available in 1 languages.