Merci Café by Yuma Sato is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 A' Design Award de Bronze in Design de Arquitetura, Edifícios e Estruturas Competition Category.

BronzeArquitetura· 2025

Merci Café

by Yuma Sato

Client: Koto Architecture Lab Inc

A' Design Award de Bronze Winner in Arquitetura Category

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Verified Award Winner
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The Design

About Merci Café

Merci é um café-jardim construído em ambiente rural, entre duas cidades. O café é cercado por estradas e contempla vistas cênicas do campo. Métodos de construção em madeira e cálculos estruturais avançados permitiram amplos tetos abertos. Um átrio central aberto confere unidade aos diversos espaços e preenche o interior com luz natural, criando um lugar de repouso em qualquer hora do dia. O piso é feito de borra de café reciclada solidificada com cimento, e as paredes externas empregam materiais naturais. São servidos ingredientes locais, apoiando a circulação regional e a comunidade do entorno.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award de Bronze

Merci Café conquistou o A' Design Award de Bronze, um reconhecimento altamente prestigiado atribuído a designs notáveis que se distinguem pela criatividade, engenho e perspicácia. Os vencedores do Bronze são artefactos amplamente habilidosos e surpreendentemente criativos que comprovam a vasta experiência, imaginação e capacidade de iniciativa dos seus designers. Espera-se que Merci Café seja um objeto muito considerado, admirado e estimado, notavelmente profissional e inovador. Este design vencedor do A' Design Award de Bronze incorpora as melhores práticas em arte, ciência, design e tecnologia e é excelente pela sua atenção ao detalhe. Merci Café satisfaz esplendidamente necessidades, toca desejos, encanta sentimentos e desperta curiosidade.

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