Arabica Riyadh Roastery Ikhefi by Jun Watanabe

Arabica Riyadh Roastery Ikhefi by Jun Watanabe is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 Umklomelo Weplatinamu we-A' Design Award in Ukudizayina Ingaphakathi Competition Category.

IplatinamuIngaphakathi· 2025

Arabica Riyadh Roastery Ikhefi

by Jun Watanabe

Client: no.10, NOMURA Co., Ltd.

Umklomelo Weplatinamu we-A' Design Award Winner in Ingaphakathi Category

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Colors

The Design

About Arabica Riyadh Roastery Ikhefi

I-Arabica Riyadh Roastery yikhefi elakhiwe ngesitayela sethiyetha elisendlini yokugcina impahla evuselelwe engaba amamitha-skwele angu-885 ezitezi ezimbili. Umshini omkhulu wokugazinga owenziwe ngokukhethekile umi esiteji esingemuva kwesitolo, uzungezwe yindawo yokugcina izinhlamvu zekhofi. Ikhawunta yasekhishini ibekwe lapho bekungaba khona indawo ye-orchestra, kanti i-atrium engenhla ivumela imisindo yamabharista ukuthi isabalale endaweni yonke. Iphansi lehlisiwe phambi kwesiteji, kanti izihlalo zezinga eliphezulu zinikeza ukubuka kusuka phezulu. I-marble yokwenziwa emhlophe, izitini, insimbi enezimbotshana kanye nezindawo ezipendiwe kwengeza ukuthinteka, kanti amakhethini acwebezelayo ahlukanisa izihlalo zamabhokisi.

The Recognition

About the Umklomelo Weplatinamu we-A' Design Award

Arabica Riyadh Roastery Ikhefi iwinile uMklomelo Weplatinamu we-A' Design Award, ukwaziswa okuhloniphekile kakhulu okunikezwa imiklamo eyiqiniso eyingqayizivele, ebukekayo nenobukhosi. Abawinile bePlatinamu yizimangaliso zokudalwa, ubufakazi bemingcele yobuhlakani bokudala, futhi babonisa ubungcweti nobuhlakani obungenakuqhathaniswa babaklami babo. Le miklamo ilindeleke ukuba ibe yimisebenzi edume kakhulu echaza ubuhle besikhathi, enikela ekuhlalakahleni komphakathi futhi isunduza imingcele yobuciko, isayensi, ukuklama nobuchwepheshe. Arabica Riyadh Roastery Ikhefi ibonisa izinga elingaphezu kwejwayelekile lobuhle futhi ngokungangabazeki yenza umhlaba ube yindawo engcono ngezimfanelo zayo eziluthandwa nezibalulekile. Arabica Riyadh Roastery Ikhefi ngumsebenzi owinile uMklomelo Weplatinamu we-A' Design Award ovusa izifiso, ukhuthaza, ujabulisa futhi udale injabulo enkulu.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: Like a theatre, the floor is lowered in front of the stage, with upper-level seating around it, so that the main stage can be seen from most seats. The store offers a variety of spatial experiences, with varying ceiling heights, including a low, calm seating area and an open atrium. The entrance staircase is designed at a height that allows the stage to be seen from the outside, as in a theatre, to heighten the sense of anticipation and attract customers.
Dimensions & Packaging: Store area 885 sqm with 2 floors.
Ground floor ceiling height: 2650mm.
First-floor ceiling height: 2450mm.
Atrium ceiling height: 6500mm
Tags: cafe, coffeeshop, Japanese, Japan, no__10, nomurakougeisha, ARABICA
Production Technology: While unified in white, the color of ARABICA’s stores, the space expresses a deep white by providing variations in texture, such as artificial marble, brick, perforated metal, and flat painted surfaces. The floor is made of top-coated epoxy resin to achieve a clean, white, seamless floor. Indirect lighting was added to the ceiling in the atrium through perforated metal to create a top-light-like illumination.
Design Challenge: The process of determining the viewpoints of each seating area was difficult. After verifying how the main stage would be presented from each seating area through drawings and renderings, the seating layout and the viewpoint height from each seat were determined. We also controlled the visibility inside and outside the store through the height difference by creating a staircase at the entrance and lowering only the area around the kitchen counter.
Research: In order to make the cafe comfortable for Saudi Arabian people, we visited various local cafes and restaurants for research. Also, we interviewed franchise owners about the Saudi people and local culture. Based on the information obtained, we installed sheer curtains that take into account the distance between men and women, furniture shapes that make it easy to sit on, even in ethnic dress, and mirrors for personal grooming.
Inspiration: The store is a theatre-style cafe in a renovated warehouse of approx. 900 square meters, with a custom-built giant roasting machine as the star attraction. The roasting machine is placed on a stage at the back of the store, surrounded by ARABICA’s iconic bean cellar. A kitchen counter is installed in the position of the orchestra pit, and the atrium above allows the pleasant sound of the barista to echo throughout the store. Visitors can enjoy the story of making coffee with all five senses.
Project Duration: The project started with a site visit to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in April 2019. The design phase started immediately and was completed in November of the same year. Construction work started in October 2019 and was completed in May 2022. (It took a long time because of the Corona disaster.) The Store opened in May 2022.
Operation Flow: Variety of seats are available for various ways of enjoyment. Bench seats where you can watch the barista's performance right in front of you. Box seats on the ground floor where you can see the kitchen and the stage up close. On the first floor, box seats and counter seats are available for a bird's-eye view of the stage and kitchen. Seats for four near the window offers a cozy atmosphere with the sounds of the kitchen as background music.
Patents: Copyrights: NOMURA Co., Ltd.
Team Members: Creative Director：Keita Aono
Designer：Jun Watanabe