NARU

A small coffee shop located between Ichigaya and Kudanshita.
Situated between an office district and a residential neighborhood, the shop is set within a mixed urban streetscape lined with small-scale buildings. The tenant space sits three steps below street level, and by making use of both this calm setting and the existing character of the space, the design aimed to create a compact yet relaxed environment where customers can linger comfortably.

Inside, the shop offers a long, spacious bench along the stairs, window-side seating, and high stools along the counter, allowing visitors to choose how and where to sit depending on their mood and how they wish to spend their time.
The opening facing the street was replaced with wooden sliding doors, and an awning and noren curtain were added to create outdoor seating that connects gently with the indoor counter space.

This area was once lined with daimyo residences during the Edo period, and later flourished as a lively hanamachi district before and after the war. Reflecting this layered local history, a deep burgundy red was adopted as the shop’s theme color and applied to elements such as the counter, awning, noren, espresso machine, and grinder, giving the space a cohesive visual identity.

Rather than tailoring the design too narrowly to a specific target group, the project drew carefully on both the owner’s personality and the unique character of the neighborhood. The result is a place where local residents and visitors alike, across generations, can naturally share the same space and spend time in their own way.