The japanese architect Kengo Kuma completed the ‘Coeda House’, a café located in a garden in Shizuoka, Japan.
The design aesthetic proposed Kengo Kuma & Associates by  is informed by the innovative structure, which sees the design team stack square cedar boards to form a huge tree-like building.

Randomly stacking 8 centimeter square cedar boards, made a huge tree-like structure reinforced with a carbon fiber rod, with a tensile strength 7 times that of iron. It becomes possible to have a single trunk with large branches while still diminishing movement during earthquakes.

‘Due to the tree-like form, we were able to eliminate columns at the perimeter which would otherwise obscure the landscape‘, explains Kengo Kuma & Associates. Sprawling across 1,500 square feet, the open pavilion and cafe becomes carefully integrated within the Shizuoka landscape. The scenic project allows views over the Pacific Ocean and the surrounding landscape.

Kengo Kuma & Associates named the project ‘Coeda House’, which means the ‘house of small branches’.

The site lies on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, and due to the tree-like form, we were able to eliminate columns at the perimeter which would otherwise obscure the landscape.
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Kengo Kuma & Associates
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Area
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141.61 m²
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Completed 2017
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Kengo Kuma was born in Yokohama (Kanagawa, Japan) in 1954. He studied architecture at the University of Tokyo, finishing his degree in 1979. In 1987, he opened the "Spatial Design Studio". In 1990 he founded "Kengo Kuma & Associates" and extended the study to Europe (Paris, France) in 2008. Since 1985 and until 2009, has taught as a visiting professor and holder at the universities of Columbia, Keio, Illinois and Tokyo.

Notable projects include Japan National Stadium (2019), V&A Dundee (2019), Odunpazari Modern Art Museum (2019), and The Suntory Museum of Art (2007).

Kengo Kuma proposes architecture that opens up new relationships between nature, technology, and human beings. His major publications include Zen Shigoto(The complete works, Daiwa S hobo)Ten Sen Men (“point, line, plane”, IwanamiShoten), Makeru Kenchiku (Architecture of Defeat, Iwanami Shoten), Shizen na Kenchiku(Natural Architecture, Iwanami Shinsho), Chii sana Kenchiku (Small Architecture, IwanamiShinsho) and many others.

Main Awards:

· 2011 The Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's Art Encouragement Prize for "Yusuhara Wooden Bridge Museum."
· 2010 Mainichi Art Award for “Nezu Museum.”
· 2009 "Decoration Officier de L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres" (France).
· 2008 Energy Performance + Architecture Award (France). Bois Magazine International Wood Architecture Award (France).
· 2002 Spirit of Nature Wood Architecture Award (Finland).
· 2001 Togo Murano Award for “Nakagawa-machi Bato Hiroshige Museum.”
· 1997 Architectural Institute of Japan Award for “Noh Stage in the Forest”. First Place, AIA DuPONT Benedictus Award for “Water/Glass” (USA).

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Published on: December 19, 2017
Cite: "Café, COEDA House by Kengo Kuma" METALOCUS. Accessed
<https://www.metalocus.es/en/news/cafe-coeda-house-kengo-kuma> ISSN 1139-6415
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