Bandesign clads a Japanese cafe in mirrors to reflect a row of cherry trees

A kitchen with a serving hatch is positioned at the back of the space, in the join between the two seating areas. «The vertical roof struts, a motif of the tree branch, give them the feeling of resting under a tree,» said Ban. Vibrant red doors positioned under a porch on each of the white facades lead into the cafe’s two seating areas. A bank of cherry blossoms are mirrored in the reflective gables of this cafe   that angles around a smaller tree in Gifu, Japan, by architecture studio Bandesign (+ slideshow). Related story: A tree grows up through voids in Hamada Design’s Glass + Wood building
The mirrored gables are angled towards each other, reflecting both the adjacent tree and the cherry blossoms that line a river bank that is popular with passing tourists. Mirrors reflects the cherry blossom, creating a forest and inviting visitors in,» studio founder Hisanori Ban told Dezeen. «Taking advantage of this location – Mirrors is on a riverside street and cherry blossom trees grew along the street. Project credits:
Architect: Bandesign – Hisanori Ban Terashima kazumoto
Lighting design: Koizumi Lighting technology – Atsuko Fujita
Construction company: Oribe – Daisuke Oribe
Site plan – click for larger imageFloor plan – click for larger imageSection – click for larger image The outer facades of the single-storey building are clad in strips of white-painted steel that give the timber-framed building a traditional clapboard appearance. Photography is by   Shigetomo Mizuno.