Japan‘s extreme industriousness never fails to impress, and if you ask us, the abundance of coffee parlours secretly pitches in to sustain this reputation. The offerings are varied, ranging from mainstream coffee brands with flagship locations, to niche products by independent roasters serving their concoctions at tucked away spots. Obviously, Tokyo has its fair share of coffee parlours of any kind, but elsewhere in Japan the appreciation is just as high, spawning cool new hangouts where to daily indulge in freshly ground brews. Let’s have a look at Voice of Coffee, a newly opened opened café nestled in the maze of streets in downtown Kobe. The venue occupies the ground floor of a modest three-storey structure with a brick façade, and features an interior design, created by architect Yusuke Seki.
The setting can be best described as raw and basic, but also takes into account a traditional sense of aesthetic. The façade may still be adorned by faded 理容 AAA lettering, the name of the barber shop which previously occupied the space, but the inside has been completely transformed. A traditional engawa has been created, a buffer space between the street and the actual interior, allowing patrons to sip coffee outdoors. Behind a partition, made of glass framed by steel and glass bricks, and replete with a doorway, Voice of Coffee‘s service station and sales counter is situated. Right behind it is a matching wall-mounted cabinet, and when advancing into the space, a small seating section can be found. The back of the café accommodates the roasting facility. The café’s backdrop boldly flaunts exposed walls and ceilings, laying bare bits and pieces of the building’s history.
Voice of Coffee
3-1-17 Sakaemachidori (Chuo-ku)
Kobe 650-0023
Telephone: +81 78 9546226
Mon-Tue 11-7
Thu-Sun 11-7
Publishers Note
Just to be clear – superfuture® is a design blog and not a political commentator. No surprise there. The scope of our content has always been global and borderless, however that can often mean covering projects in countries where we will not agree with the politics or actions of those countries. In a world that’s as screwed up as ever right now, the focus of our support is to those designers, architects and other creatives who aim to make the world a more liveable one – as opposed to people that try their hardest to destroy it. So if a project hits our desk and we like it based on its design credentials, we may choose to publish regardless of its location or creators nationality. superfuture® has always been inclusive and hopes for all current wars, aggression, violence, hate and extremism to end.
