Schemata Architects creates basswood-lined interior for Blue Bottle Coffee
Plywood panels are used to conceal storage and serving hatches inside this Tokyo coffee shop by Schemata Architects.
![Blue Bottle Coffee Roppongi by Schemata Architects](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/10/blue-bottle-coffee-cafe-schemata-architects-interiors-roppongi-tokyo-japan_dezeen_2364_col_3-852x568.jpg)
Schemata Architects was brought on board to design the interiors for Blue Bottle Coffee's fourth Japanese store.
![Blue Bottle Coffee Roppongi by Schemata Architects](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/10/blue-bottle-coffee-cafe-schemata-architects-interiors-roppongi-tokyo-japan_dezeen_2364_col_4-852x568.jpg)
Located in the lively Roppongi area of Tokyo, the shop is on a back street away from the the busy main road.
![Blue Bottle Coffee Roppongi by Schemata Architects](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/10/blue-bottle-coffee-cafe-schemata-architects-interiors-roppongi-tokyo-japan_dezeen_2364_col_2-852x568.jpg)
It faces a concrete public plaza and a small park filled with shrubs and plants, and is set behind a completely glass facade.
"Our design is based on our vision of a cafe staying beside the plaza and quietly embracing the environment," said the architects.
![Blue Bottle Coffee Roppongi by Schemata Architects](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/10/blue-bottle-coffee-cafe-schemata-architects-interiors-roppongi-tokyo-japan_dezeen_2364_col_5-852x568.jpg)
Inside, the cafe is lined with panels of basswood plywood, which brings warmth and colour to the otherwise stark white and concrete space.
![Blue Bottle Coffee Roppongi by Schemata Architects](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/10/blue-bottle-coffee-cafe-schemata-architects-interiors-roppongi-tokyo-japan_dezeen_2364_col_6-852x568.jpg)
Some of the plywood panels are used to conceal storage cupboards, while others slide open to reveal serving hatches.
![Blue Bottle Coffee Roppongi by Schemata Architects](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/10/blue-bottle-coffee-cafe-schemata-architects-interiors-roppongi-tokyo-japan_dezeen_2364_col_9-852x479.jpg)
"The entire walls are composed of regular repetition of wall cabinets with doors, while the strict regularity is moderated by inserting irregular grids of frames encasing several doors."
![Blue Bottle Coffee Roppongi by Schemata Architects](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/10/blue-bottle-coffee-cafe-schemata-architects-interiors-roppongi-tokyo-japan_dezeen_2364_col_7-852x568.jpg)
Small tables set by the windows can accommodate small parties, while larger groups can sit around a high-level table towards the back of the cafe.
![Blue Bottle Coffee Roppongi by Schemata Architects](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/10/blue-bottle-coffee-cafe-schemata-architects-interiors-roppongi-tokyo-japan_dezeen_2364_col_8-852x568.jpg)
Schemata, which was founded by architect Jo Nagasaka in 1998, often opts for the minimal approach when designing interiors and furniture pieces.
![Blue Bottle Coffee Roppongi by Schemata Architects](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/10/blue-bottle-coffee-cafe-schemata-architects-interiors-roppongi-tokyo-japan_dezeen_2364_col_0-852x513.jpg)
Its most recent projects include a Japanese eyewear store with a deconstructed interior and a minimal fashion boutique that is framed by a gigantic glass window.
![Blue Bottle Coffee Roppongi by Schemata Architects](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/10/blue-bottle-coffee-cafe-schemata-architects-interiors-roppongi-tokyo-japan_dezeen_plan_1_.gif)
![Blue Bottle Coffee Roppongi by Schemata Architects](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/10/blue-bottle-coffee-cafe-schemata-architects-interiors-roppongi-tokyo-japan_dezeen_section.gif)