Bronze Architecture, Building and Structure Design · 2024
Chinza No Manma Ao Architecture
by Yuki Ijichi
- A' Design Award 2024 Bronze Winner in Architecture, Building and Structure Design
- Awarded April 15, 2024
- CLIENT: Chinza No Manma Ao
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 17,361
- Verification code 4AFB2DC473 · Verify this award
About Chinza No Manma Ao Architecture
The concept of this architecture is based on the Shi-de, which represents a special area in the Japanese Shin-to religion, and the shape of the Shi-de has been incorporated into the architecture. The logo of the store is based on the concept of the Shime-nawa, a sacred rope that represents the sacred area along with the Shi-de, and the shape of the rope is used as the logo symbol. The design thus embodies the Japanese concept that everything from the architecture to the brand is related in meaning.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- This is an architectural design based on the concept of Shintoism, a Japanese cultural connotation, and is characterized by the fact that it is incorporated into architecture based on the concept.
Therefore, the design embodies a Japanese concept that is not merely characterized by architectural structure and design, but is also related in meaning from the hardware of architecture to the software of logo design. - Dimensions & Packaging
- Since the building was originally to be constructed on a site surrounded by trees, the size of the site was secured while taking into consideration the extent of the tree roots' influence and the landscape. In consideration of the fact that the store will be open from early morning until night, we also planned to bring in the morning sun in the morning and natural light during the daytime.
Many natural materials were used to evoke the sacredness of Shinto and Japanese culture. In the kitchen, real camellia stone was used to represent the rock where the gods dwell, and Kagoshima lava stone was used for the cash register counter, creating a commonality between the kitchen and the stone. The walls are made of shirasu, which is inspired by the shirasu plateau in Aira, Kagoshima, as a sacred building rooted in the land, and at the same time, the warm texture, function, and meaning of the material, such as moisture absorption, are also used. The wood is quarter-sawn, giving the impression of softness, and the space is simple and clean. - Tags
- Store Design, Architecture, Interior Design, Branding, Sign Design, Japan, Chinza No Manma Ao, Japanese Culture, Shinto, Shide
- Production Technology
- The site of Chinza No Manma Ao is located on a lawn where trees are gathered, and in conjunction with the image of Chin-za (meaning the spirit of the gods resides) in the name of the restaurant, the site was designed as a Chinju-no-mori (a forest surrounding the approach and worship hall of a shrine). The restaurant was designed as a special place where the source of life called food gathers and is connected (a place where the spirits of the gods reside).
In order to symbolically represent the special place as a building, the concept of the building was based on the Shi-de, which is used in Shinto to indicate purity and sanctity and to divide the area.
The building was designed by combining this alternating shape with that of the Taisha-zukuri,form one of Japan's oldest shrine architectural styles. - Design Challenge
- The design concept of Japanese culture and Shintoism, a difficult theme to grasp, was difficult to balance with the feasibility of expression and the maintainability of the building after construction was completed.
In the kitchen, the Iwa-kura (meaning a rock on which a deity dwells) was expressed by having skilled masons pile up real stones and affix them to the wall surface.
In addition, we designed the building to express Shintoism and Japanese culture by taking advantage of various conditions, such as the extent of influence of trees on the site, the landscape, the lighting plan, and the shape of the building.
It was difficult to achieve consistency between the different natures of hardware (the building) and software (the brand), but by incorporating tools used in Shintoism to symbolize special areas into the architectural and branding concepts, respectively, the building design and branding were linked. - Project Duration
- The project started in Japan in July 2022, completed in September 2023, and opened in October 2023.
- Inspiration
- The project was inspired by the word Chin-za in the name of the restaurant (a Shin-to word meaning the dwelling of the divine spirit), and the building was designed with the theme of creating a special area where the source of life, food, based on Japanese cultural background, gathers and connects.
- Image Credits
- Image #1 : Photographer Ippei Nakamura
Image #2 : Photographer Ippei Nakamura
Image #3 : Photographer Ippei Nakamura
Image #4 : Photographer Ippei Nakamura
Image #5 : Photographer Ippei Nakamura
Colors of Chinza No Manma Ao Architecture
Grand Interview about Chinza No Manma Ao Architecture
The "Chinza" in the restaurant's name means "the calming of divine spirits" in Shinto, and the owner's theme was "not just a meal, but to face food as the source of life."To embody this theme, the building was designed as a special space where the source of life, food, gathers, and is composed of a staggered shape based on the motif of the shape of "Shide," a paper streamer that symbolizes a special realm in Shinto.The owner also requested a flexible spatial design that would be open from morning to night, and could accommodate both normal use and private use by reservation.For this reason, the shape of the "Shide" is used to divide the space in two, allowing the private and open areas to be used separately.In this way, the meaning of Shinto and the architecture became one, and the interpretation of the space evolved.
In Japan, it has long been believed that gods reside in certain special rocks, and shrines have been built there. Placing this rock, which symbolizes sanctity, in the kitchen, the center of dining, creates an atmosphere in which meals have a spiritual weight.Shirasu is also used for the walls, which has a moisture-regulating effect that keeps the space comfortable. Expressing the softness and solemn atmosphere of natural materials such as stone, wood, and earth with the simplicity of Shintoism brings out the sense of life that resides in food and encourages a positive attitude when facing food. This spatial design creates space in the mind, resulting in a dining experience that cultivates spiritual richness.
"Chinza No Manma Ao" Architecture did not reproduce the shape of the shrine as it is, but incorporated the structure and Shinto meaning of the shrine architecture and reconstructed it to suit the site conditions and functions as a restaurant to balance tradition and modernity.In particular, the composition of the building is based on the use of the space required by the owner, and the spirituality and Shinto meaning of the shop are blended into it. This brings together the spirit of traditional shrine architecture and the convenience of modern restaurants.
In the project, three stores will be set up on the site of the hospital, and the project started with which area each store would choose, and the area where the trees were originally gathered was selected.It has been decided by the owner until the stage of building a Japanese restaurant and Shinto-themed building, and when deciding on an area on the premises, the area where these trees gather is regarded as the “Chinju no Mori" of Shinto.Then, in the form of utilizing the original trees, the direction was set to take into account the shape of the building, the location, and the way light enters, and the concept of a shop was fused while making use of nature around it.
The approach to incorporating morning light into the architecture of "Chinza No Manma Ao" stems from the store owner's desire for the importance of breakfast. In addition, the shopkeeper cherished the "food that fosters life" and wanted them to feel its value, and we reflected in the architectural design the effects of the light in the morning and the capture of scenery on the food space.
In this project, the essence of Japanese Shinto culture and its significance has been condensed into a modern building. We hope that this project will reinterpret the meaning of traditional culture, merge it with contemporary architecture, and showcase the potential for design to inherit cultural meaning in a new form.
Based on the “Shide” (which symbolizes a special area in Shinto), which is characterized by its alternating shapes, the architecture also has an alternating configuration, and by dividing the space into private and open areas, the design can flexibly respond to the owner's needs, from regular use to private use by reservation, thus achieving harmony by combining the significance of Shinto with the practicality of the space. The design is a fusion of Shinto meaning and the practicality of the space, achieving harmony.
With the goal of “creating a special realm where life resides,” we used the “Shide,” which indicates a special realm in Shintoism, for the physical space, and the “Warahimo,” which also indicates a special realm in Shintoism, for the brand identity.By combining these two semantics, the “special domain” in Shintoism was embodied as a meaning.
We have seen Shirasu walls used in the architecture of Kagoshima several times in the past.And this time, in “Chinza no Manma Ao,” “chinza,” which means that the divine spirit resides in a place, and “food,” which means “to receive things from the land,” are all associated with the earth, and so Shirasu, a characteristic of the earth of Kagoshima, was used as a symbol of the local earth.This choice not only provides functionality, but also a symbolic meaning that expresses the spirit of Shintoism and the characteristics of the region.
In the process of researching and executing this project, when I took a fresh look at Japanese culture and Japanese Shintoism, I realized that the simplicity of the expressions therein creates a sense of a tentative world, and that it holds a deep meaning.This simplicity has the potential to evolve into a new style while retaining cultural value in conceptual design. Unlike inorganic contemporary design, we felt that designs that are simple yet express rich cultural qualities indicate the next direction of contemporary design.