Stainless steel and blue details decorate modular Valley Fair Kiosk for Blue Bottle Coffee
Japanese studio I IN has created Blue Bottle Coffee's first kiosk in Santa Clara, California, which has a minimalist design and was prefabricated from stainless steel.
The aim behind the project was to create a "design that would clearly express the brand in any location," the studio said.
Blue Bottle Coffee has stores across Asia and the US, but this marks the first time it has opened a kiosk. I IN designed the store to be built from stainless steel, using modular, prefabricated components that were easy to assemble on site.
The steel structure gives the kiosk a minimalist, industrial feel. Its cool tones are complemented by a louvred, blue-painted canopy that lets light into the kiosk and an illuminated blue base.
"The stainless steel reflects its surroundings, intentionally softening the building's presence within the environment," I IN co-founder Yohei Terui told Dezeen.
"In contrast, the brand's signature blue asserts a strong identity. It appears in different forms – the logo on the wall, the blue glow at the floor, and the open, airy blue louvres at the ceiling," he continued.
"Each element occupies only a modest surface, yet together they stand out clearly, even from a distance and every different angle."
I IN is based in Japan, but has previously worked on projects in Asia and Europe. Terui said that while the process of working on a US project wasn't very different, it did influence the choice to use stainless steel.
"One of the aspects we paid particular attention to in this project was the selection of materials," he explained. "When working across countries, material selection often becomes a big challenge. "
"The repeated process of sending and receiving samples highlighted a certain gap with today's sustainable mindset. It became essential to focus on materials that can be mass-produced and are easy to work with."
Terui, who heads up I IN together with co-founder Hiromi Yuyama, added that prefabricating the kiosk is a way to help minimise waste when producing others in the future.
"Since all parts can either be pre-produced or made readily available, a substantial reduction in construction time can be expected," he said.
"At the same time, minimising unnecessary material waste is a major advantage," Terui added.
"Of course, there is a certain appeal in having each store feature a different design. Yet, I also feel that we are re-entering an era where the value of design consistency – so long as it is compelling – can be newly appreciated."
The kiosk, which has a food counter, food and coffee preparation areas, a till section and a staff area, is lit from above and below to draw attention to its blue colour.
"We see light as something powerful and beautiful above all, a presence that reaches into people's hearts," Terui said. "At the same time, depending on how it is used, light can also create discomfort or even disrupt a design."
"In this project, the challenge was to ensure clarity and visibility under any conditions, while maintaining a strength that would not be lost within its surroundings," he continued.
The Valley Fair Kiosk will be followed by "several new kiosk openings" in the US, Blue Bottle Coffee's global head of cafe design and experience Cary Cheng said.
I IN has previously designed a Blue Bottle Coffee shop in Takanawa, Tokyo, and used green and yellow light to demarcate two toilets in a Japanese shopping centre.
The photography is by Tim D Coy.
The post Stainless steel and blue details decorate modular Valley Fair Kiosk for Blue Bottle Coffee appeared first on Dezeen.
