Obori Soma Ware Matsunaga Kiln Shop and Atelier

architectural interior, retail space, ceramic gallery, artisan workshop, Japanese craft tradition, post-and-beam construction, exposed timber structure, cathedral ceiling, pyramidal skylight, natural illumination, zenithal light, warm wood tones, raw sienna, Naples yellow, pale ochre, honey amber, matte black accents, track lighting, ceramic vessels, traditional pottery, dark glaze, charcoal gray ceramics, cream stoneware, indigo accents, display fixtures, custom millwork, full-height glazing, landscape view, verdant backdrop, double-height volume, asymmetrical composition, central axis, vertical emphasis, layered spatial zones, foreground display, middle ground seating, background transparency, material dialogue, craft heritage, contemporary architecture, minimalist aesthetic, warm ambient light, diffused daylight, tactile surfaces, smooth planed wood, organic ceramic textures, industrial hardware contrast, contemplative atmosphere, serene retail environment, human scale, monumental structure

Matsunaga Kiln was located in Fukushima, Japan, producing the designated traditional crafts with more than 300 years of history. One proprietary feature of Obori Soma Ware is its double-layered structure, which enables this daily-use ceramics to hold boiling water and prevents it from cooling down. Designers wanted to incorporate and express this feature in our architecture. Designers believe that the different scales of architecture and ceramics, in the same composition, influence each other.