Tsukasa Kawahara and Tadayuki Yabuta Receives the A' Design Award for Douraku-ann Sustainable Tea Room in Interior Space and Exhibition Design

The Work

Project

Douraku-ann Sustainable Tea Room

Function

Sustainable Tea Room

Category

Interior Space and Exhibition Design

Discipline

Spatial Design

Industry

Architecture and Packaging & Retail

Colors

Black, Dark Slate Gray, Dim Gray, Peru and Gray

Images

5

Client

Portable Tea Room Douraku-ann

The Recognition

Laureate

Tsukasa Kawahara and Tadayuki Yabuta

Country

Japan

Recognition

A' Design Award

Edition

2025 - 2026

Design ID

#182603

Credits

Team

Tsukasa Kawahara Chief Designer, Tadayuki Yabuta Designer, Kana Hashizume Designer, Koji Sakai Director, Ayumi Shima Collaborative Designer, Tomoyuki Kitatani Designer and Dourakuann Team

Image Credits

Photo Basic Style Douraku-ann Seishi Maeda Event Documentation Tadayuki Yabuta Arrangement Style Yoshiaki Kita

Design Details

Unique Properties

This project originated from the intention to reinterpret Japan’s environmentally mindful culture and the philosophy of mottainai in a socially meaningful way. By transforming leftover materials from furniture production into architectural components, the design preserves the aesthetics of traditional Japanese spaces while reducing waste and promoting sustainable practices. The two‑tatami tea room, known for its ability to create intimacy and cultural depth within a small footprint, serves as the conceptual foundation for this portable community space. Douraku-ann demonstrates that meaningful social interaction does not require large or permanent architecture.

Inspiration

Douraku-ann is a mobile collapsible tea room that can be deployed in virtually any environment, creating a refined traditional Japanese spatial experience. This compact structure embodies the aesthetics of Japanese beauty and the spirit of hospitality, offering an intimate setting with cultural depth. Crafted using reclaimed timber and off‑cuts from traditional materials, it also reflects an eco‑conscious approach rooted in the Japanese philosophy of valuing resources. Its mobility enables it to introduce an authentic Japanese atmosphere with elegance and precision.

Research

This practice-based design research explores adapting the traditional Japanese tea room to contemporary lifestyles through the portable tea room Douraku-ann. The study investigates how compact spatial units influence community formation and interpersonal dialogue. From 2012 to 2025 installations were conducted in diverse environments to collect qualitative data through observation interviews and analysis. Experiments with alternative materials examined adaptability. Results show that even a minimal space can generate comfort and intimacy encouraging meaningful conversations among strangers.

Challenge

The main challenge was achieving portability ease of assembly and structural durability while preserving the essence of the traditional tea room. Adapting a fixed delicate architectural form into a mobile structure required reinterpretation of its cultural values. Constraints included safety regulations material selection and production feasibility. These were addressed through a modular joint system foldable components and repeated testing. The project demonstrates that traditional aesthetics and modern mobility can coexist and create new forms of social interaction.

Realization and Technology

Douraku-ann is a portable Japanese style spatial unit constructed from recycled timber and an engineered assembly frame. The joint system was optimized to achieve strength and stability with minimal components allowing quick assembly. Foldable elements combine portability with durability, enabling flexible modular configurations. Recycled timber from furniture production is refined through careful finishing enhancing sustainability. The project reinterprets the traditional two-tatami tea room in a contemporary form creating a culturally rich and environmentally conscious space.

Operation and Interaction

Douraku-ann creates an immediate Japanese atmosphere in any setting and adapts to various uses. It can function as a Japanese style room community hub conversation space tea ceremony area relaxation space or retreat depending on user needs. The modular frame assembles without tools, and panels unfold to form a complete environment within minutes. Once installed, it naturally encourages calmness, dialogue and shared experiences. Its versatility allows users to shape the space freely, making it a platform for interaction and community building.

Project Duration and Location

Douraku-ann was conceived by Tsukasa Kawahara and installed for a one-day event in Kyoto, Japan on March 12, 2023. The project demonstrated the qualities of modern Japanese architecture while emphasizing the importance of cultural preservation. It also included field studies to deepen its cultural and architectural relevance.

Specifications

Douraku-ann's structure is composed of pillars and beams crafted from domestic cedar and cedar plywood. The frame is assembled using REV metal joint units, ensuring high structural stability while maintaining a lightweight and highly portable form. Its basic module measures W2000mm x D2000mm x H2000mm + H300mm and can be expanded by adding additional units. The foldable, modular system allows for efficient packing, easy transportation, and flexible installation across diverse environments. The wall panels are sustainable components made from off‑cuts of rush grass, the raw material used in traditional tatami flooring, further reinforcing the project's ecological ethos.

Keywords

Portable Tea Room, Dourakuann, Japanese Spatial Culture, Modular Architecture, Joint System, Sustainable Design, Reclaimed Wood, Community Formation, Small Public Space, Wabi Sabi, Hospitality Space, Mobile Architecture, Foldable Structure, Cultural Reinterpretation, Design Research, Spatial Intimacy, Pop up Space, Traditional and Contemporary, Human Interaction Design