DO.DO. extend nagasaki porcelain factory with mosaic patio + corrugated awning

japanese architecture and design studio DO.DO. has extended the oyane porcelain shop and gallery in nagasaki with a covered patio and retail space.

japanese architecture and design studio DO.DO. has extended the oyane porcelain shop and gallery in nagasaki with a covered patio and retail space. the saikai porcelain factory in hasami town is a historic local site, and DO.DO.’s approach focused on providing a tasteful and simple revamp to the location that stays true to the company’s legacy and aesthetic.

DO.DO. extend the entryway to the building with a bright and aerated patio, creating an outdoor retail space capable of facilitating markets, workshops and special events. a corrugated iron roof runs the length of the patio, with staggered glass panels running from the structure’s apex to its edge. the industrial, unfinished aesthetic of the canopy is an homage to old factory roofs typical to the region. plastic crates are repurposed into a picnic style bench and table that encourages community styled interactions with factory events. the patio itself features a mosaic patterning created from shards of porcelain that reference the traditional history of the building.

wide cement steps (also adorned in porcelain mosaic) guide visitors to the concrete-clad recessed entrance. the shop, located on the ground floor, uses white cases called ‘boshi’ to populate the space. these cases were traditionally used for firing pottery, but here are topped with glass table-tops and surfaced in muted grey, adding to the up-cycled atmosphere. finished wood display cases and furniture offset the raw materiality of the rest of the space, and create a modern dynamic of new and old. sunlight penetrates and is exacerbated by the space, where products are displayed simply and quietly — each design sits independent of its neighbour, while still contributing to a collective whole.