Restaurant On The Sea / Case-Real

Architects: CASE-REAL
Design: Koichi Futatusmata, Yasushi Arikawa (CASE-REAL)
Building Area: 471 m²
Site Area: 1685 m²
Construction Period: 2012 – 2013
Photography: Hiroshi Mizusaki
Project in Cooperation with: Tsuyoshi Matsuzawa
Structural Engineer: Hiroshi Ohno (Ohno Japan)
Design Cooperation, Construction: Naikai Archit
Lighting Plan: Masaaki Sato (Ushiospax Fukuoka)
Sign Design: Fumikazu Ohara (Soup Design)
Manufacture of Furniture: E&Y
Client: Circle House Cooperation
Structure: Steel Frame
Scale: 1-Storey
Location: Kagawa (Teshima)
Country: Japan

Umi no Restaurant or Restaurant on the Sea, a project designed by CASE-REAL in Teshima, Japan, aimed to revitalize the island’s community and support the Setouchi Triennale Arts Festival. Completed in 2013, this single-story steel frame structure integrated public and private kitchens, fostering communal food experiences. The design features arched volumes with translucent polycarbonate panels and a raised red-brown concrete foundation to protect against tidal waves.

Located on Teshima Island in Japan, the “Restaurant on the Sea” by CASE-REAL, or locally “Umi no Restaurant” serves both the local population and visitors attending the 2013 Setouchi Triennale arts festival. The island, once rich in rice fields, faced depopulation. This project aimed to create an inclusive “place for food,” revitalizing the region by catering to a wide range of people.

The restaurant’s structure consists of two elongated arched volumes with a terrace offering ocean views. This terrace is a crucial design element, connecting the primary kitchen, a public kitchen, and the seating area. The space is enclosed with translucent polycarbonate panels, providing shelter while allowing ample light to permeate, creating a distinct atmosphere compared to the interior.

The restaurant’s location near the sea and a passing road enhances its accessibility and scenic views. The building’s foundations are raised using red-brown concrete to protect against tidal waves. This material choice contrasts with the surrounding sky, ocean, and the building itself, emphasizing the structure’s integration with its environment.

CASE-REAL aimed to create architecture that coexists with the island’s unique climate, producing a meaningful destination for Teshima. The duo-arch structure, spanning 40 meters in length, features light wave plates covering most of the interior and exterior walls and roofs. The sea-facing terrace, open to breathtaking ocean views, serves as a hub connecting the kitchen, restaurant, and public kitchen both physically and conceptually.

The terrace roof, made from a light wave plate, enhances the feeling of openness, allowing natural sunlight to create varying atmospheres between indoor and outdoor spaces. This design choice underscores the intent to blend the building seamlessly with its natural surroundings.

The “Restaurant on the Sea” exemplifies how thoughtful architectural design can revitalize a community, foster cultural growth, and harmonize with nature. The project by CASE-REAL not only provides a functional space for food but also creates a lasting impact on the island of Teshima.

Good design is not defined by striking concepts or novel materials but by the balance and integration of necessary functions, forms, materials, details, the surrounding environment, and the client’s requirements.
Interview with Koichi Futatsumata of CASE-REAL