Japanese cheese tart shop Bake debuts its golden pastries in a series of terraced pedestals that organize the inevitable queue for these sweet treats vertically as well as horizontally. Designed by architecture studio 07Beach, the sloping entrance, glass façade and mirrored ceiling of the store create a pristine environment for the mouthwatering tarts which are visually broadcast to the street. Chief architect Joe Chikamori wanted to take advantage of the two-storey structure through a vertical pathway from the exterior to the check-out counter – resulting in a non-linear circulation that maximises views of the pastries from every angle.

The height of the space is further enhanced by mirrored ceilings and a glass partition which serves as the only barrier between hungry customers and the bite-sized cheesecakes. Cantilevered shelves mimic the slope of the terraced queue, while the expanse of grey concrete directs the eye immediately to the pastries and their bright yellow packaging. To subtly enhance the dynamic entrance, Chikamori borrows from his digital techniques in computer rendering, applying a darker shade of mortar to the vertical surfaces of the stairs and a lighter one to the horizontal.

The trick adds visual definition to the volumes, and the lighter shade extends to the interior where it complements the bright lighting. Approaching the space more like a stage than a bakery, 07Beach creates a stand-out environment for the tarts that takes their social shareability to a new level. Conceptualized and built around the objective of enticing passersby, the space delivers an artful upward circulation that results in a stadium-style arrangement between product and audience.

Design: 07Beach
Photography: Hiroyuki Oki

https://www.frameweb.com/news/-form-follows-pastries-is-the-new-adage-for-bake-shop-by-07beach