(c) Takumi Ota

• Blue Moon cafe & market
  
  東日本大震災の原発事故の影響で那須塩原は大きな被害に遭った。
  そんなとき、那須塩原に住むTさんが地元のために何かしたいと思い、Tさんのご自宅の敷地内に小さなカフェをつくることを思いついた。その当時、放射線量が気になり屋外で気軽に楽しむということがなくなりつつある中で、あえて屋外と屋内が混ざり合うような空間はできないだろうか。様々な検討をして、念のため計画地の地面を除染した上で、外部からの埃ができるだけ入らないように、高い塀で囲まれた中庭を二つ作り、建物を上から見ると、風車のように屋内と屋外が回転しながら並ぶ構成とした。構造は木造トラス梁を十字形に交差させることで、建物の外周部以外は無柱とし、コートヤードと内部はサッシのみで仕切り、内部にいながら外部に、外部にいながら内部にいるような感覚を楽しめる空間とした。今ではTさんの思惑通り地元の人に愛される小さな公民館のようなカフェとなっている。
  
  Nasu Shiobara was severely affected by the nuclear power plant accident following the Great East Japan Earthquake.
  At that time, Mr T, who lives in Nasushiobara, wanted to do something for the local community and came up with the idea of building a small café on the grounds of his house. At the time, people were becoming concerned about radiation levels, and casual enjoyment of the outdoors was becoming a thing of the past. After various considerations, the ground was decontaminated to be sure, and two courtyards surrounded by a high wall were built to prevent dust from entering as much as possible, and when the building is viewed from above, the indoor and outdoor spaces rotate and line up like windmills. The structure is made of wooden truss beams criss-crossing each other in a criss-cross pattern, with no columns except around the perimeter of the building, and the court yards and interior are separated only by sashes, creating a space where one can enjoy the feeling of being outside while being inside and inside while being outside. The café is now, as Mr T intended, a small community centre loved by the locals.
  The café is a small community centre, much loved by the local people.