Tea House Pavilion

Vancouver, Canada

Nestled in a delicate moss and pebble landscape, the Teahouse is a space for stillness and quiet amidst the busy downtown core of Vancouver. It embodies the Japanese philosophy of chado - 'the Way of Tea' - through its rigorous use of materials with simplicity. 

Local Douglas Fir was used in place of traditional Japanese cedar. The shoji screens were covered in Japanese washi paper and the tatami mats were handmade in Japan. Carefully detailed and thoughtfully crafted, the tea house is a modern interpretation of a traditional Japanese structure. At the most refined level, the ceremony takes place in the tea house, evoking a deep meditative stillness, bringing the beholder’s awareness back to the most basic level of consciousness.

Credits

Client

Westbank Development

Office

Kengo Kuma Architects & Associates

Area

20 m²

Status

Completed 2016

Photography

Ema Peter

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We acknowledge we are on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and Sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.