The atelier occupies the upper floors of a nondescript office building in Minami-Aoyama, a neighbourhood whose quiet refinement suits Kengo Kuma perfectly. From the outside there is nothing to suggest what lies within: no architectural flourish, no branding beyond a small brass plate. This, too, is part of the philosophy.

Inside, however, the studio is unmistakably his. Every surface carries material samples: strips of cedar and bamboo, sheets of washi paper, sections of stone and tile from quarries in Oya and Carrara. Scale models crowd every available surface, each one a three-dimensional investigation into the relationship between structure and skin.