The Architecture of Impermanence: Kumori by CAKE in London

We tend to think of architecture as something permanent, a discipline concerned with creating spaces that endure. Yet some of our most memorable spatial experiences are defined precisely by their impermanence: the changing quality of daylight, the warmth of a material at sunset, or the subtle transformation of an interior after dark. In Japanese culture, this sensitivity to the fleeting nature of things finds expression in mono no aware, an awareness of the beauty inherent in transience. What if architecture could embrace the same philosophy, becoming something that evolves rather than simply exists?

This question seems to resonate throughout Kumori, a new hand-roll restaurant in London's Soho designed by architecture and design studio CAKE. Taking its name from the Japanese word for cloudiness, the project translates the atmospheric qualities of Tokyo Bay at sunset into an intimate dining environment where light becomes as important as the architecture itself. "This interplay between light, atmosphere and the passing of time is central to the concept," explains CAKE, whose design draws inspiration from the diffused red light and overlapping silhouettes of the Japanese waterfront.

At the heart of the restaurant, a handcrafted mahogany and stone counter establishes a direct relationship between chefs and guests, borrowing from the intimacy of omakase dining while embracing the sociable energy of Soho. Bespoke stools and carefully considered material transitions introduce a tactile dimension, balancing the warmth of timber with the solidity of stone.

Above, suspended fabric panels evoke the movement of mist across Tokyo Bay, becoming an almost immaterial architectural element. Throughout the day, natural light reveals the textures and imperfections of the space. As evening approaches, monumental illuminated panels gradually transform the interior into a saturated landscape of reds, pinks, oranges and peach tones. The architecture remains physically unchanged, yet its atmosphere becomes almost unrecognisable.

Developed in collaboration with craftspeople including Byron Pritchard, Eddie Olin and Spirit Level, Kumori demonstrates how relatively restrained architectural gestures can produce an immersive experience without relying on spectacle alone.

Perhaps the project's most compelling quality lies in its understanding that architecture is never entirely static. Like the sunset that inspired it, Kumori exists somewhere between presence and disappearance, reminding us that sometimes the most powerful thing a space can offer is not an image to remember, but a moment to experience.

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Words: Simone Lorusso
Photographs: Felix Speller