An installation bringing together Japanese craftsmanship and culture across three complementary spaces for making, cultural exchange and shared celebration.

CHATAI 2.0 is an interactive space bringing people together through Japanese craftsmanship, culture and celebration. Supported by the Consulate General of Japan in Dubai and developed with more than ten collaborators, the installation brings together three complementary spaces: CHATAI, MACHIKAN and HANARE.

CHATAI embodies Japanese craftsmanship through traditional joinery, with carefully selected timber shaped and connected through precise cuts and interlocking joints. Inspired by Chashitsu and Yatai, the space includes a newly added engawa where visitors can sit, relax and gather. Layered noren and illustrated stories explore the theme of Family, while a pathway of 88 furin brings the sound of Japanese summer into the landscape.

At MACHIKAN, visitors use Tsunagi clamps to assemble a communal table and take part in ikebana, tea ceremony and calligraphy. HANARE offers a photographic experience with traditional Japanese Haori. Together, the three spaces explore connection through participation, shared time and celebration.

About Nikken Sekkei
Nikken Sekkei is a global architecture and design firm with more than 35 years of experience in the Middle East. Its Dubai studio combines Japanese design heritage with an understanding of local culture and context to create people-centred spaces that connect communities. The project team includes Tokyo-based members of PYNT, Nikken Sekkei’s co-creation platform, and Nikken Wood Lab, the firm’s timber research and development team that developed the Tsunagi wooden unit.

About SOBOKUYA
SOBOKUYA is an architecture and carpentry company specialising in traditional Japanese wood joinery, guided by the principles of nature. Its carpenters and architects work with wood as a living partner, connecting generations of craftsmanship and guiding a dialogue between tradition and the present.