The Japanese tearoom, in its purest form, is a place to fully enjoy a cup of green tea. Traditionally measuring only four and a half tatami mats (slightly more than 7 sq m), the room is intentionally small to allow focus on one thing only: the preparation and drinking of tea.
Devon Turnbull, artist and founder of the audio brand OJAS, has taken this basic idea, given it an audiophile twist and, in collaboration with Japanese furniture maker Karimoku, designed an intimate space he calls Sound House for his ‘Between Space and Sound’ exhibition in Tokyo (on view until 5 June 5 2026).
'I’ve been wanting to make the Sound House for some time. The foundation of my “Listening Room” practice [a series of audiophile installations] is intention, and every time I’ve had the pleasure of visiting a tearoom, I think about how they are one of the best examples of pure intention. The function is very much the same as my listening rooms: a singular-focus room for contemplation,' Turnbull explains.
Beyond the space's small round doors (a reference to the nijiriguchi of a traditional tea house), an oversized matte black turntable takes centre stage. At one end of the small room sit two speakers, and at the other end, three low chairs invite guests to focus their attention on listening.
Everything within the Sound House has been custom-made, from the light grey tatami mats to a modern interpretation of Japanese sliding screens adapted as sound-absorbing panels.
‘The Sound House also solves a major issue with exhibiting high-fidelity audio. Most spaces are not suitable without substantial buildout to optimise the acoustics,’ notes Turnbull, but here, thanks to the production capabilities of Karimoku, a long-held dream comes true for the designer.
In the basement of the Karimoku Research Center, where the exhibition takes place, the full line-up of collaborative speakers and seating is on display. The speakers come in three sizes (Sanjo, Rokujo, and Nurikabe) and two colours: Turnbull’s signature pewter grey and natural oak. There are also two variations of acoustic panels and a modular seating system designed by Turnbull for intentional listening.
'I am a big chair and furniture collector, and never thought I had the authority to design a chair myself,' he confesses. The resulting system looks extraordinarily light with its open base (perfect for storing vinyl or books) and also comes in an ultra-low traditional Japanese version without the base, meant to be used for tatami room seating.
At the top floor of the exhibition, it is clear that Turnbull has had free use of Karimoku’s superior production facilities. An over-dimensioned subwoofer is flanked by two huge speakers, with a row of chairs arranged for optimal listening. The multi-cell horns on top of the two speakers are a one-of-a-kind rendition of Turnbull's horn speaker design, usually made of metal. 'I sent Karimoku the drawings for the horns, and next time I visited the factory, a prototype was ready,' he says. Wood gives a special warmth to the sound, its use made possible by Karimoku’s advanced 3D-machining technology.
'Music is the closest thing to magic that I’ve experienced. Listening with intention, on a hi-fi system, is like tapping directly into that magic current,' Turnbull reflects, describing his obsession with sound. Listening either in the Sound House or in the top-floor listening room can only enhance that feeling of magic.
The exhibition runs until 5 June 2026 at Karimoku Research Center 2-24-2 Nishiazabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo. @karimoku_research
Devon Turnbull also has a listening room installation on show as part of ‘Art of Noise’ at Cooper Hewitt, New York, until 19 July 2026 – one of our must-see design exhibitions of 2026
