KOTO
Driven by Nature
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Koto at RHS Chelsea Flower Show

At the 2022 Chelsea Flower Show, Koto unveiled A Garden Sanctuary by Hamptons — a compact, carbon-neutral cabin that served as a contemplative retreat. Charred timber, geometric form, rich plaster interiors, and serene materiality won it a Gold Award and inspired Koto’s Niwa flatpack collection.

koto at RHS CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW

For the 2022 RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Koto collaborated with award-winning garden designer Tony Woods of Garden Club London to create ‘A Garden Sanctuary by Hamptons.’ The project brought together landscape and architecture in a contemplative retreat designed for both work and rest.

At the heart of the garden, Koto presented a compact cabin conceived as a multifunctional sanctuary. A place to meditate, sit quietly, connect with nature, or work in calm seclusion. Its sculptural, geometric form opens through large glazing to frame immersive views of the surrounding planting.

Crafted from natural, carbon-neutral timber, the cabin is clad in charred IRO boards, drawing on Japanese shou-sugi-ban techniques and the wabi-sabi philosophy of finding beauty in imperfection. Inside, a rich and tactile palette of St Leo plaster finishes and curated Scandinavian furniture pieces from Menu AS created an intimate, atmospheric interior. A wood-burning stove by Morsø completed the setting.

The project explored how gardens and architecture can merge to create restorative spaces. Blurring indoors and out, offering sanctuary, and expanding the possibilities of everyday living.

  • A Niwa is a multifunctional space: a garden room, studio, retreat, or place to work in calm seclusion.

    Each design extends life into the outdoors, creating space for focus, rest, and inspiration.

  • Flat-pack, carbon-neutral cabins built from eco-conscious timber. Off-site precision manufacturing minimises disruption and waste, while ensuring longevity and low environmental impact.

  • Charred timber cladding using the traditional Japanese shou-sugi-ban technique, rich interior finishes, and an emphasis on tactility. The same details that defined the Chelsea cabin are embedded in every Niwa.

  • The Niwa flatpack cabin is available for global delivery.

    Compact, efficient, and designed for quick installation, it brings Chelsea’s design legacy into everyday gardens.

Koto Niwa – Garden Sanctuaries

The garden cabin first presented at Chelsea has gone on to inspire our Niwa flatpack range — carbon-neutral, design-led sanctuaries now available to order globally.

Explore our Niwas here.

Photography by Edvinas Bruzas.