Kyomachiya

An overview of projects, products and exclusive articles about kyomachiya

Project • By Souta Yoriki Design Office • Art Galleries

Kokyu Kyoto

The owner of a contemporary art gallery and hair salon in Kyoto asked me to plan the interior of a new gallery and spa in Teramachi Nijo area. In a quiet area dotted with coffee shops and galleries and lined with many residences, one of the challenges was how to create an open space while maintaining a sense of connection with the local community. Therefore, the gallery on the first floor was not intended to be a neutral space like a white cube, but rather a space that makes use of the context of the existing Kyomachiya. Takeshi Asano Takeshi Asano Takeshi Asano First, on the first floor, only the ceiling and floor are used as pipe space, creating a contrast between old and new, symbolically surfacing the multiplicity of tim... More

Project • By Toru OBA Architects • Apartments

Row houses along a blind alley in Kyoto

This is a renovation project for more than 90 year old row houses with the aim of a healthy society in a dense urban area in Kyoto. In this project, I try to re-connect the gap related to the three elements, namely town, houses, and people.The first is revitalizing the connection between the past and future of the town by restring the façade and the own architecturally characteristic elements of the row houses. I agree with the words, “A town without old houses is like a human without memories” by Kaii Higashiyama, a Japanese painter.The second is regaining the connection between the houses and outdoor space connected to nature and town while delicately protecting the privacy of indoor space. This makes the residents feel... More

Project • By Toru OBA Architects • Private Houses

House in Higashitakeya-cho, Kyoto

This is a renovation for a retiring couple to return to the former house of the wife’s parents in urban area of Kyoto, so-called “eel bed” (meaning narrow width and long depth in Kyoto). I designed it by two methods. The first is drastically reducing the floor space (as a result, the total became about 60㎡.) and inserting spot gardens to the outdoor space created by the reduction. The second is installing architectural wisdom of traditional urban houses in Kyoto. Namely, they are spot garden, sliding door made of paper, wooden vertical louver, and finishing by plaster. After this renovation, this house became just right size for the two and comfortable for them to feel delicate changes in nature. More