Machiya

“Nazuna Kyoto Higashihonganji” is a renovation project of a Kyoto townhouse (machiya) that has stood for over 100 years, located on the main street directly in front of the Goei-do Gate of Higashi Honganji Temple. Kenta Hasegawa Kenta Hasegawa Kenta Hasegawa This machiya consists of two buildings, originally separated into east and west wings, which have now been connected by a roof. The structure bears the marks of numerous renovations over the years, blending old and new elements. During the dismantling process, as we uncovered the history of the building, we found structural weaknesses that had developed over time. Reinforcements were made to ensure its stability, while preserving as much of the original woode... More

Here, on Showa Koji in Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, row houses built before World War II stand on both sides of the alley. When the tenants changed, the residential units were renovated one by one, and this is the third phase of the project.In the past, repairs and DIY by the tenants spoiled the appearance, but as the project progressed, the roofs and plastered walls were integrated and the different designs of louvers and windows achieved a good rhythm and balance.In this phase, based on market research, sanitary areas were minimised and living rooms were maximised to fit in with the lifestyle of running a small shop or office and living there.The framework of Machiya assembled with old post and beams was emphasised while the finishing materials... More

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

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