It is a renovation project of a part of machiya townhouse from the Taisho era, located on a back alley of Kyoto’s old city center, into guest accommodation. Because it stands on a narrow alley, there is no long-shot viewpoint that provides a panoramic perspective of the house. Such context of the city block is brought into the interior of the architecture. Wherever one stands in the building, the rooms hide one another but, at the same time, offer glimpses of the depth which connects the spaces.

The exterior of the architecture follows the appearance of a traditional machiya, while the interior is reconstructed using contemporary design. Consistent use of traditional material, tsuchikabe (mud-plaster wall), helps to tie the texture of the exterior and interior without creating any gap between them.

Tsuchikabe offers various shades of color and texture and has the effect of dully reflecting and diffusing light. By inserting such colorful tsuchikabe not only as a partition in the space but also as a reflector, the architecture changes its appearance moment by moment, following the transition of light.

https://hosoo-residence.com