KEIJI ASHIZAWA DESIGN

A 140-year-old, two-story Kyoto machiya townhouse was renovated into a single-house rental accommodating up to eight guests. The project carefully preserves the original spatial composition, including lattice screens, the tori-niwa passage, double-height voids, timber framework, inner garden, tokonoma alcove, raised entrance (agari-kamachi), and shoji screens, while adapting the house for contemporary use without compromising its inherent structure.

The layout builds on the existing raised entrance (agari-kamachi), with a tatami room set approximately 30 cm above the dining area. Although each space is compact, the subtle shift in floor level allows them to merge into a single environment. A double-height void (hibukuro) further strengthens this sense of continuity, linking the dining kitchen on the first floor with the living area above through both sightlines and shared volume.

In the living areas, warmth and comfort were enhanced through the introduction of wooden flooring and handrails. In collaboration with Santa & Cole, soft, ambient lighting was added, creating a renewed living environment where the beauty of the past gently resonates with contemporary sensibilities.

Alongside the existing cedar and pine, hinoki cypress and oak were introduced to enrich the palette of wood. A range of natural materials, including plaster, washi paper, stone, and iron, was carefully selected with an emphasis on tactility. The first floor is composed in deeper, darker tones that resonate with the building’s aged patina, while the second floor adopts a lighter palette to complement the abundance of natural light.