alphaville designs capsule hostel 'sui' in kyoto as cluster of wooden volumes

located in kyoto‘s nishijin district, a mixed-use, lively area known for its traditional weaving techniques and textiles, hostel sui by alphaville architects is a guesthouse offering capsule cabin accommodation to students and travelers. the hostel comprises an unconventional arrangement of volumes that resembles a microcosm of a city, where several wooden boxes enclose about four to five capsules each, while the central passage acts as the ‘main street’, and passageways between the volumes act as alleys.

all images by kei sugino

alphaville architects has placed the capsule cabins of hostel sui inside large wooden boxes, while the passageways and stairs that lead to each capsule serve as semi-private spaces where people can meet, chat, and sit together. each capsule is a micro-space where the user can adjust the living environment according to their desires, while the high-ceiling space where all wooden boxes are located remains illuminated by top lights and windows, reminiscent of a public street in a city. ‘the central passage is the main street for the four boxes, and the alleys are the passages and stairs that lead to each capsule,’ notes the japanese studio. passages between the volumes can be privatized by pulling the curtains, while guests have the chance to view the entire cluster from the top of each box. on the first floor, the rest of the two double room boxes and water boxes are connected from the front lounge to the aisle and the breakfast room.

project info:

name: hostel sui

architect: alphaville architects

use: guesthouse

site: kyoto, japan

site area: 144.61 sqm

building area: 72.27 sqm

total floor area: 144.54 sqm

building scale: 2 stories

structure system: wood

structural engineer: jun yanagimuro; jun yanagimuro structural engineering