tada masaharu revitalizes 120-years-old townhouse in japan

renovation of machiya in marutamachi

tada masaharu and endo shojiro have revitalized a 120-years-old townhouse in kyoto city, japan, to accommodate a family with children. in a typical narrow and long site, the design team sought to combine traditional architectural elements with modern interventions, shaping a flexible layout that can adapt to daily life changes. white cubes are scattered throughout the structure, taking on the functions of the house. these floating boxes in combination with the exposed beams and the gaps formed in between add a playful touch to an otherwise traditional house. all images by matsumura kohei

new elements are merged with traditional

tada masaharu and endo shojiro designed a series of spaces with slightly different heights and various gaps to allow a flow of the gaze. by doing so, they wanted to enhance the verticality of the interior, even though the entire building spans only 6 meters. the gaps and omissions between the volumes and the existing columns, beams, walls, and floors create visual continuity throughout the entire space.

the floor of the children’s room is raised by 600 mm, gently to connect the upper and lower floors. in this way, the residents have eye access to the first floor, creating an interaction between the members of the family. with this project, the architects invite the guests to enjoy a collection of many small spaces while experiencing the richness of the traditional house. meanwhile, a garden decorated with lanterns, chozubachi, stones, and a collection of masterpieces collected by grandparents and the former landlord, add traditional japanese touches to a more contemporary design.

beyond the kitchen cube, the toilet cube is floating

an opening looking towards the children’s room on the second floor

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floating children's rooms and white tower-shaped cubes are scattered in the old townhouse

a japanese-style garden

a bedroom that incorporates traditional elements such as clay walls and shoji screens

project info:

name: machiya in marutamachi
designer: tada masaharu and endo shojiro

structual adviser: mondo yoshiki
garden design: michikusa, co.ltd.
construction: fujisaki gumi.co.,ltd.
total floor area: 161.15 sqm
photo and movie: matsumura kohei

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edited by: christina petridou | designboom