Td-Atelier and Endo Shorijo Design Give Machiya House A Modern Update

Japan-based Td-Atelier and Endo Shorijo Design have jointly transformed a machiya townhouse located in Kyoto, Japan. This machiya house, House in Marutamachi, was built more than 120 years ago on a long and narrow site.

Once a traditional-looking Kyoto townhouse along a residential enclave, this machiya house is given a new lease of life. The unique composition of the townhouse, which had been lost after a series of renovations, has been restored by Td-Atelier and Endo Shorijo Design, and updated to converge traditional and modern designs.

Purity of lines reigns throughout, while wood on white lends an air of calm. Materials from the original house are preserved to maintain the house’s rich history and tradition. For instance, aged dark wood are interspersed with new light wood installations to create a striking contrast. Cubes of varying sizes and heights create landscapes reminiscent of cityscapes. Gaps and omissions created between the volume group and existing columns, beams, walls, and floors create continuity in the space.

On the second storey, the children’s room is designed to bring emphasis to the horizontal lines of the floor and roof.

In the garden, many of the original features including sculptural lanterns and chozubachi (garden stones that collect water) are kept. Even though this character-rich house has been updated, Td-Atelier and Endo Shorijo Design ensure that traces of old are not erased over time.