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Residential
Kamo River House
Private Residence
/
Kyoto, Japan
/
2023
Overview
A project shaped by its context.
A restored machiya facing the Kamo River.
Kamo River House is the restoration and extension of a 1920s machiya townhouse near the Kamo River. Much of the original timber frame was in good condition, so we focused on repair, insulation and a new garden room at the rear. Traditional joinery sits alongside quiet modern interventions that make the house comfortable for daily life.
Location
Kyoto, Japan
Year
2023
Type
Private Residence
Area
148 m² across two levels
Scope
Renovation, interiors
Collaborators
Kyoto Machiya Preservation Guild
The brief
What the project needed
The owners wanted to keep the character of the machiya but needed warmth in winter, a modern kitchen and better daylight in the deep plan.
Local heritage guidelines governed changes to the street facade.
Design approach
How we responded
We repaired the frame with matching timber and added insulation behind new clay plaster. A glazed garden room replaces a collapsed storehouse, bringing light into the back of the house.
The kitchen and bathroom were rebuilt in hinoki and stone, sized to sit comfortably within the old proportions.
Project gallery
Light, material and the life within.
Street facade after restoration.
Restored tatami room.
Repaired roof tiles and eaves.
Original stone footing and timber post.
