ANJIN Gosho Ebisugawa by STUDIO ALUC

Located just steps away from the Kyoto Imperial Palace, ANJIN Gosho Ebisugawa is a sensitive and thoughtful transformation of a traditional machiya townhouse into an exclusive whole-house rental accommodation. Designed by STUDIO ALUC, the project preserves the essence of the historic structure while reinterpreting it through a refined contemporary lens, offering guests an immersive architectural experience rooted in Kyoto’s cultural heritage.

A Machiya Reimagined

The original building, a small wooden structure characterized by its broad façade and intimate proportions, embodies the distinctive qualities of Kyoto’s historic machiya. At the rear lies a tsuboniwa—a compact inner courtyard—serving as a natural focal point and a source of seasonal connection. The architects embraced the machiya’s inherent spatial narrative: a gradual journey from public to private, from street to sanctuary, and from light to shadow.

Upon arrival, guests pass beneath a noren curtain, a symbolic threshold that signals transition from the bustling city into the serene world within. The path meanders deeper toward the courtyard, revealing carefully staged sequences at each turn. This choreography reflects the traditional Kyoto notion of “depth” (oku), not in terms of physical distance alone, but as a layered experience of space, light, and atmosphere.

Navigating Contemporary Constraints

Modern regulations required the addition of a barrier-free ramp leading up to the entrance, introducing a unique design challenge. The solution—a U-turn configuration—creates a distinctive entry sequence. This slight detour elongates the approach, allowing the act of arrival to become more contemplative. Passing through the narrow, dimly lit doma (earthen-floored threshold space), guests encounter an immediate shift in atmosphere: mysterious, quiet, and removed from the outside world.

Light as a Spatial Guide

Subtle, seamless LED lighting begins at the entry and leads the visitor toward the heart of the home. This carefully controlled illumination enhances the spatial journey, functioning both as a wayfinding tool and as an atmospheric element. The transition culminates in the living room, where the ceiling height and openness expand suddenly, creating a moment of release after the compressed entry sequence.

From here, the light continues deeper into the home, guiding guests toward the bathing area. Sliding open a large shoji screen reveals a stone-tiled bath space—spacious, tranquil, and oriented toward the courtyard. Here, nature re-enters the architectural composition. A nearby window frames the tsuboniwa, where the delicate leaves of a maple tree respond to the passing seasons, allowing guests to witness subtle changes in color, shadow, and movement.

Blending Tradition and Modernity

The design draws deeply on the formal and atmospheric qualities of the machiya typology—its subdued lighting, material tactility, and layered spatial progression—while also incorporating contemporary comforts and technologies. Materials have been chosen to balance authenticity and durability: timber surfaces are preserved and restored where possible, while new interventions are precise and minimal, allowing the historic fabric to remain dominant.

The interplay between light and shadow is central to the project. Shadows are not seen as an absence of light, but as an active material—one that shapes perception, slows movement, and encourages reflection. The restrained lighting palette, paired with the gentle translucency of paper screens, reinforces this delicate balance.

A Living Bridge Between Eras

STUDIO ALUC approached the project with a profound respect for Kyoto’s architectural heritage. Rather than attempting to recreate a static historical setting, the architects have designed a space that extends the life of the machiya by adapting it to modern modes of inhabitation. The result is neither purely traditional nor starkly modern—it is an intermediate space that bridges past and present.

The accommodation functions as more than just a place to stay; it is a cultural encounter. Guests are invited to experience firsthand the spatial depth, craftsmanship, and sensory richness that define Kyoto’s machiya, interpreted through the lens of contemporary design. Each movement—from entering through the noren, to pausing in the doma, to opening the shoji onto the courtyard—becomes an architectural moment.

Quiet Continuity

By harmonizing traditional cultural values with present-day sensibilities, ANJIN Gosho Ebisugawa embodies the timeless spirit of Kyoto. It offers guests a space of quiet contemplation, where the boundaries between inside and outside, old and new, public and private are gently blurred.

In this way, the project stands as a bridge—not only connecting guests to the historic city, but also linking the architectural lineage of the machiya to the possibilities of its future. It is a testament to the idea that preservation is not solely about freezing the past, but about allowing heritage to adapt, evolve, and continue to inspire.

Photography: Kenta Hasegawa