HOO Cafe Kyoto, designed by Koyori Architects, transforms a traditional Kyomachiya into a café where time-worn textures and contemporary elements merge, preserving Kyoto’s architectural legacy.
Designed by Koyori Architects, this adaptive reuse project transforms a traditional Kyomachiya into a refined yet understated café, preserving the building’s materiality while allowing the patina of time to shape its future. Instead of a conventional renovation, the design team embraced a philosophy of minimal intervention, ensuring that the existing architectural elements remained the protagonist of the space.
The approach is akin to architectural sashiko, a visible repair method that elevates imperfection into aesthetic value. The designers worked with the inherent fragility of the structure, treating deterioration not as a flaw but as a narrative thread. The existing earthen floors (doma) and straw-infused middle coating (susa), materials rarely seen in contemporary construction, were carefully preserved, allowing them to age naturally alongside the café’s evolving character. Vintage bricks and raw-cut wood were introduced as complementary elements, bridging the gap between tradition and modernity without disrupting the organic rhythm of the space.
This careful balance between past and present fosters an atmosphere of quiet reverence, where patrons can experience Kyoto’s architectural heritage in an intimate, lived-in setting. The deliberate juxtaposition of old textures with contemporary spatial arrangements creates a meditative quality—an aesthetic equilibrium where time itself becomes part of the design.
