Kengo Kuma is in charge of the architectural design. Luxury hotel "Capella Kyoto," reinterpreting the "modern machiya," opens in spring.
The luxury hotel Capella Kyoto, designed by Kengo Kuma, will open this spring, aiming for harmony with the area through a "modern machiya" concept.Summary
The luxury hotel "Capella Kyoto," the first urban hotel in Japan by the Singapore-based Capella Hotel Group, is set to open this spring near Kennin-ji Temple and Miyagawacho Kaburenjo in Kyoto. Kengo Kuma & Associates is responsible for the architectural design, while the Singapore-based Bruin Design Office handles the interior design. The core design concept is the "modern machiya" (traditional Kyoto townhouse). Considering the area's history as a geisha district and its proximity to the Kamo River, the building features a low-rise structure emphasizing continuity with the streetscape. A central courtyard with a karahafu (curved gable) roof is incorporated, and the approach mimics Gion with narrow alleys, light filtered through shoji screens, and the sound of water. Kengo Kuma commented that placing an "alien object" on the site, formerly a primary school, was inappropriate, so they maintained a connection with the community by creating an open space in the form of a courtyard.
(Source：美術手帖)