Project Name: Hotel Nazuna Kyoto Higashihonganji

Location: Kyoto, Japan

Design Team: STUDIO ALUC

Lead Architects: Jun Kameda, Hirona Sasaki

Project Area: 595㎡

Completion: 2024

Photography: Kenta Hasegawa

Feature：

Project - Japanese architecture firm STUDIO ALUC has completed an exquisite renovation of a 100-year-old machiya in Kyoto, transforming the traditional townhouse into Hotel Nazuna Kyoto Higashihonganji. The 595-square-meter project, situated opposite the historic Mikage-do Gate of Higashi Honganji Temple, exemplifies a masterful balance between preservation and contemporary design innovation.

The architects' most significant intervention was unifying two previously separate structures – the east and west wings – through a connecting roof while maintaining the building's historical integrity. Rather than concealing the multiple layers of renovation that the building has undergone over its century-long existence, STUDIO ALUC deliberately highlighted these temporal intersections, creating what they describe as "points where carpentry from different eras meet reveal a unique beauty and charm."

The spatial organization reflects a deep understanding of traditional machiya architecture while incorporating modern luxury amenities. The original earthen floor (doma) in the west wing has been preserved and now flows into two carefully positioned courtyard gardens (tsuboniwa) that serve as natural light wells. These courtyards ingeniously solve the typical lighting challenges faced in traditional machiya while creating intimate connections between interior and exterior spaces.

The project's most distinctive feature is its sophisticated accommodation design. The west wing's second floor houses three rooms offering views of the temple through cherry blossoms, each equipped with hinoki cypress baths. The east wing features unique duplex rooms spanning the second and third floors, accessed via traditional tansu (chest of drawers) staircases. Each room incorporates elements of traditional craftsmanship, from exposed roof beams to reclaimed-material tokonoma (decorative alcoves), creating an authentic yet luxurious guest experience.

What sets this renovation apart is its careful attention to historical detail while seamlessly integrating modern comfort requirements. Lead architects Jun Kameda and Hirona Sasaki have created a space that doesn't simply preserve history but allows guests to actively experience it through thoughtful design interventions that bridge past and present.

Design Team - Founded in 2020 by Jun Kameda and Hirona Sasaki, STUDIO ALUC has established itself as a distinctive Tokyo-based design practice that seamlessly integrates concept development and execution across various spatial scales. The firm's philosophy centers on discovering the essential relationships between human experience and spatial authenticity in contemporary society.

The studio's comprehensive approach spans from product and furniture design to interior architecture and landscape planning, with their portfolio encompassing commercial spaces, hospitality venues, residential projects, and exhibition design. Their methodology is characterized by a meticulous balance between rational analysis and sensory experience, often collaborating with cross-disciplinary professionals including architects, landscape designers, and photographers to achieve holistic design solutions.

Prior to establishing STUDIO ALUC, both principals honed their expertise at TONERICO:INC. under the mentorship of industry veterans Hiroshi Yoneya, Ken Kimizuka, and Yumi Masuko. Their work has garnered international recognition, including the 2023 A' Design Award Bronze and iF Design Award for the 'sisu' project. The practice's recent accolades demonstrate their emerging influence in contemporary Japanese design, while their recent hotel project, Hotel Nazuna Kyoto Higashihonganji, exemplifies their ability to sensitively interpret historical contexts through contemporary design interventions.