Heritage Reimagined: Echoes of the Past, Spaces for the Present

House Mokusei
Architects: atelier yoo
Area: 175 m²
Year: 2025
Photographs: Kazuoki Yasugi, Song Gao
Lead Architects: Xiaodi Sun
Design Team: Xiaodi Sun, Yuling Yan
Engineering: Takumi Kobo
Landscape: Rokkaku Zouen
City: Kyoto
Country: Japan

House Mokusei is a thoughtful renovation project by atelier yoo, transforming a century-old Kyo-machiya in Kyoto into a refined lodging space for travelers. The design revives the traditional spatial flow of the original townhouse—restoring elements like the doma, mise, and hibukuro—while integrating modern amenities through a carefully crafted architectural core. Balancing tradition with contemporary needs, the project reinterprets historical typologies, creating a serene and immersive experience that reflects Kyoto’s cultural heritage through spatial continuity and subtle contrasts.