growing streetscapes A manual towards remodeling space through identity
六角 通り
Noren 暖簾 “Welcome, come inside”
六角 通り
Kyoto is the historic heart of Japan attracting 30 million tourists each year. Apart from the shrines, temples and parks, it is the presence of the traditional districts and townhouses, known as Kyomachiya, that make this city the cultural and historical highlight of Japan. However, in the past decade, Kyoto has been transformed by this alarming flood of tourists. The city is reaching the limit of what its urban and tourism infrastructure can handle, and has been trying to combat the issue of over-tourism. When thinking about this issue, what mostly comes to mind are big crowds taking over the city. But, over-tourism has a much deeper impact than this, affecting the townscape to a great extent. The townhouses are being replaced by new infrastructures and development projects, pushing locals out of the city. Traditions, heritage and social structures of Kyoto are diminishing rapidly as a consequence of the city’s own success and appeal, resulting in a loss of the identity of Kyoto. By zooming in on a certain neighborhood, the Meirin district, it became clear what the street dynamics of today look like and where the precise tensions take place. The town structure is being pressured by large housing blocks which are promoted as the better way of living, but actually result in privatised structures and lifeless streets. Of course, bringing back the traditional Kyomachiya is not a realistic solution to reintroduce the street identity. The challenge was to create a new housing typology while preserving the value and culture of the Kyomachiya within a new shell. This led to a design manual on how to realise a new building block starting from zero, while keeping the Kyomachiya lifestyle in mind. Pragmatically, mass tourism will be hard to prevent in the future. The goal of this design research was therefore not to take on the amount of tourists, but to minimise its side effects on the local townscape and culture. In the first place to keep the locals in the city, to preserve the social structure and revive the traditional street scape. But, also for the benefit of the tourists, who will experience the true value of the historic town of Kyoto.
table of contents
p004 p006 p010
chapter 1 understanding Kyoto and its townscape a brief history urban renewal
p016 p028 p034 p036
chapter 2 main consequence of urban renewal: the vanishing of the traditional townscape the identity of the Kyomachiya the loss of the Kyomachiya the identity of the traditional common space the loss of the traditional common space
p042 p050 p052
chapter 3 analysis of an urban area mapping the neighbourhood mapping the street
p064 p068 p070
chapter 4 a manual towards a better streetscape case-study tools the manual
p014
chapter 1
understanding Kyoto and its townscape
a brief history
Kyoto was the political capital of Japan from 700 until 1868. During this period, Kyoto was planned out in a grid, a system adopted from China. Later, more streets were created to scale down the grid, and to increase the density of the city. Due to this system, many traditional houses were built on narrow and deep strips of land. In 1868, the political capital of Japan moved from Kyoto to Tokyo. However, the world community recognizes Kyoto as the cultural capital of Japan. During World War II, Kyoto was on the shortlist of potential sites for the dropping of the atomic bomb. But, Kyoto’s reputation as the historical and cultural capital of Japan was so strongly established that the United States of America removed Kyoto from the list out of fear of the negative worldwide repercussions. For the most part, Kyoto was generally spared from severe damages due to World War II, preserving most of its identity.* After the modernisation of the 20th century, the city has been growing rapidly to the west, in the opposite direction of its historical tendency of building along the Katsura and Kamo River.
original grid system of Kyoto
Katsura (left) and Kamo (right) Rivers
*(Fabian, 2013)
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fig 1. grid system of kyoto from 700 till 1868
Looking deeper into the growth of the city, the historical urban area, mostly developed in the Edo Period (1603 1867), had been urbanised by 1909. A rapid expansion of this urban area took place toward the mountains and the south after the Meiji Era (1868 - 1912). Most areas urbanised by 1938 were developed by the land readjustment project. The area urbanized by 1970 was developed under the suburban housing development project. This project was meant to compensate the post-war housing shortage. Along with this rapid urbanisation came renewal of the urban fabric.*
1909 1938 1970 1995 2005
*(Fabian, 2013)
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fig 2. expansion of the urban area in kyoto from 1909 till 2005
urban renewal
townscape under pressure
Urban renewal in Kyoto was a result of the economic growth starting after World War 2. This growth led to many new investments and infrastructures in the city. The process of urban renewal has many architectural consequences. The main consequence is the vanishing of the historic townscape, leading to two side consequences: 1. the loss of the Kyomachiya identity 2. the loss of the common space identity Nowadays, a traditional street with a row of Kyomachiya is almost impossible to find in the Kyoto townscape. The re-use or modernisation of the traditional Kyomachiya has a great influence on the landscape of the city. The streets are under pressure due to new high rise buildings as a result of urban renewal. The map shows the number of apartments which were built in Kyoto between 1995 and 2000. The blocks are mainly concentrated in the historical urban area. This lead to the loss of many Kyomachiya as they were being replaced by high rise living blocks.*
*(World Bank Group et al., 2018)
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fig 3. number of apartments built in Kyoto between 1995 and 2000
ongoing solutions
In 1991 Kyoto city proposed a basic guideline regarding the city development and landscape in the future to prevent a further loss of city identity. The report focused on conservation, revitalization and creation, dividing Kyoto into three regions: 1. Natural & Historical Landscape Conservation 2. Harmonized Downtown Revitalization 3. New Urban Function Concentration Now, each region in Kyoto has its own regulations and guidelines that suit the region’s characteristics. Eight different regions were identified, as seen on the map. Despite the efforts of different ordinances and policies for the conservation of elements in Kyoto, beautiful landscapes have been lost. In 2007, the government of Kyoto issued a new urban policy, the Kyoto City New Landscape Policy 2007, with the intent to reverse such losses.
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Today, all new residential developments are required to incorporate traditional design elements of the Kyomachiya. But unfortunately, the urban policy does not fully address the true characteristics of this traditional house typology. The incorporation of the traditional design appears only in the facade and the gabled roof forms of apartment buildings. This leads to not always preserving the historic elements and vanishing of the townscape after all.*
*(World Bank Group et al., 2018)
1
2
3
fig 4. map of conservation, revitalization and creation historical urban centre district Southern region Eastern region
Southern region: highly integrated area
historical urban area mountainous area
fig 5. map of regional characteristics in Kyoto
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Western region
Chapter 1: understanding Kyoto and its townscape
residential areas
chapter 2
main consequence of urban renewal: the vanishing of the traditional townscape
the identity of the Kyomachiya
the traditional Kyomachiya
The base of the traditional townscape of Kyoto is the Kyomachiya. To understand its identity and function better, it was important to question how this traditional townhouse works. The whole Kyomachiya house is based on the measurement of one tatami mat. Sliding doors and sliding walls, named Shoji, separate rooms which traditionally host different functions. They have limited furniture, which can be stored away and brought out if needed. The more formal rooms can be recognized by the tatami flooring and are constructed higher than informal rooms.
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Working and living are combined in the Kyomachiya. Through an intelligent layering of spaces a sense of depth is produced in the house, achieving a hierarchy in privacy: starting from the front of the to the back, the townhouse gradually becomes more private.*
*(Fabian, 2013)
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Chapter 2: main consequence of urban renewal - the vanishing of the traditional townscape
fig 6. facade of a traditional Kyomachiya
a
Tori-Niwa
You enter the house is the Tori-Niwa which is neither inside or outside. It is a narrow corridor on one side of the house, running from the front to the rear end of the plot. The Tori-Niwa is a high space with an unfinished cold floor, and is not climatized. It is a place for meeting, cooking, smoking and debate.
fig 7. Tori-Niwa
b Mise-No-Ma c
d
e
The Mise-No-Ma is a public area used as a shop, located at the front of the house.
Mise-Oku
The Mise-Oku is the inner shop, originally functioned as a kind of office.
Daidoko
fig 8. Mise-No-Ma
The Daidoko is used for dining and the preparation of food and as a family lounge.
Zashiki
The Zashiki is the reception room, overlooking the garden. This reception room has a decorative alcove, staggered shelving and an altar to the dead ancestors.
f
Senzai
g
Kura
The Senzai is the main garden that brings natural light and ventilation into the Kyomachiya. In the heart of a city this direct contact with nature is very special and offers a place of silence and contemplation.
fig 9. Daidoko
The Kura is a storage a room at the rear end of the plot, separated from the living area by the Senzai.
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fig 10. Zashiki
f
e
a d
b
Chapter 2: main consequence of urban renewal - the vanishing of the traditional townscape
c
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g PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION
fig 11. axonometric of a traditional Kyomachiya
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION
a comparison with the western house typology
In a Kyomachiya spaces are divided by the activities taking place which are either formal, informal, public or private in use, forming the hierarchy in privacy of the plot. The diagram illustrates this abstract division of spaces. It is noticeable that the only informal-public activity is entering. Bathing and showering are located in the informal-private quarter towards the back of the plot. Within the same informal-private quarter are clothes washing, clothes drying and cooking. The formalprivate quarter includes studying/reading, dinner, lunch, breakfast and leisure. The main activity is found in the formal-public quarter: work.
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When comparing the spatial structure of a traditional Kyomachiya to a Western house, it is clear that activities in a Western home are simply divided by hard borders that enclose the spaces. Considering a western house layout as in the scheme, it is easy to guess that each of the rooms correspond to a certain activity or purpose and that d is a corridor connecting such rooms. This opposed to a Kyomachiya, where spaces are divided by imaginary borders, creating a gradual transition between activities.*
1 2
3 4
informal-public: entering
informal-private: cooking, bathing, showering, clothes washing and drying
formal-private: dinner, breakfast, studying, lunch, leisure formal-public: working
a e
b d
c
fig 12. Western type of layout with ‘rooms’ a,b,c and e, and ‘corridor’ d.
*(Fabian, 2013)
informality formality
1 4
public
fig 13. privacy - formality scheme on Kyomachiya plan
Chapter 2: main consequence of urban renewal - the vanishing of the traditional townscape
2
021
privacy
3
To illustrate the difference between formal, informal, public and private activities of the two housing typologies, a diagram is made. A traditional Kyomachiya has more formal daily activities that take place than in a Western house, where the majority is informal. In addition, nature is a very important element in the Kyomachiya, opposed to Western houses which are less dependent on nature. This is indicated by the size of the bubble: the bigger the bubble, the more the activity is related to nature.
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When focusing on the privacy-formality diagram of the Kyomachiya, cooking is seen as an informal activity separated from the other eating activities, while in a Western house breakfast has the same formality as cooking. Another important point we see is that entering the house is clearly a formal act in the Kyomachiya, while in Western houses this function is rather informal.*
*(Fabian, 2013)
privacy
privacy 13.
2. 1.
1. clothes washing 3.
2. bathing
3. showering
4. 5.
6.
8.
4. clothes drying
7.
5. cooking 6. dining
7. studying / reading
10.
9.
8. breakfast 9. lunching
11.
10. leisure
11. entering
12. formality
fig 15. privacy-formality diagram of the Kyomachiya
12. working
13. sleeping
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fig 14. privacy-formality diagram of the Kyomachiya and a western house
Chapter 2: main consequence of urban renewal - the vanishing of the traditional townscape
formality
boundaries and borders
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The transition from the street to the inside of a Kyomachiya is also carefully designed. There are various boundaries from the public space to the protected place of the home, reassuring the idea of a gradual transition between spaces. First, there is a step from the street to the pavement in front of the Kyomachiya, which is made clear by difference in materiality. Another border is found between this pavement and the Tori-Niwa, also a small step, when entering the house. This is paired with a Noren, which is hung in the opening of the entrance. Next, there is a wooden step between the Tori-Niwa and the formal rooms, making a clear hierarchy. Lastly, the Senzai in the back of the plot is a threshold between the living are and the back storage room.*
a
transition from the street to the Kyomachiya
b
steps to private territory
d
wooden steps to tatami rooms
c
Noren
* (Why KYOTO?, 2017)
c b
d
fig 17. section through the shop of a traditional Kyomachiya
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fig 16. facade of a traditional Kyomachiya
Chapter 2: main consequence of urban renewal - the vanishing of the traditional townscape
a
c
a d
e
b f
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fig 18. sketch illustrating the interconnectivity on street level
interconnectivity on street level
The gradual transition from the private area of the home to the public street strengthens the connection of the house with the community, as well as the interconnectivity of the different Kyomachiya on street level.
a
Mise-No-Ma
The Mise-No-Ma (shop space) helps strengthen the community and contributes to its uniqueness. It also allows private housing to be more engaged with its surroundings.
Mise-Niwa
moment.
c
Noren
The Noren (curtain) is hung outside when the shop is open, communicating with passers-by. It contains the name of the shop and comes in a variety of colors and materials. It gives personality and uniqueness to each townhouse.
d
shops
The shops allow the residents to be more engaged with the community. The residents know their neighbours very well which results in more social control and eventually in a safer feeling.
* (Why KYOTO?, 2017)
e
multi-functional street
f
walkable street
The combination of living and working results in multi-functional streets which attract more people and interaction throughout the whole day. The multi-functional streets also generate shorter trajectories and less need for cars and road infrastructures.*
Chapter 2: main consequence of urban renewal - the vanishing of the traditional townscape
The Mise-Niwa (shop garden) is the public part of the house in which matters with customers or neighbours are concluded. The border between inside and outside is vague, you are inside and outside at the same
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b
the loss of the Kyomachiya
loss in numbers
As mentioned before, the historic townscape of Kyoto is first of all slowly vanishing due to the number of Kyomachiya that has rapidly diminished in the past decades. There are four main causes which can be linked to this decrease: 1. The late consideration for protection of the Kyomachiya: the traditional townhouse only gained recognition as important cultural heritage in the 1990’s. 2. Changes in urban policies and architecture laws: laws making it almost impossible to build these Kyomachiya in a traditional manner due to new fire safety and earthquake regulations. 3. Changes in family structure: townhouses became too big for one family, which shifted from around five family members to only two members. 4. The rise of property taxes: many Kyomachiya stayed unoccupied or were sold to new high rise developments because of a too large property cost.
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As a consequence, there is a great decline of the traditional Kyomachiya architecture leading to the loss of the urban identity of Kyoto.*
* (World Bank Group et al., 2018) *(Fabian, 2013)
1974
2000
fig 19. change in numbers of traditional Kyomachiya in Nakagyoku and Shimogyoku, Kyomachiya’s drawn in blue
Chapter 2: main consequence of urban renewal - the vanishing of the traditional townscape
1961
029
1948
030
fig 20. Muromachi Anekoji sagaru in 1931
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Chapter 2: main consequence of urban renewal - the vanishing of the traditional townscape
fig 21. Muromachi Anekoji sagaru in 1986
loss of the identity
The second cause of the vanishing of the historic townscape is due to the loss of the identity of the Kyomachiya. The mixed use of working and living of the house is generally lost. Most new developments use the structure for either only commercial purposes or only living purposes. The idea of public, private, formal and informal functions is therefore lost.
032
By separating the work - life relationship, the streets are less lively towards the evening. Changing the mixed use function to a single use building also creates a loss of traditional social interaction between locals. Additionally, famous international brands taking over infrastructures are a downfall for small, local shops, who can no longer compete.*
*(Miyake, 2011)
Chapter 2: main consequence of urban renewal - the vanishing of the traditional townscape
033
fig 22. clothing shop in a traditional Kyomachiya © ISSEY MIYAKE INC. Photo: Masaya Yoshimura, Copist
the identity of the traditional common space
In Japan the common space is a place with undefined and invisible borders. The borders are created by certain activities. For example, the border between the street and the Kyomachiya, is the activity of the shop rather than the facade. Memories are also implied in activities, such as in a festival. In contrast, in the West, the common place is visually well defined by buildings or walls. Monuments are what imply memories rather than activities.
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The urban renewal and its building blocks neglect the idea of activities creating the borders of the common place. Instead, high rise buildings create hard borders which disturb the public activities, abandoning idea and the purpose of the Japanese common space.*
* (Thompson, 1998)
Chapter 2: main consequence of urban renewal - the vanishing of the traditional townscape
fig 24. nolli map of Ghent
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fig 23. fragment of kyoto’s public space
the loss of the traditional common space
from a gradual private-public connection to a private-public barricade The Japanese common place is given shape through certain activities. The activities taking place within and around the Kyomachiya are also part of that.
The Kyomachiya have deep sites with strong public connections at their facades. These long and narrow property sites provide opportunities to build structures that have hierarchy in privacy. The commercial activities allow private housing to be more engaged with its surroundings. Most modern developments ignore this interaction with the street and privatize their structures. Front doors of modern apartment buildings are often not accessible from the street. This results in a barricade between the buildings’ occupants and the street.
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With the disappearance of the kyomachiya, the public activities associated with it also disappear.*
fig 25. traditional Kyomachiya relating to the street and its activity
fig 26. new housing blocks set back with no connection to the neighborhood *(Miyake, 2011)
Chapter 2: main consequence of urban renewal - the vanishing of the traditional townscape
fig 28. an example of a new housing block in Kyoto
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fig 27. the historic townscape under pressure of ‘new’ high rise building
d
a
d b e f
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fig 29. sketch illustrating a street with the combination of high rise buildings and Kyomachiya’s
c
d
e f (*Miyake, 2011)
The surge in modern city development resulted in a considerable loss of connection to the community. The loss of neighbourhood activity can be explained by working and living being separated. There is less social control during the day because everyone is off to work, which raises the fear for criminality. As a result of fear for criminality, front doors became more private leading to less connectivity between the inhabitants. High rise development is seen as a predator that takes natural light and ventilation away and causes bad internet connection. High rise buildings make it difficult to view and experience traditions such as festivals. Large developments and single-use streets reduce the number of walkable public places and promote the use of automobiles.*
Chapter 2: main consequence of urban renewal - the vanishing of the traditional townscape
b
High rise buildings often have windows that face directly into neighbour’s home taking privacy away from them.
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a
the loss of interconnectivity
These images illustrate results of the loss of interconnectivity. As neighbourhoods become more monofunctional and work and life are separated, there is less social control during the day as the streets run empty between certain hours because everyone is off to work. Less social control results in more fear for criminality. Traditionally, a Kyomachiya facade manifests openness and soft boundaries. It is these features that allow Kyomachiya residents to be more involved with their surroundings. However, front doors are becoming more private and closed off as a result of less social control and the fear of criminality. On fig. 31 a traditional Kyomachiya with a fence is noticeable, leading to less connectivity between the residents of the neighbourhood.
Moreover, the new high-rise housing blocks contain multi-family houses and are much bigger than individual Kyomachiya houses. When looking at a map of a traditional Kyomachiya neighbourhood, smaller plots and more passages are noticeable. When looking at a newer developed neighbourhood, large high-rise blocks result in bigger and longer streets which again causes loss of interconnectivity and urban porosity.
fig 30. old traditional Kyomachiya house without fence
fig 31. old traditional Kyomachiya house with fence for more safety
fig 32. traditional streets with smaller plots in Kyoto
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fig 33. modern streets with big plots in Kyoto
Urban renewal is at the base of the side effect of mass tourism. During the research in this chapter, the consequences of the side effects were analysed more closely. It can be stated that the current highrise typology has the largest contribution to these consequences. They are numerous, far-reaching, visible, sometimes less visible, but above all very tangible. Since the Kyomachiya and traditional values are all tied to the community and its social structure, the consequences on the streetscape are particularly present.
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Chapter 2: main consequence of urban renewal - the vanishing of the traditional townscape
By zooming in on a certain neighborhood and specific street, the precise tensions in the streetscape will become clear.
chapter 3
analysis of an urban area
mapping the neighbourhood
To make the side effects of urban renewal more concrete, an analysis of a certain neighbourhood called the Meirin district, is made. The Meirin district is part of the historical area that suffered from urban renewal the past decade.
050
The following drawings demonstrate the built space in the neighbourhood. The built space is mainly dominated by high rise buildings or housing blocks. As described in the previous chapter, the Kyomachiya plays an important role in the common space in Kyoto, functioning as an extension of the street activity. The new developed housing blocks ignore this extension aspect by creating privatised structures. This affects the neighbourhood on a street level: Longer streets and less porosity make the streets less liveable and walkable. This also applies in the analysed neighbourhood.
Kyomachiya’s
Chapter 3: analysis of an urban area
fig 35. public area in the neighborhood nolli map
high rise buildings
051
fig 34. built spaces in the neighborhood
mapping the street
For a better understanding of the street structure in the neighbourhood a street was chosen: the crossing of Rokkaku-dori and Muromachi-dori. It consists of diverse housing typologies, heights and interconnectivity of the different buildings with the street.
052
fig 36. the selected street
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Chapter 3: analysis of an urban area
fig 37. the street and its facades
categorising the buildings
By analysing the facades of each building in the street, different categories could be made based on its functions. The categories show a clear overview on the variety of different house typologies. The high rise buildings might be smaller in number than the Kyomachiya, but over-dominate them in terms of ground surface and height.
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fig 38. the different house typologies in the street
18 high rise buildings (> 3 floors)
2 shops
fig 39. the facades of the different house typologies
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15 traditional Kyomachiya’s
Chapter 3: analysis of an urban area
6 new modern houses (< 3 floors)
comparing the street with a traditional Kyomachiya street
As mentioned in the previous chapter, the Kyomachiya makes a gradual transition from public area to private the more the back of the plot is reached. On the hypothetical scheme, where each colour represents an important element of the traditional Kyomachiya, a continuity of those functions can be seen throughout the urban streetscape.
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In the case of the chosen street, new buildings/ systems don’t achieve continuity. The blocks work independently from each other, leading to a loss of architectural heritage and street identity. This is also reflected in the interaction with of the inhabitants with the community, which has diminished greatly.
Chapter 3: analysis of an urban area
fig 41. hypothetical division of functions in our street
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fig 40. hypothetical Kyomachiya street where each colour indicates a function
the facades
Dimensions and amount of openings in the facades of the chosen street vary from around 49%, in a traditional Kyomachiya, to around 8% from a modern house. Several reasons, such as security and earthquake laws, have influenced these opening amounts. These closed facades make interaction with the streetscape less convenient, paired with the change of functions on the ground floor from public to private.
openings in the facades
(%)
modern houses
29 60 113
8%
29 60 113 Kyomachiya’s
49%
21 opening between the modern houses and the Kyomachiya’s in the fig 42. the difference in facade 51 analyzed street 102
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21 51 102
Chapter 3: analysis of an urban area
fig 44. a traditional Kyomachiya in the analyzed street
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fig 43. a modern house in the analyzed street
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A physical model was made to explore the site and the different building types. In that way a better understanding of the street dynamic and its typologies were conceived.
fig 45.
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Chapter 3: analysis of an urban area
fig 46.
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fig 47.
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Chapter 3: analysis of an urban area
fig 48.
chapter 4
a manual towards a better streetscape
The side effects of mass tourism and their specific consequences on the streetscape are placed in context by analysing the Meirin district in the previous chapter. Finally, by means of a manual, an attempt was made to find an answer to the problem.
1 case-study tools The first step towards the manual was an analysis of twelve case studies on modern high rise buildings, designed in different areas and contexts. These case studies were analyzed regarding five categories: the Mise-Oku, Daidoko, Senzai, Tori-Niwa and sleeping and bathing. These categories are essential in a traditional Kyomachiya and also essential to make a manual. The images indicated in blue are the ones we found important to take inspiration from.
2 the manual The second step was assembling a manual. The idea is that each category from the case-study table is discussed in the manual. The categories build up on each other until the manual is complete for a new high rise typology.
3 the new high rise
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Lastly, but not less important, are rules relating to the scale of the building and its surrounding environment. Some of the rules will already be applied in the manual, such as respecting ‘Wa’ or adapting to different family sizes. The other rules are more relevant in the specific context of the analysed street.
Wa: a Japanese cultural concept translated as ‘harmony’. It implies peaceful unity and conformity within a social group. Members prefer the continuation of a harmonious community over their personal interests.
Daidoko
Senzai
3
Tori-Niwa
Mise-Oku
the new high rise
Chapter 4: a manual towards a better streetscape
case-study tools
2
067
1
case-study tools
068
sleeping and bathing
Tori-Niwa (entering)
Senzai (natural ventilation)
Daidoko (mixed living functions)
Mise-Oku (working, selling)
Carré Lumière / LAN Architecture
Tatsumi Apartments / Hiroyuki Ito Architects
Wohnregal / Far Frohn + Rojas
Modelia Days Nakanobu / Ryuichi Sasaki
Rozemaai refurbishment / Atelier Kempe Thill
Tree-ness House / Akihisa Hirata
Yutenji Apartments / Architecture WORKSHOP
Gifu Kitagata / SANAA
Tour Bois le Prêtre / Lacaton + Vassal
Bloom housing / Hiroyuki Ito’s
Chapter 4: a manual towards a better streetscape
Transformation of 530 Dwellings / Lacaton + Vassal
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Astile SINJUKU III Building / Ryuichi Sasaki + Sasaki Architecture
the manual
1. living and sleeping
In a traditional Kyomachiya, the Daidoko is used for dining, the preparation of food and as a family lounge. In modern times, these functions can be translated into mixed living functions such as cooking, bathing, living and sleeping. Tatsumi Apartments by Hiroyuki Ito Architects shows how the minimalistic interior of the Daidoko can be interpreted in a modern way. The structure functions as thresholds dividing different spaces and as furniture at the same time.
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The Sinjuku III Building by Ryuichi Sasaki + Sasaki Architecture shows us how the traditional Shoji can be used in modern apartment units. The sliding doors are a separation tool to close off private spaces, such as the bedroom. Beside separation, the sliding doors are also a tool to make the living space feel bigger. This is a smart strategy since big living spaces are rather a rare thing in Japan.
Tatsumi Apartments / Hiroyuki Ito Architects
Astile SINJUKU III Building / Ryuichi Sasaki + Sasaki Architecture
Chapter 4: a manual towards a better streetscape
+
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circulating meeting
1 creating flexible unit systems
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The Daidoko should not have a fixed layout but be a flexible system. Six types of living units were created which can be combined in different variations. Diverse unit types can be created adapting to the needs of different lifestyles. Because of the shifting family structures in Japan and the existing conflict with the traditional Kyomachiya, this adaption to different lifestyles is very important.
type 1
type 2
type 3
sleeping unit 2 persons
bathing & working unit 2 persons
cooking & dining unit 2 persons
type 4
type 5
type 6
living unit 2 persons
cooking unit 1 person
sleeping & bathing unit 1 person
Chapter 4: a manual towards a better streetscape
type 5 + type 6
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type 1 + type 2
type 5 + type 6
2 adding fixed furniture The spaces in the units should be flexible for the residents to fill-in and should also follow the shiftingidentities of the traditional Kyomachiya. The unit should therefore only provide fixed furniture for the basic needs of the resident, reflecting the minimalist way of living of a Kyomachiya resident. A right balance between this traditional way of living and modern living should be made.
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a.
b.
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Chapter 4: a manual towards a better streetscape
a.
b.
3 introducing soft thresholds
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The unit should not be divided by walls since this conflicts with the idea of shifting identities and the multi functionality of the spaces. Instead, soft thresholds could divide the different (in)-formalities not only in a unit but also between the unit and the public space. For example a threshold between the Tori-Niwa and the Mise-No-Ma could be a difference in floor materiality or height. For people with disabilities, using difference in floor materiality is would be applied to create a soft threshold between areas, instead of using height.
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Chapter 4: a manual towards a better streetscape
4 implementing sliding doors Sliding doors, like the Shoji in the Kyomachiya, should for example separate private and public spaces in a flexible way. It should not only be a separation tool but also a tool to open up small living spaces.
a.
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b.
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Chapter 4: a manual towards a better streetscape
a.
b.
2. gardening and reposing
The Senzai is known as the inner garden of the traditional Kyomachiya. It is an important source of light and fresh air, carrying both through the full length of the building. It is not only a place for gardening, but also for reposing. Since it is visible from every room, it also serves as an orientation point for inhabitants and visitors. This is why it is also know as ‘the view garden’. The projects Tour Bois le Prêtre and Transformation of 530 dwellings, from Lacaton and Vassal, both show how an interior space can be extended with a flexible exterior space. The extension can be opened up in summer and be used as a terrace, while in winter it functions as a winter garden or expansion of the living area.
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Wohnregal by Far Frohn + Rojas is a great example of how the Senzai can be translated in the facade and used as natural ventilation for the unit.
Transformation of 530 dwellings / Lacaton & Vassal
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circulating meeting
1 providing an extended interior Each unit should have an exterior space as an extension of the interior space, which could function as a second living or dining room. It should be integrated in the envelope of the building so it can transform into a winter garden. It is visually and also function-wise connected with the interior space.
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type 1
2 working inter-seasonally
The space should work inter-seasonally and have a purpose all year round. For example, the Senzai is provided with isolating folding windows that could be opened up in the summer and be used for natural ventilation, but closed in the winter so the space is still useful as an extension of the interior.
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a. summer
b. winter
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3. circulating and meeting
The Tori-Niwa is a long hallway stretching from the entrance to the back of the plot of a Kyomachiya. It is neither inside or outside. It is not only a place for circulating, but also for meeting, cooking, smoking and debate. SANAA redesigned the traditional Tori-Niwa in the Gifu Kitagata Apartment Building by creating long hallways which resemble the street, connecting with a semiprivate terrace area. Each terrace can be filled in with the inhabitants personal needs or activities, creating a variation of terraces throughout the building. In Wohnregal by Far Frohn + Rojas, we can see how the circulation is placed on the outside of the building, making it a semi-public space. This allows for a gradual transition from the public area to the private
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apartment.
Gifu Kitagata Apartment Building / SANAA
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meeting
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circulating
1 adding horizontal circulation The Tori-Niwa be translated as a communal area for each unit. It should be a semi-private common space linked to the units by a more informal entrance or ‘back door’. The space is undefined, in contrast with the living units, so there is room for every kind of activity. The communal space should connect with the main hallway of the building, linking the private unit and the public hallway in gradual way. Beside this informal entrance, there is also a formal entrance which should connect directly with the public hallway. A threshold is created between the front door and the hallway by a small step up, functioning as a transition zone between private and public. This also gives the residents room to personalise their own facade.
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2 implementing vertical circulation Vertical circulation should be placed in the outer layer of the building, connecting the public street with the private units in a gradual way, following the idea of a semi-public threshold of the Kyomachiya. In the section below the vertical circulation is positioned on the left. The Tori-Niwa shift throughout the building depending on the location of the units. For example, unit A and unit B share a Tori-Niwa. But unit C does not connect with it. Since unit C has two floors, it can connect with a common space on the third floor. This always results in different layouts for each floor plan, where the communal open space always shifts. By making these shifts, a layered facade is created. section scheme AA’
L
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floor 5
J I
G
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H
floor 4 floor 3
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vertical circulation
Tori-Niwa / communal space
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floor 6
D
floor 2
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small footprint: 3 units per floor 1
staircase
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elevator
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formal entrance
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urban context:
floor 1
unit A (61m²) 1 person
4 7
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unit B (56m²) 1 person
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Daidoko 3x
Senzai 3x
Tori-Niwa 1x
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sleep unit C (121m²) 3 persons
floor 2
sleep unit D (92m²) 3 persons
unit E (61m²) 1 person
living unit C (121m²) 3 persons
Daidoko
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3x
Senzai 3x
Tori-Niwa 1x
Staircase 1x
floor 3
living unit D (92m²) 3 persons
unit F (61m²) 2 persons
3x
Senzai 3x
Tori-Niwa 1x
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sleep unit G (85m²) 3 persons
big footprint: 7 units per floor 1
staircase
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elevator
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facade threshold
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formal entrance
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Tori-Niwa (common space)
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informal entrance
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Senzai (winter garden)
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urban context:
option 1: inner circulation
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Senzai 6x
Tori-Niwa 3x
Staircase 1x
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Daidoko
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option 2: outer circulation
Daidoko
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Senzai 6x
Tori-Niwa 3x
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Senzai 6x
Tori-Niwa 3x
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option 3: inner + outer circulation
4. working and shopping
The Mise-Oku is traditionally the room that faces the street, providing storefront space for business. In Kyoto, the combination of working and living spaces is essential for the residents, the neighbours and the community.
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In Wohnregal by Far Frohn + Rojas, the integration of workshops on the ground floor, results in a mix of living and working functions. These workshop spaces are flexible for “an ever broadening bandwidth of urban lifestyles”.*
Wohnregal / Far Frohn + Rojas *(Paula Pintos, 2019)
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working
1 creating a flexible workshop space The commercial portion of the units should provide spaces for small, creative local businesses. The mixeduse ground floor allow residents to work, live, play, walk, shop, eat, and communicate with neighbours and friends. The grid should be able to provide different spatial possibilities. This is realised by the usage of curtains in between spaces which can be opened up or closed, such as the Shoji in a traditional Kyomachiya, allowing intimacy in the large open space. Furthermore this leads to changeable work units depending on the constant evolving neighbourhood.
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fixed grid of the ground floor
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ground floor with flexible spaces
2 combining consumption and producing with living
In Kyoto, the combination of working and living spaces is essential for the residents, the neighbours and the community. In our manual the Mise-oku is reintroduced in the high-rise as a flexible public plinth providing different spatial possibilities to make consumption and production possible.
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a.
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3 connecting the street with the shops An open and transparent facade stimulates the interaction between activities in the building and the street, for example the usage of big windows as a kind of etalage. The facade and entrance should connect directly to the street as this increases the social interaction in the community.
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a new high-rise
In the final chapter, we link back to the neighbourhood that was analysed, the Meirin district. It is the streetscape in which the greatest consequences are noticeable, connecting the building to an actual context and neighbourhood is therefore essential.
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The building, constructed by the manual, is placed in a specific street, Rokkaku-Dori. Additions on the scale of the whole building, ground floor and environment are made to re-create the traditional social structure and to protect the traditional values.
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1 respecting the scale of its surroundings A high-rise building should have a decent amount of floors to be able to house numerous families and activities, as densifying living is essential for the future of housing in Kyoto. Nonetheless, the building should respect the scale of its surroundings. The high-rise should give the feeling of not over-dominating the area. Adding delicate detailing to the facade gives the building a human scale. Right under certain windows, a bench is added, as also found in the traditional townhouses where it is known as Battari Shogi. It was traditionally used as a display for merchandise as well as a place to sit and enjoy the evening breeze or for social interactions with neighbours.* The tile roofs, called Ichimonji Gawara, are a major characteristic of the Kyomachiya. The roof provides shelter from rain and sun and gives a sense of unity. Through this element a horizontal line is created, unifying through the whole streetscape. The designed facade connecting to the Kyomachiya, gets a shed roof in order to continue this horizontal line.* In contrast to the other floors, tiles are added to the ground floor’s facade and interior. Together with the roof, the tiles create a horizontal feel that breaks through the verticality of a high rise building.
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The delicate detailing of the shed roof, the tiles, and the Noren’s all add up to minimise the big scale and verticality of the building. In this way the building and it’s ground floor align with the traditional townhouses.
fig 49. Battari Shogi
fig 50. Ichimonji Gawara
fig 51. Noren’s *(whykyoto, 2017)
*(Kyoto Traditional Townhouse)
2 protecting the privacy of the surrounding houses
fig 52. Tsubo-Niwa
The inner-courtyards of Kyomachiya, known as TsuboNiwa, create intimacy and a sense of comfort through overhanging roofs. However, these roofs are not able to shelter the garden from tall buildings. Since highrise structures are often approached as individual buildings, the privacy of the neighbors is interrupted by overlooking windows. In a Kyomachiya this gradient of privacy is very delicate for the traditional usage of space, therefore the highrise building should respect this gradual transition from public to private and therefore also the traditional value of a Kyomachiya. The building is withdrawn from the connecting innercourtyards of the neighbouring building, and tall grasses that are planted in between. The addition of greenery is not only an aesthetic and ecological tool but also a tool to protect the value of privacy.
The public shop function of Kyomachiya is called the Mise-Oku, located in the front of the house, connecting to the street. Additionally, the tiles, as mentioned in point 2, do not only create a horizontal feel but also the contrast between public and private, business and living
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fig 53. Mise-Oku
In a traditional streetscape, each Kyomachiya can be understood as a system of public (shop) functions and private (living) functions. All systems together contribute to a uniform streetscape structure. New modern buildings neglect this system and are often only focused on living function. High-rise should respect the traditional multi-functional system, resulting in a continuation of public functions on the ground floor. Interaction and social identity of the street are in this way preserved.
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3 continuing the public functions
4 creating layering in the facade The Kyomachiya expresses openness and intimacy at the same time. Because of its public function, the Kyomachiya partly manifests itself as an open public place. However, through the use of wooden lattices in the facade, called Koshi, the outside can be seen by those inside while preventing those outside from seeing in.* A layering is created both physically, in the facade, and symbolically through activities.
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The facade of the high-rise should also reflect this layering. On the ground floor, doors create the boundary between inside and outside. When the doors are opened, a large openness is created between the public shop and the street. When the doors are closed, you still have the public area, but with more intimacy. The activities inside (producing, selling, consuming) contribute to a layering of different kinds of intimacies. The addition of transparent curtains makes it possible to adjust the gradient of that intimacy. A layering is created both physically, in the facade, and symbolically through activities.
fig 54. Koshi
*(whykyoto, 2017)
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たこ焼き メニュー
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自 転 車
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a reflection on growing streetscapes This exercise aimed at finding a way to minimise the side effects of mass tourism on the traditional streetscape. The goal is to keep localness in the town and protect the traditional social structure and streetscape. First, the specific side effects of mass tourism were studied, as well as their consequences. This problem was placed in context by analysing a specific neighbourhood, the Meirin district. Finally, by means of a manual, an attempt was made to find an answer to the problem. The research made it obvious that urban renewal is at the base of the side effect of mass tourism, with the high-rise developments as the main players. First of all, these high-rise developments changed the traditional mixed use function (business and living) of a street to a single use function (only living). With the disappearance of the local businesses, the social interaction between the local residents disappears. It also results in monofunctional neighbourhoods in which working and living are separated from each other, leaving the neighbourhoods empty between certain hours. This again leads to the reduction of walkable streets and promotes the use of automobiles.
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Secondly, the hierarchy of privacy in the traditional streetscape is disappearing. The Kyomachiya has deep sites with strong public connections at their facades and more private activities at the back. The public facade allows for engagement with the surroundings. New high-rise developments neglect the interaction with the street and privatise their structures. Front doors of modern apartment buildings are often not accessible from the street and function as a barricade between the building’s occupants and the street. This implies that there is automatically less interaction
between the neighbourhood residents, which in turn leads to less social control and a greater sense of insecurity. A major consequence is that the facades are becoming more and more private and closed off, and the distance between the resident and the street is only getting bigger. The manual aims at designing a complete remodelling of the high-rise building. It attempts to design spaces for a high-rise, by reinterpreting the identity and values of the kyomachiya. Each part of the kyomachiya is reinterpreted to fit into the contemporary framework of a high-rise building while still respecting the traditional values of townhouse and streetscape. The reinterpretation of the The Daidoko (living spaces), the Senzai (garden), Tori-niwa (corridor) and the Mise-oku (shop space) results in a design for a highrise that addresses four scales. The scale of the individual experience of the residents. The scale of the collective use. The scale of public use of the neighbourhood’s residents and the scale of the street environment. The manual results in the belief that high-rises are no longer the enemy of the traditional streetscape, but potentially the key that can help protect and even strengthen the traditional structures and values. In the first place for the residents of Kyoto, and in second place for the tourists visiting Kyoto, giving back something to all.
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Because of high-rise buildings, streetscapes are growing in size and height. The key is to not prevent this growth, but to reverse it in a positive direction.
literature list
chapter 1 - understanding Kyoto and its townscape Fabian, J. (2013, March). Culturally Friendly Design Method based on Machiya System of Kyoto (Scriptie). World Bank Group, JapanGov, & Tokyo Development Learning Center. (2018). Cultural Heritage, Sustainable Tourism and Urban Regeneration: Capturing Lessons and Experience from Japan with a focus Kyoto. chapter 2 - consequence of urban renewal: the vanishing of the traditional townscape whykyoto. (2017, September 13). Kyomachiya townhouses are full of interesting features! Why KYOTO? http://why.kyoto/blog/03/16389 Miyake, Y. (2011, March). Modern KyoMachiya: Livable Architecture for Kyoto (Thesis). Thompson, F. (1998). A Comparison between Japanese Exterior Space and Western Common Place (Scriptie).
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chapter 4 - a manual towards a better streetscape Kyo-machiya(Kyoto Traditional Townhouse). https:// kyoto-machisen.jp/fund_old/english/pdf/machiya_design.pdf
list of figures
chapter 1 - understanding Kyoto and its townscape
fig 1. grid system of kyoto from 700 till 1868 (self-drawn) (Fabian, 2013 : p6) fig 2. transition of the urban area in kyoto from 1909 till 2005 (selfdrawn) (Kyotoshi keikakukyoku, 1967) fig 3. number of apartments built in Kyoto between 1995 and 2000 (selfdrawn) (Miyake, 2011: p22) fig 4. map of conservation, revitalization and creation (self-drawn) (World Bank Group et al., 2018) fig 5. map of regional characteristics in Kyoto (self-drawn) (World Bank Group et al., 2018: p19)
chapter 2 - consequence of urban renewal: the vanishing of the traditional townscape
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fig 6. facade of a traditional Kyomachiya © GDC fig 7. Tori-Niwa © Masato Shoji fig 8. Mise-No-Ma © Hachise fig 9. Daidoko © Hachise fig 10. Zashiki © Hachise fig 11. axonometric of a traditional Kyomachiya (self-drawn) (Sketchup Warehouse) fig 12. Western type of layout with ‘rooms’ a,b,c and e, and ‘corridor’ d. (self-drawn) (Fabian, 2013: p63) fig 13. privacy - formality scheme on Kyomachiya plan (self-drawn) (Fabian, 2013: p70) fig 14. privacy-formality diagram of the Kyomachiya and a western house (self-drawn) (Fabian, 2013: p110-p113) fig 15. privacy-formality diagram of the Kyomachiya (self-drawn) (Fabian, 2013: p110-p113) fig 16. facade of a traditional Kyomachiya (self-drawn) fig 17. section through the shop of a traditional Kyomachiya (selfdrawn) fig 18. sketch illustrating the interconnectivity on street level (selfdrawn) fig 19. change in numbers of traditional Kyomachiya in Nakagyoku and Shimogyoku, Kyomachiya’s drawn in blue (Miyake, 2011: p15) fig 20. Muromachi Anekoji sagaru in 1931 (Fabian, 2013: p13) fig 21. Muromachi Anekoji sagaru in 1986 (Fabian, 2013: p13) fig 22. clothing shop in a traditional Kyomachiya © Masaya Yoshimura, Copist fig 23. fragment of kyoto’s public space (Thompson, 1998: p116) fig 24. nolli map of Ghent (Rest) fig 25. traditional Kyomachiya relating to the street and its activity (self-drawn) (Miyake, 2011: p26) fig 26. new housing blocks set back with no connection to the neighborhood (self-drawn) (Miyake, 2011: p26) fig 27. the historic townscape under pressure of ‘new’ high rise building © Google Earth fig 28. an example of a new housing block © Google Earth in Kyoto fig 29. sketch illustrating a street with the combination of high rise
buildings and Kyomachiya’s (self-drawn) fig 30. old traditional Kyomachiya house without fence © Google Earth fig 31. old traditional Kyomachiya house with fence for more safety © Google Earth fig 32. traditional streets with smaller plots in Kyoto © Google Earth fig 33. modern streets with big plots in Kyoto © Google Earth
chapter 3 - analysis of an urban area
p044 - p049. satellite pictures of Kyoto fig 34. built spaces in the neighborhood (self-drawn) fig 35. public area in the neighborhood - nolli map (self-drawn) fig 36. the selected street (self-drawn) fig 37. the street and its facades © Google Earth fig 38. the different house typologies in the street (self-drawn) fig 39. the facades of the different house typologies © Google Earth fig 40. hypothetical Kyomachiya street where each colour indicates a function (self-drawn) (Fabian, 2013: p53) fig 41. hypothetical division of functions in our street (self-drawn) fig 42. the difference in facade opening between the modern houses and the Kyomachiya’s in the analyzed street (self-drawn) fig 43. a modern house in the analyzed street © Google Earth fig 44. a traditional Kyomachiya in the analyzed street © Google Earth fig 45. - fig 48. physical model of the analyzed street
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p068 - p069. case-study tools © ArchDaily p067 - p118. the line drawings in this chapter are self-drawn fig 49. Battari Shogi © Luckyou-kyoto fig 50. Ichimonji Gawara © Masaya Yoshimura fig 51. Noren’s © japanpropertycentral fig 52. Tsubo-Niwa © Jessica Esa fig 53. Mise-Oku © Sharing Kyoto
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Kyoto - Towards an alternative tourism strategy A studio by Martine De Maeseneer In collaboration with Prof. Tomas Daniell KU Leuven Faculty of Architecture Campus Ghent, Master 2, 2022
an exercise by Julia Ceuppens, Isabeau Coussement & Luca Colonna-Cesari
