Kayu Shopping Street Department Store Revitalization Plan

Project idea

This project proposes to reconstruct Kayu-Koji, Kyoto’s smallest shopping street, into a department store by interpreting its historical and spatial context. Rather than following a pattern of demolition and reconstruction, the project aims to preserve and transform the accumulated "attachment" within the street by cutting into existing buildings and editing new elements. The objective is to create a new commercial space while retaining the echoes of the town's past identity.

Project description

The project extends the existing shopping street into a specialty store annex that connects to the Kyoto Takashimaya Main Building, Shijo Street, and Shinkyogoku Shopping Street. It seeks to preserve historical continuity while revitalizing commercial activity. The plan introduces three types of circulation—external, internal, and vertical—integrating underground, ground, and upper floors into a fluid experience. Tenants are categorized into three types (pillar-type, wall-type, and box-type) to accommodate a range of retail formats.

Technical information

The design intervenes in existing timber and reinforced concrete structures through techniques of “cutting” and “lifting.” Tiered corridors, grand staircases, and atriums are inserted throughout the vertical structure. The basement connects directly to subway lines, while the above-ground levels include a department store basement, terraces, and display spaces. Kyoto-specific site conditions such as flagpole lots and narrow alleys are incorporated to enhance the unique spatial character of the alleyway.

Documentation

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