Tokugawa-chō Hotel by Tomoya Uno Architects in Aichi, Japan

Project: Tokugawa-chō Hotel
Architects: Tomoya Uno Architecture
Location: Aichi, Japan
Year: 2021
Photography: Yasuo Hagiyama

Tokugawa-chō Hotel by Tomoya Uno Architects

The architectural studio Tomoya Uno transformed a traditional Japanese family home in Aichi, Japan into a versatile hotel with modern touches.

The Tokugawa-chō Hotel is the latest project by architect Tomoya Uno, in which he renovated a family home in Aichi and converted it into a versatile hotel. Seeking to use traditional wooden construction combined with new technologies, the architect was able to create three new adjacent spaces: a storeroom, a tea house, and a separate office.

To reflect traditional Japanese architecture, Tomoya Uno enlisted a craftsman from Kyoto to assemble the wooden columns and beams, which were then transported to the site for the construction of the Tea House. The latter was completed with a traditional earthen foundation (takekomai).

Other hotel structures reflect the blend of the original traditional house with modern elements, highlighted by the form of the storeroom contrasting with the existing gabled roof. Unity is achieved through the deliberate use of similar materials, finishes, and tones. In fact, adapting from old to new without compromising the historical value of the house appears to be the main theme throughout.

– Tomoya Uno Architecture