MATERIAL MATTERS (OAO HAUS KYOTO)

Two materials lie at the core concept of OAO HAUS KYOTO: kawara roof tiles and yakisugi (charred cedar). While functioning as fixtures within the space, they also serve as expressions of Kyoto’s connection to the city’s heritage and landscape. By visiting the origins of these materials, we documented the process through which they became defining elements of the space.

YAKISUGI (Charred Cedar)

The yakisugi benches, created by Toyonaga Forestry of Yoshino, Nara—an area historically connected to Kyoto—are installed within the space. Three benches, each weighing approximately 200–300 kg, anchor the interior as sculptural elements.

Yakisugi is a traditional Japanese wood treatment technique in which the surface of cedar is charred. By carbonizing the outer layer, the process enhances resistance to insects, decay, and fire. It is a method born from accumulated wisdom, developed to strengthen the durability and practicality of wood in architecture.

KAWARA (Roof Tiles)

Fixtures crafted from Kyoto kawara tiles, produced in collaboration with Tsutsumi Kawara Shoten, a company that has long been responsible for roofing work on numerous temples and residences throughout Kyoto. The tiles were carefully reclaimed from traditional Kyoto homes and repurposed as functional elements within the space.

Divided into modular components, the pieces can be separated and used independently. In this way, kawara—an essential element of Kyoto’s original landscape—are given renewed value while serving as fixtures within the interior.