2M26 inserts tehen sauna in a 200-year-old japanese house’s courtyard

2M26 nestles Tehen sauna within an old courtyard

Kyoto-based architecture studio 2M26 has inserted ‘Tehen sauna‘ within a 200-year-old Japanese house’s courtyard. Located in Keihoku, on the north side of Kyoto City, the structure faces a former traditional silkworm rearing house, with a mountainous scenery peeking through.

Seeking to offer a unique experience of the area’s vernacular character, the whole cabin was built utilizing local Hinoki cypress timber, by a local carpenter company. Nevertheless, the design team added modern touches reinterpreting the garden fences into an inhabitable wall.

all images by Yuya Miki

enhancing the area’s folk character

The architectural studio enclosed the courtyard with the sauna wall, while a floor-to-ceiling opening creates visual communication with the guesthouse. The visitors can use the cabin all year round, appreciating different weather conditions such as snowfall in the winter or sunny scenery during summer.

As for the interior, the sauna consists of two benches on each side that can comfortably seat up to 6 people. A wood stove is set in the center of the space, interrupting the otherwise timber character with its iron silhouette. In addition, each side of the large window features a door that guides users to the courtyard and its traditional ‘ofuro’, wood-fired hot tub.

‘Tehen sauna promotes a circular economy. Back in time, Keihoku used to be the timber provider during Kyoto city’s construction. Today Tehen sauna keeps encouraging the historical link between city and countryside landscapes.’