The Bay Crews select shop and cafe in Kyoto, meticulously crafted by Koyori architects, introduces a harmonious blend of tradition and innovation within the historic confines of a Kyoto machiya. Situated in the bustling tourist and commercial area west of Karasuma Sanjō, this establishment emerges as a testament to the seamless integration of old-world charm with contemporary elegance.
With a nod to Kyoto’s esteemed kimono culture, the concept of “Long adored, but always new at first” underlines the essence of the Bay Crews experience. The select shop, curated by a seasoned concept creator, showcases a unique array of international designer pieces, carefully selected for their craftsmanship and attention to detail.
Complementing this retail haven is the cafe, offering vegan delights and artisanal treats, creating a multi-sensory journey for patrons. Koyori’s architectural finesse ensures the preservation of the machiya’s visual allure, skillfully incorporating traditional materials like washi and reclaimed elements while seamlessly introducing new innovations. The rear garden, a departure from conventional Japanese landscapes, beckons with a cosmopolitan atmosphere, symbolized by a boat-shaped stone, inviting visitors to embark on a sensory voyage through changing seasons in a tranquil oasis. The Bay Crews establishment stands not just as a shop and cafe but as a living canvas where tradition and modernity intertwine in a timeless dance.
Weaving the new into the traditional – Text by Architect
A select shop and cafe that renovated a Kyoto machiya (traditional town house) standing in a historic street in the middle of a tourist and commercial area just west of Karasuma Sanjō in Kyoto.
In this place, which you could call the center of Kyoto’s kimono culture, we designed a new type of shop for Bay Crews that would offer both clothing and dining, with the concept “Long adored, but always new at first. Creating that first experience and conveying opportunities to get attached.”
In the shop, a concept creator with many years’ buying experience in Paris used that experience to select unique imported items from international designers, piece by piece. Here you can find items you will not find anywhere else, that have been created with care and attention to their materials and details.
Then, the cafe offers vegan foods produced by 8ablish, a vegan restaurant in Minami-aoyama, Tokyo, vegan sweets created under the supervision of Australian food creative Cherie Hausler, and carefully selected coffees and organic wines.
We sought to ensure that the building retained the visual aspects and structure of a Kyoto machiya while blending in designs and functions with a natural sense of space. By arranging the interior to allow views from the entrance and inner garden through the cafe to the rear garden, we gently linked the shop space and the cafe space through to the rear garden, and softly decorated the entire space with plastering, washi (traditional Japanese paper), reclaimed materials and other traditional or natural materials, while weaving in new innovations.
The rear garden is structured with a welcoming, cosmopolitan atmosphere like a thicket of trees, different from the tension usually found in Japanese gardens. The boat-shaped stone placed in the center has the meaning of a “departure” and its water reflects the greenery and the sky. If you take yourself to the garden, you will be able to enjoy the changing of the seasons with all your senses and enjoy a moment of calm and relaxation.
