CASE STUDY
Beyond this threshold, the hotel opens into a cloistered tsuboniwa courtyard garden, which is the heart of the property. The courtyard integrates a meditative water feature and an open-air performance platform, establishing a spatial calm that guides the entire project and echoes Kyoto’ s reverence for nature as architecture’ s equal.
Craft as a Structure Kyoto’ s craftsmanship forms the backbone of the interior design. Rather than using traditional materials as decorative accents, Brewin Design Office employs them as architectural building blocks. Hand-applied earthen plaster walls, carved timber joinery influenced by chõba tansu merchant chests, and authentic shoji panels composed with precision and restraint. Lacquer, bronze, ceramic and handmade washi paper appear throughout, their tactility creating a rhythm of surfaces that reward close observation.
“ Kyoto’ s mastery lies in its restraint,” says Robert Cheng, Founder of Brewin Design Office.“ Our ambition was to express its invisible qualities – stillness, rhythm, material intelligence – through the language of design rather than decoration.”
Guestrooms as Private Retreats Guestrooms and suites act as private sanctuaries, centering the Japanese ritual of bathing. Deep stone tubs anchor each room, framed by muted surfaces and tactile finishes that invite slowness and contemplation. The design prioritises sensory quiet— a distilled interpretation of Kyoto’ s aesthetic of simplicity.
“ At Capella Kyoto, every design decision serves a deeper purpose: to slow time, heighten awareness, and create space for cultural immersion that reveals the authentic spirit of place,” says John Blanco, Cluster General Manager, Capella Kyoto.“ The architecture and interiors don’ t merely frame experiences; they orchestrate a journey of discovery that honours both Kyoto’ s rich legacy and the intimate, bespoke hospitality that defines Capella.”
A Curated Dialogue of Art and Architecture Capella Kyoto is the result of a collaboration between Brewin Design Office, Capella Hotel Group, and Kengo Kuma & Associates – a collaboration that brings together architecture, interiors, and hospitality through a shared belief in quiet luxury and cultural continuity.
While Kengo Kuma & Associates led the architectural design, Brewin Design Office shaped the interior narrative, from guestrooms and suites to restaurants and the spa, translating the architectural rhythm into a layered, sensory experience that unites proportion, texture, and light.
“ Rather than replicating tradition, we sought to evolve its essence through a contemporary lens,” Cheng explains.“ It’ s about carrying forward Kyoto’ s spirit of discretion and intimacy, not merely referencing its past.”
Capella Kyoto’ s interiors extend beyond spatial design into a curated dialogue between art and architecture. The hotel houses a permanent art collection featuring contemporary Japanese artists, curated by the property’ s full-time Art Curator. This ongoing narrative of renewal is reinforced by the Artist-in-Residence programme, where traditional artisans and modern creatives intersect in the hotel’ s public and private spaces.
www. brewindesignoffice. com
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