Tato Architects Renovates Kyoto Minami Kaikan Cinema

Tato Architects, led by Yo Shimada, has completed the relocation and renovation of the Kyoto Minami Kaikan, a historic cinema with 55 years of history in Kyoto. The new venue is housed in a building originally constructed as a bank in 1993. The project, curated by Miwa Negoro, covers an area of 721 square meters and was completed in 2022. The design team included Yasue Imai, Akira Yasuda, Takeshi Oka, and Satoshi Oyama. Structural engineering was provided by tmsd Takashi Manda Structural Design, acoustics by Nihon Onkyo Engineering, mechanical by Tanaka Jimusho, electrical by Yamazaki Setsubi Sekkei, and lighting by Daiko Electric and New Light Pottery. Photographs were taken by Daici Ano. The challenge was to simultaneously convey the continuity of the cinema's legacy in the city's memory and its renewal in an era where films can be watched on mobile devices.