Architects: 2M26
Year: 2022
Photography: Yuki Okada
Construction: 2M26
City: Kyoto
Country: Japan
Project Designers: 2M26
In the tranquil outskirts of Kyoto, the architecture studio 2M26 crafted “Niwatorigoya,” a unique chicken coop inspired by the iconic Ise shrine. Located in Keihoku, this project melds traditional Japanese architectural techniques with a functional design to safeguard free-range chickens. Using locally sourced materials and embracing zero-impact construction principles, Niwatorigoya serves as a protective habitat and a testament to sustainable architectural practices, blending seamlessly with its historical and natural surroundings.
The coop protects free-range chickens from predators at night, providing beams for perching and nesting boxes for laying eggs. It is constructed from cypress wood using a structure of beams crossing twelve round pillars and assembled using traditional Japanese joinery techniques. The roof, sloped and covered with cedar bark, complements the overall design, utilizing materials traditionally employed for outbuildings and roofs in old folk Japanese houses. Cedar barks, harvested by hand during summer when the sap content is high, are dried slowly over several months before use, ensuring durability and sustainability.
Access to the coop is facilitated by sliding wooden panels on all four sides, allowing for easy collection of eggs. A wooden stairway, carved from a single piece of wood, provides the chickens with access to their designated area.
This project is characterized by its sustainable “zero impact” approach, using locally sourced materials and designed with traditional Japanese construction philosophies. This allows for the replacement of specific building components without dismantling the entire structure, ensuring that the materials can be returned to the soil at the end of their life cycle.
Project Gallery
Project Location
Address: Kyoto, Japan
Location is for general reference and may represent a city or country, not necessarily a precise address.
