They Turned a Traditional Kyoto Townhouse Into a Hub for Creatives

In a historic neighborhood in Kyoto’s Nakagyō Ward, structures elbow up against one another, including carpentry shops, centuries-old family pickle stores, and traditional machiya townhouses, for which the city is renowned. One such home stands out with its freshly restored wood exterior and an artwork at the entrance that hints at what’s now inside: a one-bed accommodation with a rotating photography library and gallery.

The house, known as 834 Mibu—a combination of the land lot number and an abbreviation of the area’s name, Mibugoshonouchicho—was renovated by photographer Dominick Sheldon and set designer Whitney Hellesen. The couple, whose primary residence is in California, had wanted to create a space to exhibit photographic works and books and support other creatives. They initially imagined their concept taking shape on property they owned near Palm Desert but, after realizing it would be too costly, shifted to Kyoto, a city that they had become enamored of while honeymooning there in 2017. "We liked the idea of doing it in Japan because of the country’s dedication to photography and craft," says Dominick.