TIME'S

Tadao Ando's office completed TIME'S in 1984. In 1991 a second part, TIME'S II, was added on the south side, so that the building changed its appearance over time. In August 2026 the Kyoto Architecture Center opened on its street level.

The building runs along the Takase River, which the design regards as a water garden: the ground floor comes down as close to the surface as possible, a way of rethinking the relation between city and nature. Its structure is mostly made of concrete blocks, and its spaces recall Kyoto's lanes and small inner gardens. Going down to the terrace at water level, the noise of the street seems to fade; the interior forms a small maze.

This commercial complex stands at the corner of Kiyamachi-dōri and Sanjō-dōri. Its street level now houses the Kyoto Architecture Center: a shop, a library, an exhibition gallery and the starting point of guided tours.

The Kyoto Architecture Center is open from 10:00 to 18:00; it closes on Tuesdays, and when Tuesday is a public holiday it opens that day and closes on the following weekday. The shop is free to enter; the gallery and library are paid, but free for high-school students and younger visitors, and for participants in one of the centre's guided tours on the day of the tour. Guided tours of TIME'S, including parts closed to the public, are offered.