What are the limits of timber architecture? The case of the Grand Ring after Expo Osaka

Traditional Japanese rural homes, known as kominka, are facing widespread demolition in Japan due to urbanization, population decline, and maintenance challenges. These timber-framed structures, historically serving as single-family dwellings for multiple generations, are increasingly being abandoned or torn down to make way for new construction, as their cultural and historical significance often goes unrecognized in their native land. A survey by Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications indicated a 13% decrease in kominka between 2008 and 2013, with experts estimating only about 1.25 million remaining. The decline is further fueled by issues such as the lack of central heating and adequate insulation for harsh winters, concerns about earthquake resistance under modern building codes, and significant costs associated with repairing water or insect damage. Additionally, a diminishing number of carpenters possess the traditional skills required to work on these homes, and financial incentives for renovation are often difficult to access. This situation leads many owners to prefer demolition and new construction over preservation. In response to this loss, organizations such as the Kominka Collective, with offices in Japan and the U.S., Toda Komuten, and the Japan Kominka Association are actively working to salvage and repurpose these structures. Their efforts are guided by the Japanese concept of "mottainai," which emphasizes avoiding waste. These groups identify abandoned or dilapidated kominka, often through networks of traditional builders and artisans, and prioritize rescuing them from demolition. The salvaging process involves carefully disassembling the homes, labeling each joint and frame member, and transporting them to a warehouse for cleaning, inspection, and repair. Components like ceramic roof tiles, tatami mats, doors, and shoji screens are also salvaged whenever possible. The timber frames are then reassembled to ensure structural integrity, documented, and finally disassembled again for shipping, often to other countries. One notable project involved the reconstruction of a kominka in northeastern Oregon. Eric Carlson, a long-time admirer of Japanese architecture, initiated this endeavor after observing discarded materials from old houses in Japan. Collaborating with Kunito Niwa and members of Toda Komuten, he helped establish the Kominka Collective to export these frames to North America. The first frame was used to build a 600-sq.-ft. structure on Carlson's property. Inspired by this, neighbors Bill Oliver and Kiyomi Koike commissioned the Collective to build a tea and guesthouse, expanding their initial request for a small studio. The project involved a hybrid design, blending traditional Japanese elements with modern building practices to meet local codes. The reconstruction process in Oregon combined salvaged sills, floor joists, and exposed timber roof framing with modern materials and Western building assemblies. New foundations were laid, and the salvaged 6x8 cypress beams were installed using traditional timber-frame joinery. The space between exterior posts was infilled with 2x6 walls, and mortise-and-tenon joints were secured with hidden structural lag bolts for code compliance. The reclaimed kominka roof framing, with its complex arrangement of crossbeams and natural shapes, was left exposed to the interior, providing an aesthetic connection to the home’s heritage. An over-roof with 2x12 rafters and R-40 fiberglass insulation was added to enhance comfort and energy efficiency. Lightweight enameled steel panels were used for the roofing, mimicking traditional Japanese tiles without adding excessive weight, and Japanese cypress was utilized for exterior wood details due to its weather resistance. The exterior walls featured a plaster finish achieved by applying a limestone-based stucco over tile backer panels, as traditional Japanese plaster was difficult to source. Decorative frame-and-panel details made of enameled steel were also incorporated at the lower portion of the exterior walls. The project, which took nearly a year, including delays from weather and the global pandemic, allowed for careful design decisions. The owners expressed that the completed Zen House Kominka offers a unique blend of vibrancy and serenity, transcending cultural boundaries. This initiative not only preserves traditional building arts but also offers an appreciation for kominka and the ancient Japanese timber-framing tradition, known for its flexible joinery and resilience against earthquakes, exemplified by structures like the Horyu-ji Temple, one of the oldest wooden-framed buildings in the world. #KominkaCollective #JapaneseArchitecture #TimberFrame #HistoricPreservation #SustainableBuilding #CulturalHeritage #HomeDesign #TraditionalCraftsmanship #OregonConstruction

Kengo Kuma, a prolific and versatile Japanese architect, has been making significant contributions to the world of architecture, marked by his recent completion of his first U.S. public commission in Portland and the ongoing construction of the stadium for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Kuma's architectural philosophy is characterized by a modernist interpretation of traditional Japanese design principles, emphasizing the innovative use of sustainable materials to seamlessly integrate structures into their natural and urban surroundings. His works often highlight a profound respect for context and a desire to create spaces that blend with their environment rather than dominating it. Among his notable projects is the Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center in Tokyo, Japan, which stands near the historic Sensō-ji temple. This center employs a contemporary architectural language to reference traditional Japanese construction, presenting a vertical stack of smaller structures with asymmetrical roofs that mirrors the vibrant energy of its neighborhood. In China's Sichuan Province, the Xin Jin Zhi Museum Chengdu, situated at the base of Laojunshan Mountain, explores themes of light and water. The museum features an elegant facade draped with floating tiles, allowing natural light to filter through during the day and illuminating beautifully at night. The Komatsu Seirin Fabric Laboratory in Ishikawa, Japan, showcases Kuma's innovative approach to renovation. This three-story office building, which serves as a workspace, exhibition, and research facility, incorporates cutting-edge carbon fiber technology for earthquake resistance. This material, ten times stronger than iron and inspired by local braiding techniques, was used for structural reinforcement for the first time in this project. The LVMH Headquarters in Osaka, Japan, is a multi-use building housing boutiques and offices. Its exterior is clad in a thin layer of onyx plates from Pakistan, sliced to four millimeters and sandwiched between glass, creating a luminous stone box effect at night in the bustling city center. For the Aitoku Kindergarten in Saitama, Japan, Kuma designed an early childhood education center with multiple pitched roofs made of wood and steel, angled to reflect the town's landscape and provide a cozy learning environment. SunnyHills at Minami-Aoyama in Tokyo, a patisserie for a Taiwanese pineapple cake company, features a nest-like structure crafted from Hinoki (Japanese cypress) using the traditional "Jigoku Gumi" construction method, allowing abundant natural light to create a bright and airy interior. Green Cast in Odawara-shi, Kanagawa, Japan, is a mixed-use building whose facade consists of aluminum die-cast planters. These planters, created with monobloc casting, help cool the interiors while facilitating natural daylight and ventilation. The Yufeng Spa Resort in Yunnan Province, China, draws inspiration from the nearby holy Yunfengshan Mountain. Kuma arranged the resort buildings to mimic the flow of spiritual energy from the mountain, using locally sourced stones laid in a mosaic pattern to achieve a pixelated effect. The Mont-Blanc Base Camp in Les Houches, France, designed as the headquarters for Blue Ice, a climbing and mountaineering company, integrates with its forest environment through a facade made of thick oak panels, echoing the surrounding trees. The building's wide oak plank roof harmonizes with the terrain. The Nezu Museum of Art in Tokyo, Japan, positioned behind a bamboo row near an upscale shopping district, successfully merges urbanity with nature. Its unique roof design and bamboo-lined approach blend the interior space with the garden. In Oregon, the Portland Japanese Garden Cultural Village expansion project benefited from Kuma's expertise in traditional Japanese design. The expansion, considered the most authentic Japanese Garden outside Japan, references the Katsura Villa in Kyoto, with glass walls and wooden screens that open to integrate architecture and nature within Portland's urban forest. Finally, Kuma's design for the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo, chosen for the 2020 Olympics, pays homage to traditional Japanese temples. This "urban forest" concept incorporates plants and trees on every level, a large oculus above the track, and a latticed larch-and-steel canopy, reportedly inspired by his work on the Portland Japanese Garden. #KengoKuma #JapaneseArchitecture #SustainableDesign #ModernArchitecture #ArchitecturalInnovation #CulturalIntegration #UrbanForestConcept #MaterialInnovation #TokyoOlympics

Kiyoaki Takeda Architects has designed and built a timber house in Tokyo's residential Setagaya ward that integrates with its hilly surroundings through the strategic use of five retaining walls. Unlike typical developments in the area that flatten land with large concrete walls, this project embraces the uneven terrain, featuring a rough slope with a 3.5-meter height difference. The primary objective of the design is to foster a deeper connection between the residents and the natural environment, despite the urban setting. The architect, Kiyoaki Takeda, aimed to restore the tactile sensation of living in a "place," emphasizing that this goes beyond merely adding soil to a floor. Instead, he sought to create an experience where inhabitants feel supported and enveloped by the earth's structure, achieved by contrasting natural elements with man-made interventions. The design focuses on merging nature and artifact, creating a vibrant living space that acknowledges the inherent life force rooted in the earth itself. The house, intended for a young couple and their four children, incorporates several small excavated areas to maximize the potential of the terrain. To manage the varying height differences resulting from these excavations, five distinct retaining walls were designed. Each wall, while uniquely shaped, maintains a flat structure reinforced by L or T-shaped ribs, engineered to support the earth's load with minimal thickness. This approach allows the retaining walls, typically construction materials, to become an integral part of the living space, contributing to the interior environment and benefiting from geothermal properties. This complex border between the earth and the architectural structure is intended to offer dynamic moments within the home. The architecture extends from this foundation, tracing the contours of the earth and the retaining walls. The structure is built in two layers: a reinforced concrete base and a timber upper section. The reinforced concrete part, traditionally an underfloor space, is integrated into the interior, creating a large atrium within the timber structure. This atrium features various skip floors, each offering a different environmental experience. The timber structure above provides an open frame with exposed beams, offering flexibility for future expansion or modification of the floor space. This design philosophy encourages residents to first perceive the unique characteristics of each space and then to creatively adapt and personalize their lives within this distinctive environment. The project underscores a harmonious coexistence between contemporary architecture and the inherent qualities of its natural site, making the retaining walls an essential and tactile element of the home. #KiyoakiTakedaArchitects #TokyoArchitecture #TimberHouse #RetainingWalls #ResidentialDesign #NatureIntegration #SustainableArchitecture #JapaneseArchitecture

Kengo Kuma, born in 1954 in Yokohama, Japan, initially favored modern concrete homes over his traditional wooden childhood dwelling, which featured rice paper screens and tatami mats. His perspective on traditional architecture shifted after being deeply impressed by Kenzo Tange's Yoyogi National Gymnasium, designed for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, which ignited his passion for architecture. Over time, Kuma developed a profound appreciation for his childhood home's craftsmanship, natural materials, and the unique sensory experience it offered, influencing his architectural philosophy. Kuma's current architectural approach emphasizes harmony with the environment, history, and local traditions, focusing on the use of natural and handmade materials. This philosophy is evident in his diverse projects globally, including the wooden Japan National Stadium in Tokyo and the stone-clad V&A Dundee in Scotland. He begins each project with an immersive site visit to understand its 'spirit,' feeling the breeze and smelling the soil, often spending an entire day there to grasp its essence before selecting the most suitable materials. He believes that finding the 'protagonist material' for a place is crucial for architecture. His recent works demonstrate this material-focused approach. The UCCA Clay Museum in Yixing, China, incorporates handmade ceramic tiles to celebrate the region's pottery heritage, while the CMP Inspiration museum in Taichung, Taiwan, features a green-planted roof seamlessly integrated with partially buried exhibition galleries. For the Banyan Tree Higashiyama Kyoto, Kuma drew inspiration from traditional Japanese Noh theatre, creating an outdoor stage using yellow cedar and Kyoto cypress, highlighting the ethereal beauty of local traditions. In the South of France, Kengo Kuma & Associates designed the World Heritage and Pyrénées National Park House in Gavarnie, emphasizing harmony with the stunning natural landscape through traditional materials. The building's fluid form and glazed walls offer mountain views, while its thatched roof celebrates local haymaking traditions. Kuma actively advocates for the sustainable properties of thatch, using it in innovative ways such as exterior walls in the Yusuhara Marche and an upside-down thatched roof at Greenable Hiruzen, despite the challenges of reintroducing traditional materials into contemporary construction. Kuma has designed over 70 museums worldwide, including the V&A Dundee and the Hans Christian Andersen Museum. He redefines museums not just as spaces for art, but as places for conversation with art, space, and gardens, prioritizing intimacy and a sense of belonging within urban environments. His favorite museum project is the Nezu Museum in Tokyo, which he redesigned to integrate with its gardens, preserving the spirit and lifestyle of its founder, Nezu Kaichiro. He sees the museum as a tender, intimate space with a soft atmosphere, particularly appreciating the small café where Nezu's living room once stood. Addressing challenges in contemporary architecture, Kuma notes the rising costs of projects due to global events. He believes the solution lies in a long-term vision, emphasizing that architecture should create 'treasures' for future generations. He advocates for a return to nature, natural materials, and craftsmanship, which he sees as the foundation of community and economy. Kuma aspires to be remembered as the architect who transformed concrete-centric architecture back to using natural materials, drawing inspiration from the simplicity and sensory richness of his childhood home. He also admires Geoffrey Bawa's work, finds inspiration in Japan's onsens and ryokans for design ideas, and considers the Bamboo House in China one of his favorite projects due to its contrast with the Great Wall. #KengoKuma #Architecture #NaturalMaterials #SustainableDesign #JapaneseModernism #MuseumDesign #CulturalHeritage #ThatchArchitecture #EnvironmentalHarmony

The article details the design and construction of 80 Atlantic, Eastern Canada’s first mass timber office building, located in Toronto’s Liberty Village. This 8,000-square-metre structure, designed by Quadrangle architects Richard Witt and Michelle Xuereb for Hullmark, serves as a contemporary interpretation of the historic brick-and-beam warehouses prevalent in the area. The project combines a conventional underground concrete parking garage and ground floor retail with four mass timber storeys of open office space, demonstrating a significant shift towards sustainable construction practices. The increasing awareness of embodied carbon and energy use in construction has brought material choices to the forefront of architectural and environmental discourse. Mass timber construction, particularly, is gaining traction as a sustainable alternative due to its ability to offset greenhouse gas-intensive practices and sequester carbon. Canadian architects and engineers, such as Michael Green and Fast + Epp, have played a pivotal role in pioneering and advocating for mass timber, influencing both design trends and building codes across the country. 80 Atlantic stands as a "premium product" designed to attract tenants to Liberty Village, an area that has experienced rapid and sometimes insensitive development. Hullmark's goal was to differentiate this new office building from typical downtown structures by embracing mass timber, not only for its environmental benefits but also for its aesthetic appeal, echoing the architectural heritage of the neighborhood. The building's thoughtful design begins with its urban integration, framing a new landscaped plaza alongside its neighbor, 60 Atlantic, which is a renovated historic warehouse. The mid-block entrance to 80 Atlantic's lobby, situated a half-floor below street level, extends the exterior social space of the courtyard, while the Atlantic Avenue street frontage is dedicated to retail. Connections at grade, including a through-block alley, contribute to the site's porous and inviting character. The building's form is described as straightforward and elegant. The ground floor on Atlantic Avenue features an inset glazed plane, with service and parking entrances consolidated on Jefferson Avenue. The upper office floorplates are clad in a super-scale punched window composition of curtain wall and porcelain rainscreen panels on three sides, abstractly reflecting the surrounding urban fabric. The south face, overlooking the courtyard, features an uninterrupted glass curtain wall, dramatically showcasing the exposed mass timber structure within. This transparency reveals the wood ceilings, beams, and columns, immediately setting the project apart. The structural system of the upper four storeys comprises glulam beams and columns on a 6.1-by-8.5-meter grid, supporting a nail-laminated timber (NLT) floor structure. Steel connections are concealed within the structure for fire protection. The interior ambiance created by the exposed NLT slab, made of grade-2 SPF 2x8s, is warm and airy, with minimal interruptions from sprinklers and lighting. The floor assembly includes plywood sheathing, an acoustic mat, and 50mm of concrete topping for sound reduction and a level surface for a raised access floor. This concrete topping also provides a non-combustible surface within the concealed plenum of the access floor, necessitating a non-combustible gypsum assembly for the lower 400mm of each glulam column. A metal flange then lifts the exposed glulam, ensuring a neat termination above the access floor. While mass timber is central, the project also integrates concrete and steel. The first floor ceiling, a concrete slab on a nine-by-nine-meter column grid, ensures required fire separations between retail and office spaces. The elevator core and fire stairs are structural concrete, providing lateral bracing. Some steel elements were added within the access floor to address deflection in cantilevers. The construction process was notably quieter compared to traditional methods, with wood components craned directly from transport trucks, optimizing space on the urban site. Each floor was erected by a small crew of carpenters in about two days. The nascent mass timber industry in Canada necessitates direct engagement with fabricators, fostering greater integration in the design process. 80 Atlantic's successful deployment of mass timber by Quadrangle highlights the material's potential in addressing the climate crisis and shaping architectural and civic frameworks. The project's success is attributed to a holistic understanding of both its component parts and its broader urban context. #MassTimber #WoodConstruction #OfficeBuilding #SustainableArchitecture #TorontoArchitecture #QuadrangleArchitects #UrbanDevelopment #BuildingMaterials

Kengo Kuma, an architect renowned for his thoughtful approach, draws inspiration from his childhood experiences, particularly Kenzo Tange Associates’s Yoyogi National Gymnasium. This early influence has culminated in Kuma's design of the new National Stadium for the 2020 Olympics, a project that is expected to introduce his firm, Kengo Kuma & Associates, to a global audience. Despite his growing international recognition, Kuma continues to dedicate himself to a diverse range of smaller projects, including residential homes, community centers, art galleries, commercial spaces like a Starbucks Coffee, railway dining cars, and even intricate glass pendant fixtures. His extensive work in remote rural Japan is particularly notable; following the devastating 2011 tsunami, he actively participated in the reconstruction master plan for a affected town, demonstrating a deep commitment to community and recovery. Kuma's architectural philosophy stands in contrast to the concrete minimalism often associated with figures like Tadao Ando. Instead, Kuma relentlessly explores the contemporary applications of traditional techniques and natural materials. His signature style incorporates elements such as volcanic stone, rough plaster, textured washi paper, cedar, and bamboo, with a particular preference for a yellowish bamboo species from Kyushu. This meticulous attention to material detail is a hallmark of his work. Early in his career, Kuma experimented with postmodern motifs, as seen in his Mazda showroom design after a year at Columbia University. However, he soon gravitated towards the pared-down aesthetic that defines his current style. His approach is deeply influenced by Junichiro Tanizaki's 1933 essay, "In Praise of Shadows," a seminal text on traditional Japanese aesthetics. Tanizaki's appreciation for subdued lighting resonates with Kuma, who frequently incorporates diffused, dappled sunshine into his designs through the use of louvers or slits. Personally, Kuma maintains a modest and soft-spoken demeanor, often presenting an academic air due to his teaching and research roles at the University of Tokyo, and his published works. This unassuming persona belies his leadership of two highly productive studios—one in Tokyo and a leaner operation in Paris—with a combined staff of approximately 200 individuals. The Tokyo office, distinguished by a glass-box meeting room and library, offers views of the 17th-century Baiso-in Temple, which Kuma himself rebuilt. His firm’s global reach is evidenced by numerous projects worldwide, with a particularly strong portfolio of museum designs. Notable Japanese projects include the Nezu Museum, the Suntory Museum of Art, the Nagasaki Prefectural Art Museum, the Wooden Bridge Museum, the Stone Museum, and the Nakagawa-machi Bato Hiroshige Museum of Art. Internationally, his Cité des Arts et de la Culture in Besançon, France, features an undulating roof and a timber-grid facade. In Scotland, the V&A Dundee, inspired by the region's cliffs, takes the form of inverted pyramids, whose concrete planks change color with the sunlight. Kuma humbly describes the V&A Dundee as a "living room for the city." Despite his stated desire to "erase" architecture, Kuma's fame continues to grow, leading to an increasing number and scale of commissions. The Olympic stadium, a significant project near his Tokyo office, exemplifies his ability to translate the warmth of his smaller buildings into a large-scale design. For this monumental structure, Kuma prioritizes native timber, advocating for sustainability and representing contemporary Japan as a nation with limited resources and a diminishing population. Renderings of the stadium depict a building interwoven with plants through its wooden latticework, reflecting Kuma's overarching goal to create humane and inhabitable architecture, even as he navigates the complexities of the built environment. #KengoKuma #JapaneseArchitecture #NaturalMaterials #TraditionalTechniques #SustainableDesign #ArchitecturalPhilosophy #OlympicStadium #MuseumDesign