STRUCTURE, MATERIALS, & ENVIRONMENT

OF VERNACULER JAPANESE HOUSES

Environmental Issues in Modern Living

Earthquake / Fire / Flood Climate change / Global warming Natural Resource Waste / trash / garbage Neighborhood / Community Crime / Social Problems

Arno Suzuki Kyoto University

Q1: What shall we do? / What can we do?

Japanese Wooden Structures

Traditional Construction
Dento Koho

Nuki, Penetration Traditional Construction Dento Koho Conventional Construction Zairai Koho Tsugi-te continuous joint
Photo by courtesy of Bajane Architecture

Shi-guchi or perpendicular joints

Q2: What are differences between these two?

Post and Beam Structure

jiku-gumi koho

Conventional Construction
Zairai Koho

Traditional, Dento

Conventional, Zairai

Metal fasteners and braces

Structural plywood walls

Q3: Is there any difference?

Q4: Where did these new ideas come from?

(Prefabricated Panel Structure )

c.f. 2x4Construction

c.f. 2x4 v.s. Zairai

2 x 4 Panel Construction (Wall Structure)

Zairai

2x 4

Images from 2x4 companies advertisement

Platform structure Balloon-frame structure Images from http://www.hometips.com DIY website
Japanese Conventional Construction (Post-Beam Structure)

mandatory for conventional construction

Metal Fasteners

c.f. Rope-tied Structure

Gion Festival Floats

New law from the year 2000 There is no evidence of what will happen after 50 years

Dragged around downtown with 100 people on it. Assembled once a year in July, disassembled and stored. Temporary and Recyclable!

Q5: Why the government do not admit or trust traditional construction?

Traditional Constructions Earthquake Control

Traditional Houses
Big Roof and Eaves Large Openings, Elevated Floor

Vibration Damping

Base Isolation

Breathing Materials of wood, paper, earth

Climate Control using No Energy!

Large Openings Elevated Floor

Large Openings

Sliding Doors (Shoji , fusuma , amado ) control the ventilation

Natural Ventilation

Q6: What other merits of such no-wall system?

Elevated Floor

Path of Wind
In a Machiya

Q7: Does your house have any path of wind?

Elevated floor was a common practice in any humid areas, but no longer in Japan. Q8: Why we stopped doing this?

Big Roof and Eaves

The Effect of Deep Eaves 1

When eaves are small, Sunlight hit inside the room When eaves are big, Sunlight is blocked

Sunlight and Rain Control

Animation: by courtesy of Sho Ishikawa

The Effect of Deep Eaves 2

When the Sun is high in summer, it does not reach When the Sun is low in winter, it makes warm inside.

Big Roof and Eaves

stop rain, allow wind, and prevent wood from decaying.

Animation: by courtesy of Sho Ishikawa

In-Between Space Under Eaves

Natural Materials Control

Rain-safe work area in a farmers house

Buffer-zone inbetween inside and outside

Sound, Temperature and Humidity

Natural Interior Materials

Earth Walls Wood Ceiling, Posts Rice Paper Sliding doors

Straw Mats

Thatched Roof

Controls Temperature, humidity and sound. Q8. Why do these materials have such functions?

made of dried grass

Structure of Earth Walls

Repair and Recycle

Structural Materials Furniture Utensils Fire logs Ash (fertilizer, glueetc.) Japan until Edo Period was

Q9. What is another merit of natural materials?

Wood is easy to repair

ZERO-Emission Society

Recycled Materials

Details With Nature

Q10: What is this structural material?

Last-Q: Do you feel it restriction, or fun?