When asking my daughter about her project, I was surprised to hear that she wanted to build a wooden house with connections entirely made of joints without using screws. I told her that it wouldn't be easy, but I also gave her some documents to study. I recommended that she go see the Botanical Pavilion by Kengo Kuma and Geoff Nees, which was built using the Japanese joint method, as it was on display.
Years ago, when I was studying at university in my final years, I had a close friend who was the Chairman of the Student Union, so I was involved in many good things with him. At that time, if there were good books in the school library, students couldn't get to them. I asked my friend to let me in several times, and I really liked the book on Kengo Kuma's architectural works, which made me stay until the librarian wanted to leave early to watch a movie with her boyfriend. In Kengo Kuma's projects, those built with wooden structures are especially unique and attractive, making me admire the joints and understand why Japanese wooden architecture is special. The technique of interlocking joints, which is delicate and precise, and the self-weight of the structure, contributes to the stability of the building. Wooden structures always demonstrate the Japanese's meticulousness, accuracy, and love for nature, reviving dead branches into living buildings, like a tree that continues to grow sustainably - in keeping with their spirit of overcoming challenges.
At a time when technology is developing rapidly, using modern engineered lumber is an opportunity for architects to overcome the instability of natural wood materials in the past, and this demonstrates the very high level of control in traditional wooden architecture in Japan. Most of Japan's ancient wooden architecture is still in excellent condition, maintaining the same precise connection standards and materials despite being used for many centuries. Those interested in Japanese wooden architecture and structures can visit the Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum in Kobe or learn more about ancient or contemporary architectural works of Japanese architects such as Kengo Kuma, Toyo Ito, or even SANAA, to see how the Japanese's application and inheritance in architectural design are excellent.
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