
first image
'a home for all' by toyo ito, kumiko inui, sou fujimoto, and akihisa hirata, rikuzentakata, japan
image © kumiko inui
after introducing the various projects in the japanese pavilion of the 2012 venice architecture biennale, the collaborative team of japenese architects
including toyo ito, kumiko inui, sou fujimoto, and akihisa hirata have built a full-scale prototype of their gathering house concept open to the public
in rikuzentakata. in response to the great east japan earthquake of 2011, the group of architects worked together to explore possible future typologies
for japanese coastal cities that may be prone to similar events. using a system of natural wooden columns like pilotis arranged on a regular grid,
the volumes are suspended in a three-dimensional matrix like a complex home on stilts with a relationship on both the horizontal and vertical axes of
the different layers of the dwelling, sometimes maintaining the orthogonal nature of the foundations while at others exercising the exception.
'a home for all' serves as a gathering space for the thousands of people that were left homeless after the devastating natural disaster.
see designboom's earlier coverage of the japanese exhibition 'architecture. possible here? a home for all.'
at the 2012 venice architecture biennale, here.

interior
image © kumiko inui

finished house
image © kumiko inui

timber column and beam substructure
image © kumiko inui

construction
image © ja+u

image © ja+u

sketch

model displayed at the japanese pavilion of the same housing proposal
image © designboom

left to right: architects kumiko inui, akihisa hirata, commissioner toyo ito, architect sou fujimoto
image © designboom
is it a waste of trunk?
Interesting concept but wouldn’t you build in the hillsides away from future tsunami flood danger…???
lesson not learnt methinks…
beautiful project! makes sense!
I don’t understand this structure in the context off the recent disasters in Japan. This structure appears to be built in spite of the resent disasters that struck Japan. Why tree trunks, why on the ground when it should be, as was earlier noted, in the hills or raised well above ground level. In addition to these questions I can’t help but wonder if these materials are at all practical. It looks like a lot of structure with questionable strength for a little bit of space.
Please forgive me if I am completely missing the point.
At its worst it is an offense to the people that we lost in the disaster.