bakoko: onjuku beach house

‘onjuku beach house’ by bakoko located in onjuku, japan all images © bakoko

japanese practice bakoko has sent us images of their project ‘onjuku beach house’, a single family residence located in onjuku, japan. sited near the sandy white beaches southeast of tokyo, this low profile dwelling’s exterior blends into the bluffs of the region. constructed with japanese timber framing methods, the exterior is clad with cedar planks treated with a preservative stain for a weathered appearance. sliding wooden shutters running parallel to the wood deck serve a similar purpose to the traditional engawa while allowing the entire home to be enclosed and protected from seasonal typhoons.

foundations

masterbuilders typically used labor intensive interlocking joints to create earthquake resistant structures. this project utilizes technology to create tongue and groove technology to carry out this historic construction method using robotic machinery to precut each joint in seconds. a timber supplier creates templates from blueprints and then lumber is trimmed, numbered and delivered to the site. workers piece the units together like a large puzzle using a wooden mallet to set joints into place with additional bolts to reinforce and resist lateral earthquake forces. taking only one day to erect the structure, this process will greatly reduce the need for skilled wood working on site with millimeter accuracy and essentially eliminate waste on site.

tongue and groove joint

assembling the wood frame

pieces waiting to be assembled

bundled lumber is lowered onto upper floors for installation

framing for lateral stability

steel bolts for extra strength

workers securing joints with wooden mallot

installation of cedar cladding

cedar planks before treatment

cedar planks treated with preservative

sealing roof

porch

exterior upon completion

cedar deck and sliding doors upon completion

precut – modern japanese timber construction.