| This building was constructed as the showroom and office to mark the
50th anniversary of Chugoku Lumber Company, Ltd., which has its head office
in Hiroshima. The building is located on reclaimed harbor land on Nagoya
Port, which is the distribution center of the Chubu region. The large
wooden roof attracts attention. The client, whose main business has been
the manufacture and sales of lumber products for housing, decided to challenge
a new architectural possibility using the company's main products of Douglas
fir seasoned timber and laminated lumber. With the object of seeking new
customers for sales on a large scale, a design competition was held, and
this design was selected. The large wooden ceiling, which rises in a curve
from the entrance toward the back, was formed by first placing housing-size
laminated lumber of small sections into board shaped roof units through
which wire was run, and these units were then prestressed and joined together.
The "bend" created by the weight and rigidity of the roof gives a beautiful
suspension curved surface with the soft expression of the wood, realizing
a wooden space without any beams or columns. Because this was a construction
style never before tried, a full-size roof was first test built when the
work was begun. The work was completed a short six months later during
which time consideration was given to various structural styles, inclinations,
rigidity and construction methods. |
