Yusuhara Wooden Bridge Museum
Concept
This is a plan to link two public buildings with a bridge-typed facility, which had been long separated by the road in between. The museum technically bridges communications in this area. It functions not only as a passage between the two facilities but also as an accommodation and workshop, ideal location for artist-in-residence programs. In this project, we challenged a structural system which composes of small parts, referring to cantilever structure often employed in traditional architecture in Japan and China. It is a great example of sustainable design, as you can achieve a big cantilever even without large-sized materials.
Bridge-Shaped Museum that Connects Two Public Facilities
Yusuhara Wooden Bridge Museum connects a hotel and a spa operated by the town, which had been separated by a cliff and a road.
The museum functions not only as the skywalk between the two facilities, but also as accommodations, work and exhibition rooms that cater to artist-in-residence program, thus bridging cultures of the world as well.
New Form of Framing with Assembly of Laminated Wood with Small Section
On designing a wooden bridge abundantly using locally produced sugi (red cedar), we sought out a structure to accumulate laminated timberwith small sections, rather than bridging an oppressive-looking crossbeam with enormous sections, so that we could realize a bridge’s presence that could merge into the forest around it. As we studied on, we came to a conclusion that the whole structure could be achieved by pulling out the accumulation of 180x300“hanegi”(corbel). Furthermore, the bridge could be balanced at the center of the pier and be fitted to the geographical features of the site.
This is how the new type of frame construction came into being.
On the edge of the hotel’s end, we set up a studio, gallery and lodging in roof structure built in the inverted form of this construction.
Linking Traditional and Contemporary Expressions
Accumulation of hanegi evokes the traditional construction method of“to-kyo”(square framing) employed in Japan and China, which was devised to support the load from the eaves. By repeating this method persistently to the scale of a bridge, we were able to present a completely new expression of architecture, while keeping its bona fide Asian appearance.
Laminated wood itself embodies a unit of“masonry in wood.”In this architecture, this composition continues into a larger dimension and achievesa“masonry structure in wood,” bringing out the new expression and potential of laminated wood.
Connecting Varied Themes
The project also aims to“bridge”various issues of the town ‒ revitalization of the local culture, urban design, technique for frame construction, application of natural materials in the traditional design ‒ with one architectural work.
