Japanese Disposable Homes

House in Saijo / Suppose Design Office. Image Courtesy of Nacasa&Partners Inc

Interesting Freakonomics Podcast about the culture of disposable homes in Japan (heres the transcript). It makes for an interesting argument about whats the best economics to produce a building booms for new construction versus the sustainability of keeping and remodeling homes that is so typically done in America.

I have a feeling that many Architects don't like the idea of tearing down one of their designs after the short half-life (38) of a Japanese home. Although this short span of a home allows for many new and creative designs of homes to go up more rapidly and allows for more Architects to have more commissions.

I also found this video from the Youtube Japan Channel that describes and shows the disposable home market. It takes a look at the types of materials that are thrown together very quickly and how the financial value system works for purchasing.




Referenced Links:

Related Articles:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Oblivion Sky Tower

Image
A Futuristic Modern Architecture Box (dubbed the Sky Tower) nestled in the surreal setting above the clouds in the (futurist post apocalyptic) movie Oblivion  (2013) written and directed by Joseph Kosinski . The home takes some obvious inspiration from the Stahl House aka Case Study # 22 by Architect Pierre Koenig . The home has some obvious improvements with the the extended helipad over the see through acrylic infinity pool. The foundation of the home is on a unbelievably thin single (steel?) column that seems to be unaffected by the wind throughout the movie. The Director Joseph Kosinski conceived of the sky tower design with early 3D modeling renderings that he made. Joseph Kosinski graduated from Columbia University with a degree in Architecture that explains the strong modern design elements in his work. Kosinski admits that his production design team refined his early ideas into finished reality . The set is a crisp clean design and the frameless g...
Read more

32 Simple and Basic Design Ideas of Frank Lloyd Wright

Image
I was recently reading an article from the September issue of 1956 House and Home and was astounded to see an interesting FLLW article with tips for the average home builder. As I was reading through the article I was realizing that those tips and advise were still just as pertinent today as it was in 1956. The particular house the article refers to is the Zimmerman house built in Manchester, New Hampshire. The home is part of a series of homes that Wright built known as the Unisonian Homes that were low cost homes for moderate income families. 32 Simple and Basic Design Ideas of Frank Lloyd Wright 1. Stress the Horizontals. (a) Stretch the roof line. (b) Keep the fascia in one straight line except for a good reason. (c) Define a strong middle line. 2. Don't waste a big overhang on the north, and don't feel you must use the same roof pitch on both sides. 3. Keep the roof line low. 4. Don't build a whole wall and punch holes in it for your windows. Build ...
Read more

Kumiko Pattern

Image
Traditional Japanese lattice partition were hand crafted wood screens that provided beautiful window or door dividers for Japanese architecture. Many traditional sliding partition walls are also made using shoji paper on a wooden frame to provide a translucent screen between rooms. Craftsmanship - "Kumiko" woodwork technique 1. Origin and History: Traditional Craft: Kumiko is an ancient Japanese craft that dates back to the Asuka period (592-710 AD). It has been passed down through generations of craftsmen, evolving and refining over the centuries. 2. Technique: Precision Cutting: Kumiko involves the precise cutting and interweaving of thin wooden pieces, usually employing a variety of joints, including the mortise-and-tenon joint. These pieces are often only a few millimeters wide, requiring exceptional skill and precision from the craftsmen. Geometric Patterns: Kumiko patterns are geometric and can range from simple squares and rectangles to more co...
Read more