Japanese architectural style

Diana Draganova

JEPENESEARCHITECT

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climate

BuddhismChina

Diana Draganova

Japanese architectural style evolves around clean and uncluttered living,

holding tightly to balance, order, ancient customs and a love for

natural beauty.

Diana Draganova

The main features of Japanese architecture:

• arches and barrel roofs are completely absent.

• preference of the straight line over the curved;

• paper-thin, often movable and never load-bearing

walls;

• skillful use of various woods;

• post-and-lintel structure;• large and gently curved

roof;

Diana Draganova

Construction materials. For freestanding houses, wood frames are popular. Two-by-four construction is an alternative to the native style. Buildings may be clad in siding or faced with ceramic tile. Interiors often have drywall, painted or with a wall covering. Tile is a common roofing material; it may be fired clay or concrete. Clay tiles often bear a color and a glaze.

Diana Draganova

The roof is the most visually impressive component, often constituting half the size of the whole edifice. The slightly curved eaves extend far beyond the walls, covering verandas, and their weight must therefore be supported by complex bracket systems called tokyō, in the case of temples and shrines. Simpler solutions are adopted in domestic structures. The oversize eaves give the interior a characteristic dimness, which contributes to the building's atmosphere.

Diana Draganova

Diana Draganova

The interior of the building normally consists of a single room at the center called moya, from which depart any other less important spaces. Inner space divisions are fluid, and room size

can be modified through the use of screens or movable paper walls. The

large, single space offered by the main hall can therefore be divided according

to the need.

Diana Draganova

Diana Draganova

The fusuma are vertical rectangular panels which can slide from side to side to redefine spaces within a room, or act as doors. They consist of a lattice-like wooden understructure covered in cardboard and a layer of paper or cloth on both sides. They typically have a black lacquer border and a round finger catch. Historically, fusuma were painted, often with scenes from nature such as mountains, forests or animals. Today, many feature plain rice paper, or have industrially printed graphics of fans, autumn leaves, cherry blossom, trees, or geometric graphics.

Diana Draganova

Diana Draganova

The engawa, is a typical element of the traditional Japanese house. It is a strip of flooring, usually made of hardwood and surrounding the house, that represents a filter between the inside and the outside. Japanese people give a lot of importance to nature and their life-styles usually aim to harmonize with the natural world. The engawa carries out the same function of rebuilding and reinforcing the connection with nature. Not only is it a physical medium, an in-between space, it also transforms as the climate changes, because it can be kept open or it can be closed according to temperature. During the winter, it becomes something like a loggia where you can benefit from the view of the outside; in summer it’s a porch-like structure that you can walk on, enjoying the breeze and the sunlight.

Diana Draganova

Diana Draganova

The relationship of the house and the surrounding

area (garden) is an important aspect of traditional Japanese architecture. The Japanese did not consider the internal and

external space as two separate parts, rather the two into one

another. In other words, that no boundary where the inner ends

and the outer space of the house begins.

Diana Draganova

Diana Draganova

The Most Famous Structures in Japan

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Himeji Castle

Diana Draganova

Golden Pavilion Temple

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Byodo-in Temple

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Thank you for attention!

Diana Draganova