Structural Mechanism and Morphology of Timber Towers in Japan

Abstract

The tower of Hohryuji, a typical traditional five-storied pagoda built approximately 1,300 years ago, plays an important role as a religious symbol, but it is also a great cultural asset for the harmony of its inventive high standard of traditional carpentry technology and its morphological beauty. There still exists over 300 of this kind of architecture in Japan today, and are considered as one of the typical Japanese beauty. The morphologies of our traditional timber towers are characterized by the tower’s height, and the deep carvings formed by piling roofs projecting outward from its slender body in triples and quintuples. By using data from restoration reports and making models of the traditional timber towers, this paper will focus on their unique morphology and their structures, and investigate their relationship to interpret those special qualities. © 2002, Architectural Institute of Japan. All rights reserved.