Exploring the Possibilities of Lumber
It’s Time to Remind Society of Wood’s Basic Value
April 21, 2011
Shozo Baba (Representative Director, Construction Information Systems Laboratory, K.K.)
Shozo Baba is an architectural critic who’s been involved in various construction, redevelopment, and other projects as producer and advisor. He’s highly knowledgeable about lumber. “Right now, there are strong tailwinds for lumber,” he says when asked about the current environment for lumber and architecture. These words bode well for those pondering the future possibilities of lumber.
Falling prices, deregulation, and improved processing technologies
There’s a very high level of potential demand for wood, since it creates such comfort in human environments. Using wood also helps protect the environment by maintaining and improving our forests. Still, university architectural programs do not teach how to use wood. And since the cost of lumber has been relatively high since around 1965, market conditions have discouraged the use of lumber, even if one wanted to. For the past 10 years or so, however, the cost of domestic lumber has dropped by more than one-half. Fireproofing regulations on lumber have also eased considerably—for example, allowing the use of lumber measuring at least 5-cm thick as a fireproof material. These developments coupled with the rising demand for lumber as an eco-friendly material have generated strong tailwinds for the lumber market. Thanks to technological progress in areas such as fireproofing coating, the many advantages of wood are now being recognized. Wood grates attached to windows, for example, have been shown to enhance a building’s seismic performance. New ways to use wooden materials are thus rapidly developing.
The “weaknesses” of solid wood can also be its most attractive aspect.
The veneer sheets used in flooring, doors, and other applications (thinly sliced sheets of natural wood and other lumber materials) make it possible to take advantage of the beauty of wood grain using just a small amount of wood material, free of the knots and warping that are considered weaknesses of solid natural wood. But I think these so-called weaknesses as a building material, along with the irregularity of wood grain, may be the very things that make wood so attractive. In addition, solid wood can be made even more attractive depending on how it’s used. For example, for a reception room, it makes sense to use solid natural wood on just one surface rather than throughout the entire room. I think doing so can make the nature of the wood stand out and give the room a more refined feel, while using only small amounts of natural wood materials.
Veneer stored at Tokyo Mokkoujou
Veneer (See “A Woodworker’s Skills” to see how it’s processed.)
Shifting focus from low costs to the use of good materials
In today’s difficult economic times, most industries are working hard to target lower prices. But making low cost the ultimate goal doesn’t contribute much to our culture. Fortunately, a countertrend is taking shape, wherein people are willing to pay a little more for good materials. I think this will lead to a renewed understanding of the positive characteristics of real wood. In the old days, it’s said that Sen no Rikyu chose to use tea utensils that were high-quality items, even if they didn’t look special to others. The value of such items only came to be recognized by society later. I think there’s a need for those involved in architecture to choose quality wood materials and use them in quality structures. Through these efforts, we can communicate the value of wood to society. This approach will also help protect and advance Japan’s proud culture of woodcraft.
Conclusion
On the topic of wood, Mr. Baba speaks sometimes passionately and sometimes gently. His attitude conveys how much he cares about wood. “Actually, my family owned a lumberyard. I played on logs as a kid,” he says, explaining how he came to love wood as a child. “That’s why I feel such a strong affinity toward wood.” His smile while reminiscing about the old days made us understand the true source of wood’s appeal.
Profile
Shozo Baba
Representative Director, Architectural Communication Consultant, Ltd.
Born in Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture, in 1935. Graduated from the Department of Architecture, First School of Science and Engineering, Waseda University in 1957.
Graduated from the Department of Economics, First School of Political Science and Economics, in 1959. Joined Shinkenchiku-sha Co., Ltd. that same year. Named editor in chief of Shinkenchiku magazine in 1964. Founded Construction Information Systems Laboratory, K.K. (current position) in 1990.
Mr. Baba tours Shimizu Corporation’s Tokyo Mokkoujou Arts & Crafts Furnishings
Great expectations for the treasure trove that is Tokyo Mokkoujou
At the time of this interview, Mr. Baba toured Shimizu’s Tokyo Mokkoujou Arts & Crafts Furnishings. “It’s truly a treasure trove, isn’t it?” he exclaimed. He went on to discuss his high expectations for the future of Tokyo Mokkoujou. “I think if you showed this to architects, most would be enthusiastic about using more lumber in their projects. Have you considered, for example, making factories or offices out of wood and using them as a model for promoting wood structures? I’d love to see Tokyo Mokkoujou expand the scope of wood use by proposing designs and products that take advantage of the supposed disadvantages of solid wood, including knots and other irregularities.”
Over the course of the tour, Mr. Baba enthusiastically observes the woodworkers, the machinery, the lumber stock, and other sights.