Homes We Love: Every day we include an amazing area submitted by our neighborhood of architects, designers, contractors, and homeowners. Have one to share? Post it here.Project Information: Place: Saitama, Japan Wood Procurement: Anai Wood Factory Photographer: Nobutada Omote From
the Architect: “Live Sawn House
challenges a paradox in contemporary Japanese forestry: thick, high-quality sugi (Japanese cedar)logs are valued less than thinner ones. This inversion originates from postwar reforestation policies and the decline of sawmills efficient in processing large timber, leaving fully grown cultivated trees underutilized. Forestry employees lament that decades of growth are offered cheaply and cut into standardized pieces. Declining this logic, the project embraces an option: showcasing thick logs in their raw, meaningful type utilizing dara-biki(live sawing), a traditional technique that exposes each tree’s unique character while maximizing yield and structural integrity. “This two-story house occupies an irregular metropolitan site with a winding street.
Constructed on a modest budget, it incorporates design with product sourcing. The building system is simple and understandable: 105 millimeter planks are used for corner and wind-exposed columns, while 70 millimeter planks serve lighter loads; beams are regularly 105 millimeter thick. Boards maintain natural edges and occasional bark, enhancing visual texture while decreasing waste. Timber is oriented along the grain, making sure high flexing strength without industrial processing. “In a dense property district outside Saitama, the largest city in among Tokyo’s neighboring prefectures
, the building appears from the street only in pieces: a slim box raised on balanced lumber posts. The ground flooring consists of the dining kitchen, while living and sleeping areas occupy the upper flooring. A suspended walk-in closet– skywalk-in-closet– extends over the alley, culminating in a research study nook. Below, timber pilotis mention the wood interior structure. The children’s space functions movable shelves for flexibility. By accepting the neglected potential of thick sugi logs, Live Sawn Home proposes a sustainable, site-specific architecture grounded in material sincerity, craftsmanship, and regard for local forestry traditions.”