Zenkonyu x Tamping Earth

Kagawa, Japan

Photo © Toshihiro Misaki

Art + Installation + Exhibition

Architects: Tadashi Saito + atelier NAVE

Year: 2013

This architecture is an art work in the Setouchi Triennale 2013 autumn in Honjima.

I participated in the art festival as a part of a recovery project of Shiwaku carpenters who flourished in Shiwaku islands formerly.

This architecture was built our self consists HANCHIKU and a rising arch shaped roof. This architecture is called “TOGURO (coil)” as a common name from its shape. Most of the material of HANCHIKU is lump of the earth jammed into a dense fruit to the inside. TOGURO was made with many volunteers, and their expectation rises to the surface like stratums. The process which rammed earth, formed the shape and spent a lot of time is also the reason this architecture started to be called “TOGURO=塒(土 means earth and 時 means time in Japanese)”. Moreover, the exterior form is decided by tracing the limit of aspect ratio to stand it self and be not fallen.