Not much in the way of snowflakes around here right now, so I thought I’d look around elsewhere. Where else but Japan would you find such creative truss framing?:
It seems obvious to call it a snowflake truss, which would be yuki no kesshō in Japanese (雪の結晶) because that is what the form of which it reminds me. It’s the new community center building in Toyooka City, located in Hyogo prefecture:
Very cleanly done framing as you would expect – also making use of local materials:
It was designed by a guy name Misaru Tahara. I’d be really interested to see the structural analysis of this truss, to see how it apportions loads.
It’s beautiful in any case:
Another view:
It cleverly combines Japanese traditional framing, using nobori-bari ‘ascending beam‘ (also termed ne-magari-zai 根曲がり材, literally ‘curved root material’) from the tops of the wall, and a framework that is otherwise stark and geometrical in form:
Opposites attract, and are attractive.
Another view:
I’m sure there’s some metal in there somewhere, especially where the connected elements are in tension.
I imagine you saw this here first, no? The center for breaking news, 24 hours a day….
Well, not quite.
Merry Christmas from the Carpentry Way!
The carpenters who got to work on this project are very fortunate. There is some “sandwiching” over some half-lap joinery. I also would be interested if there is any metal fasteners and glue. If there is metal fasteners, they have hidden them very well, maybe barbed fasteners and the trusses pressed together? Very interesting, thanks for posting. Where did you find these pics? I would love to see more.
Paul,
thanks for the comment. There are certainly metal fasteners in there- it's hard to avoid with trusses. Yes, they have hidden them well.
I find these pics somewhat by accident while searching for other things. KIt's helpful to be able to read and write in Japanese. The pics above are about the only ones out there of a decent size I'm afraid. I'd post more if there were more available.
~C
Thanks for sharing Chris,
on the first picture from above, you can see the pocket holes for the bolts and nuts tying the two main beams (arbalétriers) and the one for the braces.
Merry Christmas to you and your familly.
François
The longer I look at these – the more questions my brain comes up with. I would've loved to see a time lapse or video, I am sure there was a very specific sequence of assembly. Francois I see some of the fasteners you mentioned. I feel I could keep jabbering on about this – thanks again for the pictures.