Charring is a simple and time-honored way to toughen the exterior of any wooden design. Called shou sugi ban in Japanese (when specifically referring to cedar) the process hardens the surface, protecting it against rain, rot, and insects. Too much burn weakens the wood but just enough leaves a beautiful, textured, coal-black sheen.
This unique Southern California home features extensive charred cedar cladding, both within and without.
In the shadow of Denali, amid Alaska’s meadows and icy streams, a former teacher and a four-time Iditarod winner built a modernist cabin as expansive as the Last Frontier. Its charred cedar exterior gently basks in the Alaskan sun.
Made of hardy Scottish materials and holding a Japanese heart, this Edinburgh house shows that two architects from disparate cultures can design a home that bridges the gap. In the kitchen, a charred post stands next to a sunken table.
With this House 2.0, architect Pieter Weijnen demonstrated the exponential rate at which green design is advancing. Its striking black facade is the result of the Japanese practice of charring wood. Weijnen, an architect at the Amsterdam firm Faro, first discovered charred wood through the work of Terunobu Fujimori and later traveled to the Japanese island of Naoshima to observe the traditional technique.
This pair of mobile studios in the U.K. connect artists, audience, and landscape. Sculptor and painter Edward Crumpton, a childhood friend of Charlotte Knight, of British firm Feilden Clegg Bradley, helped the architects identify features and constraints that would make for a more creative workspace. Crumpton's own work, including The Mariner's Way, a weaving project inspired by the knot-tying of past generations of sailors, was incorporated into the final design. The charred exterior was inspired by his charcoal sketches.
Since nobody in the U.K. was currently offering charred wood, Knight and her team worked with the contractor to char 500 pieces of wood themselves during construction.
Docomomo US announces the winners of this year's Modernism in America Awards. Each project showcases exemplary modern restoration techniques, practices, and ideas.
Today, we kicked off this year’s annual Dwell on Design at the LA Convention Center, which will continue through Sunday, June 26th. Though we’ve been hosting this extensive event for years, this time around is particularly special.
By straightening angles, installing windows, and adding vertical accents, architect Aaron Ritenour brought light and order to an irregularly shaped apartment in the heart of Athens, Greece.
From the bones of a neglected farmstead in rural Scotland emerges a low-impact, solar-powered home that’s all about working with what was already there.
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