Aida Sekkei Precut Factory by Nobuaki Miyashita is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2024 Golden A' Design Award in Architecture, Building and Structure Design Competition Category.
GoldArchitecture· 2024
Aida Sekkei Precut Factory
Client: Aida Sekkei Co., Ltd.
Golden A' Design Award Winner in Architecture Category
Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #160159The Design
About Aida Sekkei Precut Factory
Aida Sekkei's new factory plan focuses on wood precutting. Its concept is all about creating an architecture which embodies the series of timber processing. It includes a floating, glass enclosed walkway approximately 100 meters long inside the factory, designed for visitors to closely observe the entire pre-cutting process. The office building features large spaces with trusses made from feather edge materials, commonly used as sub materials in wooden houses. The design integrates all elements to create a showcase factory, emphasizing visibility and aesthetic appeal in every aspect.
The Recognition
About the Golden A' Design Award
Aida Sekkei Precut Factory is a Golden A' Design Award winner, an immensely prestigious recognition granted to first-rate, marvelous, and outstanding designs. Golden winners are exceedingly innovative, visionary, and glamorously dazzling creations that reflect the prodigy, wisdom, and prowess of their designers. Aida Sekkei Precut Factory is expected to be a highly praised, trendsetting, and monumental invention that delivers unprecedented value. This Golden A' Design Award-winning design is a spectacular, respected project that highly benefits and advances the boundaries of art, science, design, and technology. Aida Sekkei Precut Factory creates intense feelings of desire, evokes passion, encourages creativity, and fascinates us.
Where to Get It
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Discuss Your ProjectInterviews
Design Interview
What is the main principle, idea and inspiration behind your design?
The primary principle behind my design for the AIDA Precut Division was to architecturalize the timber processing itself. The inspiration came from the desire to visualize the simple yet precise process of cutting high-quality laminated wood collected from around the world, embodying the quality of housing through the design of the factory.
What has been your main focus in designing this work? Especially what did you want to achieve?
My main focus while designing this work was to ensure that the precision of the precut technology translated into the overall aesthetic and functionality of the space. I aimed to create a design that not only facilitates efficient production but also symbolizes the quality of AIDA Design’s housing.
What are your future plans for this award winning design?
For this award-winning design, my future plans include continuing to refine and adapt the functional aspects of the facility to accommodate advancements in precut technology and sustainable building practices.
Grand Interview
Your innovative approach to the 100-meter-long glass-enclosed walkway in Aida Sekkei Precut Factory creates a unique visitor experience – could you share the thought process behind making the manufacturing process so visible and how this transparency aligns with Japanese architectural traditions?
The 100-meter-long glass-enclosed walkway at Aida Sekkei Precut Factory was designed to offer visitors a transparent view into the precision and care involved in timber processing. By showcasing the entire manufacturing process, we aimed to convey Aida Sekkei’s commitment to quality and craftsmanship, aligning with the Japanese tradition of transparency in architecture. Japanese architecture often emphasizes openness, and this walkway allows visitors to see each step of the timber’s transformation without barriers. It was essential for us to honor the heritage of Japanese architecture by making the manufacturing process both visible and immersive, reflecting a philosophy of open communication and pride in the work.
The use of small-section studs (30×120mm) to achieve a 12-meter span in Aida Sekkei Precut Factory represents a groundbreaking achievement in Japanese construction – what inspired this cost-effective solution, and how might it influence future large-scale wooden structures?
The use of small-section studs (30×120mm) to span 12 meters at Aida Sekkei Precut Factory was inspired by the need for a cost-effective yet structurally robust solution for large wooden constructions. Leveraging the strength and versatility of smaller studs allowed us to reduce costs significantly while maintaining the structural integrity required for an industrial setting. This approach not only highlights innovation in timber engineering but also sets a precedent for future projects. By rethinking the role of smaller components, we opened up possibilities for large-scale wooden structures, demonstrating that traditional materials can be adapted to meet modern architectural and environmental needs.
The facade of Aida Sekkei Precut Factory features a striking protruding massive timber design that symbolizes speed and dynamism – how did your initial factory visits influence this bold architectural statement, and what message did you want to convey about modern timber processing?
The bold, protruding massive timber façade of Aida Sekkei Precut Factory was directly influenced by our initial site visits and observations of the timber-processing speed and precision. By creating a dynamic design that suggests movement, we sought to embody the energy and efficiency of modern timber processing. This architectural statement aims to convey a message about the power of timber as both a traditional material and a symbol of modern manufacturing. We wanted visitors and workers alike to feel the innovation and speed of the process, creating an impactful visual that reflects Aida Sekkei’s drive toward future advancements.
Behind the Design
Press Kit
Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.
- Unique Properties
- This is a project of a new timber processing plant for precut lumber. Its design concept is all about creating an architecture that embodies the series of timber processing. The almost 100-meter-long viewing aisle encased in a random stripe wooden shell is cantilevered and appears as if it floats from the factory building wall. The aim of the impressive façade design with a sense of acceleration and speed is to provoke the image of Aida Sekkei’s further evolution towards the future.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Site area: 40,023.50 m2
Building area: 14,614.43 m2
Total floor area: 15,206.32 m2
Office Building(2F)
1st floor: 458.21 m2
2nd floor: 429.28 m2
Number of floors: 2 above ground
Height: Maximum height 10.86 m,
Structure: Wooden
Factory Building(2F)
1st floor: 13,886.39 m2
2nd floor: 380.70 m2 - Tags
- architecture, factory, wooden, truss, pre-cut, Factory tour, Japan
- Production Technology
- As for the office, which is the face of the plant, we created one large space by building a scissor truss using members of smaller cross sections (30 mm by 120mm size lumber used as supplementary members such as wall studs of a home). 120mm square Japanese cypress pillars are placed every 303 mm of the wall and to construct load-bearing walls, a 30 mm thick cedar board was inserted between the pillars.
- Design Challenge
- When constructing large-span wooden structures, it's common to use specialized and expensive materials such as large-diameter engineered lumber. However, here, we've achieved a 12-meter span at low cost by combining small-section studs commonly used in typical residential construction to form trusses. This method, the first of its kind in Japan, utilizes these small-section studs (measuring 30×120mm) which are widely used in residential construction.
- Research
- Research Objective: To find a cost-effective method for achieving large spans in wooden structures. Result: The combination of small-section studs into truss structures has enabled the realization of a 12-meter span at low cost. Impact: There is potential for innovative approaches in medium to large-scale wooden construction.
- Inspiration
- Before initiating this design, visiting an existing pre-cut factory left a profound impression. Witnessing the precise, aesthetically pleasing fabrication of columns and beams at remarkable speed sparked inspiration. To capture the dynamism and speed of fabrication observed in the factory, the design concept emerged: a facade featuring a protruding massive timber symbolizing the factory's essence.
- Project Duration
- This project was completed in September 2020 and is currently in operation. The planned site in Bando City is a place where forest resources are abundant despite being near Tokyo. It is conveniently located as a node of the expressway network in the Tokyo metropolitan area.
- Operation Flow
- This is a project of a new timber processing plant for precut lumber designed by Aida Sekkei Co.,Ltd., one of the leading house builders who specializes in traditional Japanese timber construction.
- Patents
- None
- Image Credits
- Image #1-#5: Photographer Nobuaki Miyashita, Variations, 2020
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