Tokyō (斗栱) - Architectural Study

The tokyō is one of the most demanding problems in traditional Japanese carpentry — a three-dimensional system of interlocking brackets that distributes the enormous weight of a tiled roof outward from a single column, tier by tier, without nails or adhesive. The logic is purely geometric, and the results are extraordinary: under laboratory testing, tokyō assemblies have withstood simulated tremors exceeding 10.1 on the Richter scale — a magnitude no known fault on earth can produce.

This scale model was built from measurements and photographs taken inside the Shōrōmon, the Bell Tower Gate at the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco — an access granted as a rare honor. The finished model was installed as a temporary exhibit at the Garden from March through May 2024, the first opportunity visitors had ever had to inspect one of the gate’s brackets at ground level, with the originals visible overhead.

The work was guided by Richard Wiborg, whose historical, aesthetic, and practical knowledge of bracket systems is without equal. His mentorship shaped both the model and the understanding behind it.

Not for sale, but always a pleasure to discuss.

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