Roof bracket model

A scale model of a roof bracket from the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco. These are fascinating, all-joinery structures that transfer the weight of the roof to supporting columns. Found throughout East Asia, brackets are remarkably strong during earthquakes. Under testing they have withstood tremors measuring 10.1 on the Richter scale. There are no faults on earth capable of reaching that magnitude!

It was a great honor to be given access to the Gate, where I took measurements and photos, and to install the bracket as a temporary exhibit.

I was just as honored by the mentorship of Richard Wiborg, whose historical, aesthetic, and practical knowledge of brackets is without equal.

Here’s the bracket in its display case at the Japanese Tea Garden, March through May, 2024. This was the first opportunity visitors have had to inspect one of these brackets at ground level, while also having the original overhead.

Click images to enlarge