Digital Tea HouseDigital Fabrication

2010. Workshop. Tokyo University + Columbia University

critic: Phil Ansalone and Toru Hasegawa

Digital Fabrication Workshop

technology: Grasshopper, mill

site: Tokyo University, Tokyo, Japan

digital - traditionaltaking cues from the rich tradition of the tea ceremony, the digital tea house witnesses the common language that parametric design has with architecturally dependant traditions

digital tea house

programming ritualDesign charettes focused on fi nding a place for digital scripting within the implications of the tea ritual. In plan, we studied ways of inscribing the seating arrangement into the fl oor. The enclosure addresses the confl icting requirements of privacy and open-ness with a customized slatting approach.

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Tatami mats have a standard size and stitch spacing that are used to orient the host and guests in situating themselves. Borrowing from raking patterns created in zen gardens, the fl oor organizes the typical program of the tea ceremony into a more fl uid typology.

Using Rhino Grasshopper’s tools for relat-ing geometry to parametric attractors, we developped a fl oor pattern and paneliza-tion system that both respond to impor-tant locations in the tradition tea house program. The topography inscribed in the fl oor simulates stepping stones ending in the appropriate seating. The panels address the visual height for a sitting person, as well as dramatically accentuat-ing the location of the sacred corner, or tokonoma. The space is completely open and yet achieves intimacy once seated for the ceremony.

digital tea house

fabricationThe material provided for construction was 9mm plywood, and the manufacturing tech-nique was a router. We managed to effi ciently nest all our pieces with minimal wasted material. The parts, while all unique, with the exception of the fl oor structure, were to have suffi cient tolerance during construction thanks to the geometry of the system. The tea house comes together as series of bays, each with a set of wedged panels, that can be inserted at different depth to accommodate for fabrication imprecisions. The columns are thus doubled to allow for easy assembly and disassembly.

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Guest path controlled by divided curve

Host pathControlled by divided curve

Seating and hearthControlled by attrac-tor points

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digital tea house

Horizontal lines are projected onto the panels, thus accentuating their varying slopes. While the columns are spliced to deal with material limitations, the divisions help the assembly method of connecting neighboring bays to each other. The fl oor is raised on pedestals that are also used to located the bays and resist their moment.

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888Minor Cable LineTies from the end of the fold to the column12 total connections

digital tea house

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A two sided splicing technique facilitated assembly of the column after its two sides have been engaged to their respective bays. The shading membrane is tensioned within those splices, thus contributing increased stability for the structure which otherwise wants to tip outwards.

digital tea house

initial assembly fi nal (typical) assemblyThe fi rst assembly took place inside the studio, where all the panels were glued to their bays, and the fl oor was constructed into just four parts. The walls were also preassembled into two- to four-bay components, such that they were still easily carried by two people, and reducing mounting time and effort.

The parts were then re-assembled onsite in the courtyard outside of the studio at 6am in order to avoid the heavy afternoon sun. The initial assembly took a day to achieve, while the fi nal - and therafter typical - assembly took merely 2 hours from start to fi n-ish. Disassembly took under 45 minutes.

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digital tea house

tea testThe testing of the tea house was the most exciting experience of all. The structure proved itself relevant to a centuries old architectural tradition time and time again as every member of the team acted as guest to tea master’s ceremony. The house achieved the desired program with added bonuses of transparency, intimacy, and delight.

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