Revolutionizing Tradition: The Edge of the Wood

Reinventing Japanese Wooden Architecture in a Modern Udon Restaurant

The Edge of the Wood, a design by Tetsuya Matsumoto, is a unique Udon restaurant and shop that brings a fresh perspective to traditional Japanese wooden frame construction methods. Inspired by the restaurant chain Inami Koro's innovative approach to serving Udon - a traditional Japanese thick noodles dish - the design aims to reflect this practice by giving a new, lighter, and sharper look to wooden buildings.

What sets The Edge of the Wood apart is its attempt to reinvent the Japanese traditional wood frame construction. The design simplifies all contour lines expressing the building's shape to create an icon. The roof and ceiling lines are rotated, taking the eaves as axes, the glass frame is hidden between thin wooden pillars and a wooden plank, and the outside walls are made triangular with edges expressed in a single line. This results in a light and sharp look for a wooden building, a stark contrast to the usual perception of such structures.

This innovative design uses traditional Japanese wooden frame construction methods, the most commonly used in Japan. The foundations are made in concrete, and the frame is wooden. The exterior walls are finished in Aica Jolypat, and the nearly flat metallic roof maintains only a 3% inclination. The glass of the west and south facade is sandwiched between thin wooden pillars and a plank made of the same wood, with the upper and bottom parts hidden in the ceiling and the floor.

The Edge of the Wood is not just a feast for the eyes but also a functional space. The two glazed facades face the roads leading to the facility, with the west one leading to the parking space and entrance. Upon entering, customers find two menu ticket vending machines where they can order their meals, then proceed to the seating and the kitchen counter to be served. The restaurant also houses a shop selling local goods, served by a secondary entrance.

The design project started in June 2017 and was completed in April 2018. Designed in Himeji City and constructed in Miki City, Japan, the project aimed to develop a new visual identity for wooden buildings using traditional Japanese wooden frame construction methods. The design explores the possibilities of conventional construction to produce a much lighter and sharper image by keeping the lines as simple as possible.

The Edge of the Wood is a testament to the designer's ability to overcome creative, technical, and research challenges. By rotating the lines of the ceiling and roof, taking the eaves as axes, a lighter roof with only one line visible was created. The frame holding the glass appears frameless, and the interior spaces are much brighter. The contour of the building is simpler, providing a sharp image and easy understanding of the space and surfaces. The whole building is turned into an Icon.

For its innovative approach to traditional architecture, The Edge of the Wood was awarded the Golden A' Architecture, Building, and Structure Design Award in 2019. This award is granted to marvelous, outstanding, and trendsetting creations that reflect the designer's prodigy and wisdom, embodying extraordinary excellence and significantly impacting the world with their desirable characteristics.