Abstract
This study deals with a comparative analysis of wooden assembly methods between Japanese traditional architecture and Kuma, Kengo's works. Kuma, Kengo has known as an architect who pursues Japanese architectural traditions with integrated solutions for built and natural environments, and expresses a deep commitment to unexpected use of materials such as stone and wood with the clarity of structural solutions. Accordingly, his architecture focuses on the appreciation of the spatial relationship with the surrounding, its local characters, and the selection of materials. This article first examines two of wooden assembly methods that have been shown in Japanese traditional architecture such as 'two-way system' and 'one-way system'. And then, Kuma, Kengo's wooden assembly methods in his works are analyzed and compared in relation to Japanese wooden assembly methods to find out similarities and differences between them. Then, it concludes that Kuma, Kengo's approach is not only relying on the methods of Japanese traditional architecture, but also exploring creative ways beyond traditional assembly methods.