A Equilibrium

B Optimum Homogeneous 3DRoof

C Elastic Bamboo Architecture
D Elastic Deformation
E Elastic Glass Bubble
F Elastic Interface of Wood and Steel Bolt
GElastic Chair
SHOEI YOH + ARHCITECTS
ELASTIC ARCHITECTURE
SHOEI YOH, HAMURA
ELASTIC ARCHITECTURE A - G
A Equilibrium
Unstable grounding of my architecture since 1978 have been intended in many cases.
My intentions have proved the existence of illusive Elasticity" which endows the static buildings with a life
and keeps them alive. Unless otherwise they would have had collapsed soon or later.
The elasticity of architecture has not been discussed often except Greg Lynn's introduction in 1996,
referring the Ingot Coffee Shop and Kinoshita Clinic as my intense frustration with the limits of two
classical assumptions as well as my criticism of preceeding modernists' horizontal grounding as plinth.
The discovery of the "Elasticity" followed right after the discovery of the "Fluidity" in my architecture.
"Fluidity" concerns 3D circulation of millions people in and out as well as up and down.
On the other hand, the "Elasticity" suggests or reminds us the stabilizing counter force up warding against
the gravity. Cantilevered Farnsworth House was impressive enough for me, however it looked standing
still without dynamic movement.
Coffee shop "INGOT", Fukuoka, 1978
This was the starting point of my first "Elastic Architecture". Ingot Coffee shop was rotating 40 degrees
downward the slope undulated.
A geometrically pure form without vertical or horizontal feature starts seeking the stable conditions
somehow. An imaginative elasticity would help us expecting the stabilizing force to keep up straight in
order to recover the stability.
"KINOSHITA Clinic", Fukuoka, 1979
Levitating oblong ovoid object with smooth surface has an approaching slope. It is barely existing or
staying.
The visually weightless form keeps its level horizontally 2m above the ground level.
The stabilizing force to keep it there looks to me elastic or tensile.
30years have passed since it appeared. It is now succeeded by doctor's daughter exactly like he took
over his father 30years ago.
"MATSUSHITA Clinic", Nagasaki, 1990
Cantilevered and suspended triangle volume is an asymmetrical and an unbalanced composition.
Without a complement stabilizing force of illusional elasticity, it would look so unstable that nobody would
park his car below the building. The equilibrium is missing here.
"Another Glass House between Sea and Sky", Fukuoka, 1991
The glass box is suspended between sea and sky, soaring and sailing towards the Korean Chanel.
The view around 360 degrees on a hill of ex-ranch 140m above sea level is a result of its topological
context.
The mass dumpers were installed additionally to make it more comfortable, as long as suspension rods
are physically elastic.
White and black Glass Houses preceeding me are sitting on a positive and negative plinth along the river
and among woods.
"KANADA Children Training House", Fukuoka, 1994
3 wooden prisms are sticking out in the air 12m, a half of their length in order to play below the
buildings around the hill for children.
These cantilevered wooden structures are literally elastic and we are tended to be conscious the gravity
which rules us. Such uncertainty would stimulate boys and girls. I expect a few of them would start
wondering why.
"GA TAP and ASAHI Printing Company", Fukuoka, 1974
Both reception desks in black and luminous overhung without shadow, but a fake shadow to make an
illusively weightless ambience. The shadow shows a volume with weight usually.
The suspended luminous cube weighing 100kg visually looses its weight.
The gravity is now visually converted into light itself. As soon as the cube starts shining Visual elasticity
of loosing weight is observed.
B Optimum Homogeneous 3D Roof
GALAXY Toyama, 1991-1992
Odawara Municipal Sports Complex, 1991
The first and only 3 dimensional pliant roof surface of my architecture since 1991 looks even soft and
elastic, however its optimum topological formation is no doubt rational and extremely economical based
on physical requirements, simulating the natural phenomena of all kinds of forces from snow load, wind
load, thermal stress to severe earthquake.
Its stiffeness unlike its appearance is overwhelming and ultimate.
Such smooth and pliant topological formation is far more rigid than the conventional flat roof wasting steel
volume excessed to stop deformation of un-natural flatness. Flatness of roof is irrational and expensive.
Optimum structure is homogeneous and ecological throughout accordingly minimizes extra deformation.
Pre-deformation is proved to be one of the economical solutions.
We have to admit frankly a fact that the tremendous amount of steel is consumed for flatness would not
be justified.
Architects are expected to save the resources first of all.
It is significant to utilize computer simulation to stop wasting resources and to minimize emission.

Toyama
Toyama Odawara
C Elastic Bamboo Architecture
Asian Pacific Exposition, Fukuoka, 1989
Post Office and Shelter, Fukuoka, 1989
The first and only authorized bamboo structure were presented to the people from Asian Pacific.
No inquiry from them in the last 20 years except Swiss Vitra Design Museum for their publication.
I have been wondering why they have not tried to utilize amazing strength of bamboo grown rapidly.
The bamboo joint to transmit forces had been developed by myself 20 years ago through experiments at
the Waseda University.
Naiju Community Center and Nursery School, Fukuoka, 1994
Uchino Community Center for Seniors and Children, Fukuoka, 1995
Both were made by local bamboo net woven by hands to build 3 dimensional reinforced concrete of a
shell, a dome and a barrel vault. These were responding to the programme and the surronding landscape.
The most primitive workmanship and the advanced computer analysis met each other.
Naiju kept the grid square producing folds and pleats.
On the contrary, Uchino distorted the square grid to produce a smooth pliant topological form.
Naiju
Naiju
Naiju
Uchino
Uchino Uchino
Uchino
D Elastic Deformation
World Intellectual Property Organization, Geneve Switzerland 2000
The connection bridge from existing building is to be inserted to the new Annex building behind.
The entering pressure and welcoming preparation is visualized through "Elasticity" and which stiffens the
curtain wall against wind load.
Ryu Dental Office, Fukuoka, 2007
The cheeks are blown or depressed when we breathe.
Such pressure in our mouth is an analogy of the dental office.
The glass curtain walls with both deformations give stiffness flat curtain wall against wind load.
The "Elasticity" looking stiffness is a result responding to the natural phenomenon.
Sun Dial House for Seniors, Fukuoka, 1996
The huge glass atrium is for rehabilitation and sometimes it becomes a concert hall or a gymnasium.
Both Glass roof and enclosing Glass curtain walls are deformed into a convex lens 3 dimensionally, in
order to disperse the sound without harmful echo.
E Elastic Glass Bubble
Glass Station, Oguni Kumamoto, 1993
The stretched glass roof of a gas station with 4 concrete arche boundaries is a minimum surface
membrane.
It is precisely a soap bubble which deforms easily by wind and snow load. Therefore equal pretension was
given to each supporting tension wire to prevent the deformation.
The Pre-stressed Elasticity is required to survive.

F Elastic Interface of Wood and Steel Bolt
Oguni Dome, U-Station and Forestry Center Kumamoto, 1985-1988
Mermaid Bowl ,Sea and Islands Expo Hiroshima, 1989
The elastic wood joint made it possible for me to realize a wooden structure gymnasium exceeding
the prohibited limit in scale for the first time in history of Japan. Computer analysis was essential.
The EPOXI ADHESIVE filling between interfaces of the soft wood and hard steel bolt transmit both of
the compression force of dead load and the tensile force of wind load. (Waseda University)
Almost equal Young Modulus "E" of EPOXI and WOOD compose the ideal interface of wood joint.
Hundreds thousand of steel bolt transmit the forces 100% without delay.
The compression forces yield the long and slender wood to buckle. This is the weak point of 3D truss.
My proposal of utilizing the long and slender wood to bear only the tensile force was experimented for
the Mermaid Bowl in 2-way suspension wooden structure. (Nihon University)
It was extremely difficult to tear down with heavy load after 100 days of the Exposition, because of its
safety factor 3, a minimum requirement for wooden structure which exceeds 1.4 of steel structure.
I suggest solely tensile structure for both bamboo and wood utilizing one way fiber in order to overcome
the weakness of traditional usage of both natural organic materials.without producing CO2.

Oguni Oguni
Hiroshima Hiroshima


G Elastic Chair
0-90Chair, 1988
The pin joint rectangular supporting structure of a chair deforms and collapses without
a bracing member which is an oil dumper in this case.
The oil dumper absorbs the shock of sitting down, and adjusts the seat height and angle
of back, on the contrary it assists sitting up and even standing up from reclining position.
The elasticity of a chair assists the disable.