'Yakisugi-ita' Is Setting the Siding World on Fire
Exterior wood siding created by a Japanese burning technique is now alighting in the Western world
High design and Far East tradition intersect with the dark, dramatic Japanese siding produced by a process called yakisugi-ita (also referred to as shou-sugi-ban). Translated as “the burning of Japanese cypress (sugi),” yakisugi-ita is gaining popularity outside of Japan, as the process renders wood nearly maintenance free and makes it resistant to fire, rot and pests. Siding created by this method also has an expected life span of more than 80 years, thanks to a protective layer created by carbon released during burning.
This former backyard shed, now an office, designed by THOUGHTBARN, effectively plays with materials and form, rooting the compact structure with charred siding. The dark siding is topped with light-diffusing polycarbonate sheets and a butterfly roof. Western red cedar was carbonized for both the building and the fence.
This handsome and powerful cladding has gained global appeal, with the treatment being applied to a wide variety of wood. While any species can be charred, the resulting appearance will vary. A softwood, like the Japanese sugi (cypress), has prominent growth rings that result in a highly textured surface, whereas charring hardwood leads to an evenly blackened surface.
Tell us: Could you go dark?
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More:
Wood Home Exteriors Branch Out
Exterior Materials Mix It Up
Exterior Materials: Textures Talk
The home is a product of an innovative not-for-profit design/build program, Studio 804, for graduate students at the University of Kansas School of Architecture. The students design and construct one project each year, with an emphasis on sustainable, affordable and inventive building solutions.