What is Biophilic Design? Biophilia is the human love of nature. Biophilic design is the practice of consciously incorporating materials or spaces that reinforce our relationship with the living world into the…
japanese cypress
An Outside-The-Box ADU Designed To Maximize Rental Income
We don’t get to meet many of our customers since we have an efficient distribution setup shipping directly throughout North America without a traveling sales team. That makes local projects super fun…
A Tour Of Japan’s Historic Yakisugi
We landed at Tokyo Narita earlier this summer on a cloudy Monday afternoon, legs sore from our ten-hour direct flight from Portland. It was my first experience in Japan, and I was…
Japanese Influence on Western Architecture Part 2: The Early Craftsman Movement
During the transition out of the 19th century and into modernity, Western architects started implementing Japanese architectural styles, details and thought. This was done to further their inspired vision. At the time,…
Japanese Influence On Western Architecture Part 1: The Early Period (Pre-Edo To Craftsmen Movement)
If you’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting Japan, one of the first major differences that you might have noticed is the architecture. Cities such as Tokyo and Osaka that were leveled…
Yakisugi vs Shou Sugi Ban: What You Should Call It, and Why
Learn more about the linguistic background and why there is so much confusion between yakisugi and shou sugi ban in North America and Europe. When we started researching the North American and…
Earlywood Vs. Latewood and Growth Ring Patterns in Yakisugi
Growth Rings in Yakisugi “Shou Sugi Ban” Cypress Siding Growth ring patterns are critical to both yakisugi “shou sugi ban” appearance and, more than most people realize, wood longevity. Anyone considering wood siding is concerned…
What is a Rainscreen and How it is Installed?
Other than higher cost over what we consider snake-oil exterior siding products (cement-board, vinyl, aluminum), the biggest problem with wood siding is the potential for mold growth and rot. Rot, mold, and mildew…
The Feng Shui Of Shou Sugi Ban
Feng Shui is a Chinese term for a tradition followed across Northeast Asia, including China, Korea, and Japan. In Japanese it is pronounced fu-sui, but the Chinese feng shui is generally used in the…
Shou Sugi Ban Fencing And Privacy Screens
The addition of a fence to your space can bring with it a sense of privacy, security and a sense of style. Shou sugi ban fencing makes a great first impression for…