TODAIJI NANDAIMON with Studio 3.2 (Kingston School of Art)

Todaiji Nandaimon is a 1:5 scale structure of half of Nandaimon (the Great South Gate), a large wooden temple gate which leads to the Todaiji Temple in Nara, Japan. Led by Takeshi Hayatsu, the project was fabricated and assembled by Kingston University Year 3 students in 2015 after their visit to Nara where they studied Japanese carpentry and timber construction techniques. The idea of heritage is embedded within these techniques; the skill and knowledge of the makers is passed down through generations as the buildings are dismantled and rebuilt every 300 years.

This structure uses over 3000 components which were manufactured in the Kingston University 3D workshop and assembled on site. Traditional Japanese post and beam construction methods were adopted and the final 5m tall build was made using standard timber sections consisting primarily of 2x2” and 2x3” treated softwood.

Photography credit to Pablo Feito Boirac & Takeshi Hayatsu.