Carbon-fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) was used to seismically reinforce the No. 3 wooden Warehouse in front of Tomioka Station, the city that is known for the production of silk, and was reborn as a facility for interaction in the community.Steel is normally used for seismic reinforcement of wooden structures, but the weight of the steel that is added has an adverse impact on seismic performance. In addition, the texture of steel has the problem of detracting from the softness of wood.On the other hand, carbon fiber only has one twentieth the weight of steel, higher tensile strength than steel, features a soft texture, and has been used in a number of cases for seismic reinforcement of traditional wooden structures.Carbon fiber is being used here as if to perform threading and reinforce wooden structures, as well as allow large openings to be made. This integrates the old warehouse with the plaza, creating subtle and transparent public space along with the Tomioka City Hall which we designed that is suitable for Tomioka, the City of Silk.

© Photography by Kawasumi・Kobayashi kenji Photograph Office