Archery Hall and Boxing Club by FT Architects

Constructed employing a simple and low-tech method of bolt-and-nut assembly, Japanese archtects Katsuya Fukushima and Hiroko Tominaga of FT Architects has created two timber structure sports building for Kogakuin University in west Tokyo.

Architects: Katsuya Fukushima + Hiroko Tominaga / FT Architects
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Photography: Shigeo Ogawa

The formal rituals of Kyudo (Japanese archery) and the very physical nature of boxing may appear worlds apart. However, surprisingly, the two built facilities share a number of commonalities.

Inspiration from architect:

The University’s brief was for low-cost structures made of locally sourced timber to provide accessible and inspiring spaces for the students. By chance, both facilities called for a column-free space of 7.2m by 10.8m, a size that is comparable to a sacred hall in a traditional Japanese temple. In order to achieve this span, without columns and using low-cost methods of timber construction, it was necessary to come up with an innovative timber solution.