Four columns are strategically placed to define the central core of the house. This ‘core’ is not intended to be symbolic. It is a conceptual core / void space shared by the family.
A four-column configuration, structurally simple but conceptually complex, is commonly found in traditional Japanese dwellings. Recent advances in structural engineering eliminate the need for columns within small-scale buildings like a single-family house. A compelling rationale is required to place any columns within the house. Structurally, the four columns only needed to be 100mm in diameter. The decision to use 400mm diameter cedar columns, while out of scale from a rational perspective, elevates the family’s awareness of the presence / absence of the core / void.
The four columns will stand, even if the house collapses.