Researcher List

Laboratories in Department of Architecture

Design Laboratory 1
Prof. Hiroyuki TERAJI

「The 2019 Religious Art & Architecture Awards 」Award Winners
「The 2019 Religious Art & Architecture Awards 」Award Winners

The laboratory is not limited to research, but also designs and construction. In especially, Architectural workshops using thinned wood in forestry villages have been successful for more than 20 years. We study a wide range of architecture from contemporary architecture to traditional Japanese architecture. We are also developing design methods to generate ideas.

Main Research Topics

  • Design: Mainly pursuing possibilities for housing, kindergartens, children's gardens, schools, etc. Challenge the design competition.
  • Study: Analysis and consideration of modern architecture and Japanese ancient architecture such as shrines and tea-ceremony house.
  • Development: Creation of design methods focusing on needs.

History and Design Laboratory
Prof. Masaaki HONDA

Analyzing Modernist Architecture with Models
Analyzing Modernist Architecture with Models

In this laboratory, "research" on architectural theory and "design" as its practice are positioned as the two wheels of our activities. The theme of our research is to elucidate architectural thought and design methods, starting with European modernist architecture of the early 20th century, and extending to modern Western and contemporary architecture, as well as modern and contemporary Japanese architecture. In the laboratory, students engage in practical architectural design through actual works and participation in design competitions. In other words, we explore architectural issues such as what architects thought, how they created, how they confronted architecture, and how they tried to overcome these issues, and we try to think about these issues practically in architectural design as questions for ourselves.

Main Research Topics

  • Research on architectural thought and design methods in modernism
  • Research on the relationship between modern and contemporary architecture
  • Research on the relationship between architecture and art

Urban Planning Laboratory
Prof. Toshiya OKAYAMA

Using models to study urban design
Using models to study urban design

There are many rules that must be followed when constructing a building. These rules are also set from the perspective that a city is made up of a collection of individual buildings. However, these rules are set by law and are basically the same throughout the country. In this laboratory, we are working on researching a method in which planners draw up a vision of what a city or, at a level closer to architecture, a district should look like in the future, in other words, design a city or district (urban design), and then, based on that design, establish rules according to the characteristics of the place.

Main Research Topics

  • Research on district planning and district design methods
  • Research on the Bebauungsplan in Germany
  • Research on the history of modern urban planning in Osaka

Architectural Planning Laboratory 2
Prof. Testu YOSHIDA

Bench Project for Elderly Outing Support
Bench Project for Elderly Outing Support
Plan Proposal of Honjin Machi Library
Plan Proposal of Honjin Machi Library

What we aims to achieve: Architecture in harmony with the local community

Architecture is only alive when it is used by the residents in the community where it is located, and people's use (behavior) and consciousness will change in the course of new initiatives, creating a place and structure unique to the community. And it will be a new kind of facility that does not fit into any previous building type. It will create a new “community” for those who live and gather in the local district.
We would like to work on community building by producing architectural planning and design that will be changed by the way residents and groups use and work in each unique local district, as well as the intentions and choices of the people involved.

What you can do in the laboratory: Thinking from local issues

Arising from the declining birthrate, aging population, and changing roles of the public and private sectors in the local district, we cover the projects, such as the use of various community facilities such as elementary schools, vacant houses and townhouses in the community, and the creation of community hubs for welfare-related facilities on the basis of daily living support for the elderly. My laboratory will conduct such activities in real local districts and facilities, and disseminate the results to society at large through local and online presentations, and through presentations at architectural and urban planning conferences.
I would like to discover and develop these themes together with the new members of my laboratory as we begin our activities. I hope that we can attract students who are willing to engage in these activities.

Structural Mechanics Lab
Associate Prof. LIN Xiaoguang

Load test conducted at the Structural Research Center
Load test conducted at the Structural Research Center

In this structural mechanics laboratory, we evaluate the mechanical performance of semi-rigid structural joints such as bolted beam-to-column connections with angle or split tee through loading tests and computer modeling. Semi-rigid beam-to-column connections have been actively developed to improve building earthquake resistance after many weld fractures were found due to rigid joint connection at Hyogo-ken-Nambu Earthquake in Japan 1995.

Main Research Topics

  • The mechanical performance of semi-rigid beam-to-column connections.
  • Vibration characteristics of elevator ropes subjected to long-period ground motions.

Laboratory of Building Materials
Associate Prof. Shigeharu NAKAMURA

Divine mosaic tile decorations in the upper center of the Sagrada Familia Cathedral, where we visited the construction site.
Divine mosaic tile decorations in the upper center of the Sagrada Familia Cathedral, where we visited the construction site.

I believe that the charm of the appearance of a building or cityscape is composed of the use of "building materials," "lighting (degree of light)," and "appearance." The smooth surface of wood with a beautiful grain pattern from the use of "kanna," the moist, deep, and glossy lacquered surface, the rough, slapping granite surface that sparkles in the sunlight, the smooth marble surface that reflects the figure, and the soft, fluffy cotton fabric that flutters in the wind. These are examples of wall material textures that I have touched without thinking. This is a scene where the texture of the surface layer that I liked directly led to the appeal of the building and its appearance. We are researching the appeal and usage of various building materials.

Main Research Topics

  • Study of material construction, conservation, composition, character, and cultural values in architectural culture of the East and West
  • Development and application of high-performance concrete

Structures Laboratory 4
Associate Prof. Seiji MUKAIDE

Local Buckling of Steel Columns under Large Deformation
Local Buckling of Steel Columns under Large Deformation

The main theme of this laboratory is to develop theories and design methods for constructing safe and comfortable building spaces against disturbances such as earthquakes, mainly for steel-framed buildings. The methods include loading experiments to understand the fracture phenomena and numerical simulations to understand the shaking during an earthquake. A particular focus of our research is to understand the behavior of buildings up to the point of complete collapse in the event of a larger-than-expected earthquake, and to develop design techniques to prevent such collapse.

Main Research Topics

  • Earthquake response analysis of collapse behavior of steel-structured buildings
  • Deterioration of load carrying capacity of square steel pipe columns due to local buckling
  • Deterioration of bearing capacity of various types of column legs in steel structures
  • Research on the effect of seismic response reduction of vibration control structures using historical dampers

Building Structures Laboratory 4
Associate Prof. Atsuo TAKINO

Fracture test of column legs of wooden ramen structure
Fracture test of column legs of wooden ramen structure

In Japan, there are a variety of wooden buildings, including traditional buildings such as shrines, Buddhist temples, and old private houses, as well as modern houses. Recently, wooden buildings have begun to be constructed in cities. Our laboratory conducts research on the structural safety, such as earthquake resistance, of such wooden buildings. We conduct research using a variety of methods, including surveys of existing buildings, structural experiments to verify destruction, and numerical simulations using computers.

Main Research Topics

  • Research on Seismic Performance of Traditional Wooden Buildings
  • Research on Wooden Rigid Frame Structures
  • Research on Seismic Performance of Contemporary Wooden Houses

Design Laboratory 2
Associate Prof. Shinsuke FUJII

Oriel Window House
Oriel Window House

Architecture is based on a variety of theories and practices.
In this laboratory, we study the design and theory of modern and contemporary architecture.
By participating in design competitions and projects that are designed to be implemented, students develop a logical thinking process in practice and verify their designs.

Main Research Topics

  • Research on architectural design methods
  • Research on the modern restructuring of architecture and urban space
  • Design and research on new housing in urban housing
  • Design and research on renovation of dwellings