Traditional woodworking skills combined with modern computing technology Kusugi Bridge

The bridge, located in Osogoe, Iwakuni City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, was destroyed by the July 2018 floods in western Japan and has been rebuilt as a wooden bridge that will become a new landmark for the local community. On both sides of the bridge are the Dassai sake brewery and shop, produced by Asahi Shuzo, known for its unique sake production, which donated the wooden portion of the bridge construction. Considering the risk of recurring disasters, the architects combined an RC frame with 105-millimeter-thick cypress railings. The gentle curves formed by the cypress railings echo the surrounding mountains, and using the 105-millimeter members most commonly found in Japanese timber construction, the bridge achieves a nostalgic, human scale. The architects combined Japan's proud woodworking craftsmanship with computational design technology, creating a soft, humanistic expression never before seen in traditional civil engineering structures. The project demonstrates how traditional craft and modern technology can come together to rebuild community infrastructure after disaster, creating a bridge that is both functional and culturally meaningful.