The project begins with the site of Hiraenoki, a village situated in the mountainous region of Asakura City, Fukuoka. In 2017, the village suffered extensive damage from flooding and landslides, which they are still currently recovering from. A threat of landslides, coupled with the phenomena of depopulation, causes burgeoning anxiety among the villagers. The project uses Hinoki & Sugi timber, available in excess, and challenges the over-reliance on concrete as a material to soothe anxiety from disaster. While concrete is strong and monolithic, timber’s material quality ranges from the durable, as can be seen from Japan’s oldest temples, to the ephemeral, which Of Timber and Dragons largely attempts to take advantage of. A series of material explorations organises the project towards design choices. While concrete is strong and monolithic, timber’s material quality ranges from the durable, as can be seen from Japan’s oldest temples, to the ephemeral, which Of Timber and Dragons largely attempts to take advantage of.

The project was developed within the context of the National University of Singapore.