A chance encounter at a forest campsite led to architect Takeshi Ikeuchi’s unusual commission for a moving wooden showroom for timber specialist Takeda Forestry. The initial brief from the company, based in Ehime on Shikoku island, Japan, was to both show off some of its milled sugi (cedar) and hinoki (cypress) planks; and design a showroom on wheels that could be used flexibly – for example as a small shop or for workshops.
‘Takeda’s factory sits in a rural place called Oda, famous for the quality of both types of timber,’ Ikeuchi explains. ‘This is Kei truck country, and we thought, what would be better than using a tiny truck as the base for their moving showroom?’
A reimagined kei truck by Takeshi Ikeuchi
Kei trucks are a stalwart of transportation in rural Japan. With a body a little over 3m long and under 1.5m wide, they are perfect for manoeuvering round narrow country roads. While nimble and easy to drive, their relatively large bed can pack up to 350kg, making them the perfect tool to haul farm produce, firewood or timber.
It was indeed the bed of the truck that determined the dimensions of the ‘showroom’ (1.1m wide X 1.7m long), and as traffic regulations only allow for a total vehicle height of 2.5m, the inside of the cabin is a mere 1.5m high. Its two sides have been finished in red knot-free cedar – one side in clapboard, and the other in vertical tongue and groove planks. The ceiling and door at the back are knot-free hinoki wood.
There is a large opening to one side allowing a clear view of the interior. This comes in handy when the showroom is turned into a mobile store. A narrow window on the opposite end is wrapped in a spaced-out row of raw kuromoji branches that bring a rougher, organic touch to the otherwise minimalist exterior.
The roof is covered in a simple tent fabric and features a large solar panel that charges a battery stored in a keyaki wood box on top of the truck’s cab. Hooks have been installed on both sides so a simple tarp can be added to extend the footprint of the showroom as needed.
As with all good Japanese craftsmanship, the finish shows a deep understanding and appreciation of the timber. The wood is left untreated and will undoubtedly age beautifully over time. The wooden structure can easily be removed from the bed of the truck by inserting two standard scaffolding pipes into two holes at the base, and simply lifting the tiny cabin off.
‘It was important that the showroom could be lifted on and off easily for flexibility,’ Ikeuchi explains. ‘If the showroom proves a success, Takeda is even considering offering DIY house kits for sale in the future.’ We hope they ship internationally.
A version of this article appears in the April 2024 issue of Wallpaper*, available in print, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today
-
Matsuya Ginza lounge is a glossy haven at Tokyo’s century-old department storeA new VIP lounge inside Tokyo’s Matsuya Ginza department store, designed by I-IN, balances modernity and elegance
-
Charles Zana's fantasy interiors are on display in a Parisian apartmentThis week, Charles Zana presents new, extra-large furniture designs in an apartment overlooking the Tuileries gardens
-
IWC joins the vintage revival, restoring and reselling archival watchesIWC has started to select and restore pieces from its own back catalogue to sell, joining Cartier, Vacheron and Jaeger LeCoultre who have similar programmes. Does the fact that the major watch houses are now getting in on the vintage watch boom – rather than just reissuing vintage-style watches – represent a tipping point for the watch market?
-
Matsuya Ginza lounge is a glossy haven at Tokyo’s century-old department store
A new VIP lounge inside Tokyo’s Matsuya Ginza department store, designed by I-IN, balances modernity and elegance
-
The Architecture Edit: Wallpaper’s houses of the monthThis September, Wallpaper highlighted a striking mix of architecture – from iconic modernist homes newly up for sale to the dramatic transformation of a crumbling Scottish cottage. These are the projects that caught our eye
-
Utopian, modular, futuristic: was Japanese Metabolism architecture's raddest movement?We take a deep dive into Japanese Metabolism, the pioneering and relatively short-lived 20th-century architecture movement with a worldwide impact; explore our ultimate guide
-
A new Tadao Ando monograph unveils the creative process guiding the architect's practiceNew monograph ‘Tadao Ando. Sketches, Drawings, and Architecture’ by Taschen charts decades of creative work by the Japanese modernist master
-
A Tokyo home’s mysterious, brutalist façade hides a secret urban retreatDesigned by Apollo Architects, Tokyo home Stealth House evokes the feeling of a secluded resort, packaged up neatly into a private residence
-
Landscape architect Taichi Saito: ‘I hope to create gentle landscapes that allow people’s hearts to feel at ease’We meet Taichi Saito and his 'gentle' landscapes, as the Japanese designer discusses his desire for a 'deep and meaningful' connection between humans and the natural world
-
Campaigners propose reuse to save Kenzo Tange’s modernist ‘Ship Gymnasium’ in JapanThe Pritzker Prize-winning architect’s former Kagawa Prefectural Gymnasium is at risk of demolition; we caught up with the campaigners who hope to save it
-
A new photo book explores the symbolic beauty of the Japanese garden‘Modern Japanese Gardens’ from Thames & Hudson traces the 20th-century evolution of these serene spaces, where every element has a purpose
