History of Timbercraft

Open book showing black and white photographs of traditional East Asian timber architecture, including rooftops, eaves, and brackets, with labels indicating different historical sites and periods.
Open book showing architectural sketches of East Asian timber temples, with a map of South Korea and a detailed drawing of a temple's roof on the right page.

©Rick Keus

A timeline chart illustrating the phases of research and publication for East Asian traditional architecture. Key milestones include research start in June 2015, Korean, Japanese, and Chinese architecture documentation from 2017 to 2022, and final editing and publication aimed for 2026, with graphic design by Studio Joost Grootens.

Development of Book Design

01. Bracket System

Early Drawing - 2016. 02

Early Drawing - 2017. 11

Final Drawing - 2026.02

02. Layout Design

Early Layout - 2017. 03

Early Layout - 2019. 04

Final Layout - 2026.02

Cover Design Process

Interior view of a modern architectural timber structure with intricate, large wooden beams and detailed carvings, featuring a natural wood finish and a spacious, well-lit room with a window in the background.

2023.01.01

Book cover titled 'Reassembling Forgotten Architecture: Anatomical Analysis of East Asian Timber Architecture and Its Reimagination' with a beige background and a line drawing of timber arches.

2023.09.08

Architectural cross-section drawing of a traditional East Asian building with detailed interior elements and trees in the background. The text 'TIMBERCRAFT' and 'Forgotten Tectonics of East Asian Architecture' are displayed at the bottom.

2024.02.02

Book cover titled 'Timbercraft: Lost Tectonics from East Asia' featuring an architectural illustration of a traditional wooden multi-tiered pagoda building with Buddha statues inside, set against a background of a mountain landscape and trees.

2025.02.01

A detailed architectural drawing of traditional East Asian timber construction, showing an exploded view of structural elements, with a partial building section on the right. The drawing is monochromatic with beige and black tones, with the title 'TIMBERCRAFT LOST TECTONICS FROM EAST ASIA' and author 'JAE K KIM' displayed.

Final cover

The cover of the book "Timbercraft," featuring architectural drawings of traditional East Asian timber structures. The right side shows an elaborate multi-tiered wooden building, and the left side displays exploded views of timber joinery components.

Unfolded cover jacket