SOWOOD- Environmentally Integrated Modular Home
SOWOOD – A Harmonious Future Built with Wood
SOWOOD is a new type of wooden home that blends Japan’s architectural heritage with modern design and technology. At its core is the Itakura construction method, where thick wooden boards are fitted between columns to create walls that are both structurally resilient and visually striking. This traditional technique has been adapted to meet today’s housing standards, offering customizable layouts and seismic resistance. SOWOOD provides not only a comfortable and beautiful living environment but also contributes to carbon storage and forest regeneration. It is a home designed to evolve with its residents—sustainable, safe, and deeply connected to nature.
To advance the technical dimension, SOWOOD incorporates carbon storage calculations based on guidelines from Japan’s Forestry Agency. Our model home (Type_003, Tochigi City, Tochigi Prefecture) has a floor area of 79 square meters and contains enough sequestered carbon in its wood materials to offset approximately 11 years’ worth of CO₂ emissions per capita—or the equivalent of annual emissions from five households. This is nearly double the carbon storage capacity of conventional homes of similar scale.
SOWOOD homes are designed with passive design principles, maximizing natural sunlight, thermal mass, and cross-ventilation. These features dramatically reduce energy use while ensuring a comfortable indoor environment throughout the seasons.
In regions classified as Climate Zones 5 and 6, SOWOOD homes meet insulation performance Grade 6 (G2 standard) in accordance with Japan’s latest energy efficiency codes. These standards ensure low heating/cooling loads while enhancing resident comfort. Moreover, all SOWOOD homes come with a Seismic Grade 3 rating—the highest in Japan—equivalent to the safety standards required for disaster response facilities.
Our creative approach lies not only in the integration of traditional and modern techniques but also in how we redefine living spaces. SOWOOD offers flexible plans for various lifestyles. Additionally, we incorporate upcycled materials, such as interior doors made from crushed used wine corks. These doors offer natural sound absorption and humidity control properties, while their organic texture adds a tactile, visual accent to the living space. This kind of material choice enhances both functionality and aesthetic value, making sustainability part of the everyday experience.
SOWOOD is designed to use more wood than typical timber-frame houses, with the intention of contributing to the support of local forestry industries and encouraging sustainable forest management. Our construction process emphasizes efficiency and environmental consideration. By modularizing timber components, we reduce the number of parts needed, streamlining fabrication and minimizing waste. Additionally, panelizing wooden boards helps simplify the framing process, improving accuracy and reducing environmental impact.
Sowood
Fanfare
Silver

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Christian Merieau
Founding Partner
at MMAC Design Associates
6
6.5
7.5
9
7.25

Aleksandra Miljkovic
Senior Interior Architecture and Retail Design Leader
8.5
8
8
9
8.38
Designer
Floor area
79 ㎡
Completion
2025
Construction
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