About the Rikyu Kit of Parts by Paul Discoe
After spending a decade building the Woodside project, an intense project in which we invented new building solutions to the many complex challenges we faced with each structure, I wanted to work on something more modest.  The idea of shop-built, pre-cut houses is an ancient idea in Japan.  The parts of a house are cut out in one location and assembled on a site, sometimes at quite a distance.  With the kit of parts, we are modernizing an old idea.  Live Edge has an efficient workshop in place that can produce all the parts for a modular, prefab kit of parts that can be adapted to the site.
 
The module used in Japan is 3 ft. with 6 ft. ken as the conceptual space between posts.  In the US, 4 ft. is the standard with 8 ft. spacing, so we based the kit of parts on 8ft. centers on the post and 8 ft. wall heights.  We used the same concept as Japanese post and beam system.  Instead of making infill walls, we built shop-made panels that fit between the posts.  The wall panels are framed as plywood shear panel.  The exterior surface can be wooden board, shingle or stucco.
 
The kit contains all the necessary parts:  posts, beams, floor panels, door panels, wall panels, ceiling pieces, stair layout.  Everything fits together using Japanese joinery construction, but the process itself has been simplified and standardized.  With a more predictable set of parameters than a custom house, the kit of parts also has a more modest budget.  At the same time, the parts can be arranged in an infinite number of ways, so that clients can design a house that will suit their particular needs.  Unlike many modular structures, the kit of parts does not come in model A, B, or C.  Rather, each kit of parts is built on a grid using a predetermined set of dimensions and a set of consistent parts.  Beyond that, the kits can be constructed larger or smaller, and can be configured to meet the client’s needs.
 
Our goal was to create a form that was flexible yet predictable. With the kit of parts, we developed a system that can adapt to a variety of sites and meet the needs of a wide group of people.  In addition, the standard system of parts allows for fewer surprises in the building process.  At the outset of a project, there is a clear cost and a clear construction schedule.  The simplified layout also allows a larger number of woodworkers to participate in the manufacturing and assembly of the buildings.
 
Part of our objective with the kit of parts was to use as many sustainable materials as possible, causing little harm to the environment.  In particular, we focused our attention on re-using wood from the urban forest.  A completed kit of parts should express a non-dualistic relationship between humans and their environment, which means working together with the elements to create a space that is conducive to a peaceful, balanced life.