Beginning of the Book

Drawing from the Pictorial History of Chinese Architecture, 1984 (Guanyin-ge, Dule-si, China)

Drawing from the Book

Re-Reading East Asian Timber Architecture for the 21st Century

Timbercraft was conceived as a twenty-first-century counterpart to Liang Ssu-ch’eng (1901-1972)’s A Pictorial History of Chinese Architecture. Liang sought to document and make visible the structural logic of Chinese timber architecture through measured drawings and analytical representation.

Timbercraft continues this intention with contemporary tools and a broader East Asian perspective, reconstructing historical buildings through precise digital drawings to reveal their spatial, structural, and tectonic intelligence. The aim is not only to record what has been inherited, but to make this knowledge accessible again as a living resource for contemporary architecture.

History of the Book

A timeline chart detailing research progress on East Asian architecture from June 2015 to April 2026, including milestones such as research initiation, fieldwork, documentation, publisher confirmation, editing, printing, and publication, with annotations in Korean and English.

Development of Book Design

Diagram

Early Drawing - 2016. 02

Early Drawing - 2017. 11

Final Drawing - 2026.02

Layout

Early Layout - 2017. 03

Early Layout - 2019. 04

Final Layout - 2026.02

2023.01.01

2024.02.02

Book cover titled 'Reassembling Forgotten Architecture: Anatomical Analysis of East Asian Timber Architecture and Its Reimagination' by Jae Kyung, featuring a line drawing of traditional East Asian timber architecture with intricate interconnected wooden beams and joints against a beige background.
Book cover titled 'Timbercraft: Lost Tectonics from East Asia' with an engineering diagram of a structure in the center and the author's name, Jae K Kim, at the bottom.

2023.09.08

2024.07.24

A detailed architectural drawing or blueprint of a multi-story traditional Asian building, with interior sections showing rooms, furniture, and decorations, surrounded by landscape elements like trees and mountains. The word 'TIMBERCRAFT' and the phrase 'Forgotten Tectonics of East Asian Architecture' are visible at the bottom.

Cover Design Process

Interior view of a timber building with intricate wooden structural support beams and a patterned ceiling, featuring a large window letting in natural light.
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

An illustrated architectural diagram of a traditional East Asian wooden building, showing a detailed section with structural components and roof details.
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.

Final Cover