Things an Architect Should Know: Measure of the Japanese House

The traditional Japanese house is defined by the ken module. The ken is 6 shaku or 6 feet. (1,818 mm) which is the center distance between columns. Modules have always been used in architecture to design buildings. In the last 300 years the ken module has been the defining feature of Japanese architecture. The ken wasn’t based on the visual or aesthetic design of architecture, but rather the very practical requirements of carpenters. The kyo-ma method of design uses a ken of 6 and a half feet and uses a tatami mat to layout rooms. From the Ken module many room configurations could be developed. Thus, all space in the Japanese house was based on the Ken module as a grid. It became the universal method of design. Perhaps most interesting to the modern architect, is the fact that the tatami mat is based on the dimensions of the human body, and the body’s deployment creates space through layout of the floor plan.