Japanese Joinery and the Future of Timber: Fibre to Fibre explores the rich legacy of Japanese timber joinery and examines how advanced robotic timber fabrication can benefit from the ancient art of wood-only connections. The book moves from Japan to Europe, beginning with traditional Japanese joinery, seen through great temples and shrines and the secrets of the master craftsmen who build them. It then turns to European fabricators and engineers who work in engineered timber yet choose to exploit timber-only connections. Paired case studies set two Japanese buildings whose origins lie in the 7th century beside two 21st-century Swiss ones, revealing striking similarities across the millennia. The final chapter presents conversations with leading figures, including Pritzker Prize-winner Shigeru Ban, architect Kengo Kuma, and Japan’s most revered carpenter Mitsuo Ogawa.

Japanese Joinery and the Future of Timber: Fibre to Fibre advocates merging old techniques with new to design sustainable timber structures devoid of nails or screws. This approach reduces the carbon footprint and makes buildings easier to disassemble and reassemble, prolonging their lifespan and simplifying maintenance. With its poetic narrative, vivid photography, and engaging interviews, it inspires architects, engineers, and craftspeople to embrace timber-only joinery for a more sustainable future.

Richard Maddock trained as an architect and engineer. After completing an engineering degree in Australia, he worked internationally in software engineering before returning to university to study architecture. He later joined Foster + Partners in London, where for 11 years he specialised in computational design, complex geometry, and advanced timber structures. In 2020 he was awarded the AV Jennings Churchill Fellowship to research the adaptation of traditional Japanese timber joints for modern robotic construction, and in 2023/2024 he was the Architectural Association’s Woodlab Engineering Fellow, spearheading research into long-span, lightweight timber structures assembled without metal fixings. His writing spans architectural journals, conference proceedings, and industry publications, including Domus.