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SHAWOOD

Superior quality
driven by
customer needs The strength to withstand the worst nature can produce while maintaining superior luxury and comfort – a stress-free sanctuary to protect you and your family.
Unrivalled quality every time with the stringent quality controls of factory produced components and on-site construction.

Proprietary construction system - based on the science

*Specifications vary by country.

A one-of-a-kind construction method that continues to evolve

Continuous technological innovation, in the pursuit of comfort of living

SHAWOOD aims to be the ultimate in comfortable wooden framed housing, and the foundation that supports that spatial quality is our strong passion towards product creation, nurtured by a unique Japanese aesthetic.
If something is to be loved and used over the long term and be a stress-free shelter to enjoy life with your family, not only does it need superior external design, it also needs long-lasting quality, durability and usability, as well as be comfortable to use.
Underlying this is the attention to detail and a rigorous approach to product creation which brings out this superior performance.
SHAWOOD pursues enhanced functionality while still using natural materials of wood and earth, with continuously evolving technology that designs exactly the home that we desire with the utmost care while removing what is not essential to achieve that.

SHAWOOD hybrid structure

SHAWOOD’s original hybrid structure merges the advantages of both the “Rahmen” rigid-frame and a monocoque structure to withstand earthquakes and other external forces.
This hybrid structure makes possible large openings while maintaining the overall strength of the house, providing more freedom of design and comfort to wooden framed homes.

SHAWOOD hybrid structure imageSHAWOOD hybrid structure image

Earthquake-resistant technology

Strength to withstand huge earthquakes

Based on our desire to provide homes that are a stress-free sanctuary for residents, SHAWOOD homes are durable, earthquake-resistant and scientifically tested to even withstand earthquakes of unprecedented size.
In Japan – a land of frequent powerful earthquakes - SHAWOOD homes have withstood the largest earthquakes without a single one becoming even partially destroyed.
It is this technology-based resilience and sense of safety and security that we hope to bring to the rest of the world.

Support from the foundation and joints
(Foundation Direct Joint / MJ joint system)

SHAWOOD’s precision foundation makes it possible to connect the posts firmly and directly with the foundation through the use of metal fittings, leading to a rigid structure that prevents the posts from becoming dislodged or falling.
The other disaster resilient feature used worldwide is the joint between the posts and beams.
SHAWOOD has introduced the metal joint, or MJ System, that tightly connects posts and beams through these proprietary metal joints.
Because structural materials are pre-cut and pre-set off-site, there is less work required on site, allowing for smoother on-site build and consistent strength.

  • Foundation Direct JointFoundation Direct Joint
  • SHAWOOD JointsSHAWOOD Joints

Engineered wood with a laser-like focus on quality

SHAWOOD premium structural materials

Bringing out the strength of the wood to the fullest

SHAWOOD uses 120mm glue laminated wood as structural material for its posts and beams.
Glue laminated wood refers to construction material that glues together multiple layers of wooden boards called lamina.
This method eliminates the cracks and imperfections in the source wood, overcoming one of the disadvantages of solid wood, while bringing out the intrinsic strength of wood to its fullest.
This highly reliable structural material is used in the largest wooden domes in the world, as well as in state-of-the-art sports stadiums.

Bringing out the strength of the wood to the fullest image

Why use glue-laminated material?

Using different materials for different structural members

A building is made of posts and beams. Both have to endure different types of loads requiring different strength characteristics.
With SHAWOOD structural materials, the strength of the materials used can be tailored to suit the intended purpose and location.
By layering each thin lamina, it is possible to eliminate all imperfections in the wood, thereby maintaining strength and quality.

Using different materials for different structural members image

Structural material with consistent strength

Stable and consistent strength, thanks to rigorous strength management

Even glue laminated wood has its limits.
However, in order to guarantee consistent structural calculations, the structural material has to have consistent levels of quality, as well as consistent strength.
With SHAWOOD, each lamina is monitored for strength and graded according to its level of strength when making the beams.
By gluing together the lamina with the right levels of strength in the optimum combination, we manufacture beams with maximized strength.

Environmentally friendly sourcing of wood

Environmentally friendly sourcing of wood image

Only the strongest, sustainably-sourced wood

Strong glue laminated wood requires strong source lumber.
One of the distinct features of SHAWOOD premium structural material is its strength, using high quality source wood.
This wood is most suitable for building material, having matured over 80-120 years in the optimum, cold climate to create tight growth rings.

Concept of planting and planned logging in sustainable forests

Concept of planting and planned logging in sustainable forests imageConcept of planting and planned logging in sustainable forests image

Promoting sustainable sourcing of wood

Especially in Japan, Sekisui House has collaborated with environmentally-focused NGOs to create our own unique ethical and environmentally sensitive wood sourcing guidelines.
* In Japan, Sekisui House uses “Fair Wood”.
This is wood that considers the forest environment and local societies of its origins, such as forest-certified wood, wood that has not been logged illegally, or wood that comes from forests that the local residents are actively participating in maintaining.
Fair Wood is supported by the Global Environment Forum and international environment NGO FoE Japan.

Promoting sustainable sourcing of wood image

Technology to maintain the highest quality

Production and quality control

Structural wood tailor-made for each house

Each family has a different lifestyle. That is why SHAWOOD makes each beam for each house, with precision production, processing and shipment at our factory.
The materials are shipped to the worksite after pre-cutting and pre-setting of the metal joints, based on the design plans of each house, in order to minimize processing work at the construction site where various variables can arise.
In the pre-cutting process, each material is cut to the right size, together with high-precision cutting to make holes and slits for metal fittings.
Materials that have been pre-cut then have the metal fittings carefully pre-set.
As much as possible is done offsite before shipment, and then shipped out in accordance with the construction plans.
Our focus on tailor-made production and tailor-made shipment leads to high precision, improves the construction accuracy at the site, and also makes possible speedy construction.

Construction quality

Maintaining quality with thorough project management

One of the key features of our proprietary pre-engineered housing construction is that almost all components are manufactured offsite, leading to stable quality and accuracy and houses being able to achieve the performance as intended in the designs.
However, it is ultimately people that assemble these components on the build site to make a home, so we must ensure consistent workmanship, performance and quality of the home with workers of a wide variety of experience and expertise.
Sekisui House conducts meticulous construction quality control for each house built, continuous kaizen activities, as well as keeping track of and maintaining records of construction quality.  

Construction quality image

*Specifications vary by country.