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Ken

The ken was originally used in Japanese architecture as an interval measurement between columns that varied in size, but was later standardized to 1.812 meters or 6 shaku under the Weights and Measures Act of 1891. There were two main methods for designing with the ken modular grid - the inaka-ma method which used a 6 shaku ken grid to determine column spacing and allowed the standard tatami mat size to vary slightly, and the kyo-ma method which kept the tatami mat size constant while allowing the column spacing to vary according to the room size.

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2K views1 page

Ken

The ken was originally used in Japanese architecture as an interval measurement between columns that varied in size, but was later standardized to 1.812 meters or 6 shaku under the Weights and Measures Act of 1891. There were two main methods for designing with the ken modular grid - the inaka-ma method which used a 6 shaku ken grid to determine column spacing and allowed the standard tatami mat size to vary slightly, and the kyo-ma method which kept the tatami mat size constant while allowing the column spacing to vary according to the room size.

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anon_593700379
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KEN

- The traditional Japanese unit of measure, the ​shaku​, is almost equivalent to the english
foot and divisible into decimal units.
- Ken​ was introduced in the latter Half of Japan’s Middle Ages. It was originally used to
designate the interval between two columns and varied in size.
- Ken was soon standardized for residential architecture. It evolved into an aesthetic
module that ordered the structure, materials and space of Japanese Architecture
- With the Weights and Measures Act of 1891, 1 ken was defined as being equivalent to 6
shaku or 1.812 meters.

2 METHODS OF DESIGNING WITH THE KEN MODULAR GRID THAT AFFECTED


ITS DIMENSION:
- INAKA-MA METHOD​- The ken grid of 6 shaku determined the center-to-center
spacing of columns. The standard tatami floor mat (3 x ^ shaku or ½ x 1 ken) varied
slightly to allow for the thickness of the columns.
- KYO-MA METHOD-​ The floor mat remained constant (3.15×6.30 shaku) and the
column spacing varied according to the size of the room and range from 6.4 to 6.7 shaku

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