• Archives of design research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.37-48
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• 2004

Keiji Kobo is a unique self-generated design research group in Japan, which was founded in 1928 when Bauhaus movement was in its peak, and which lasted ten years until the end of the Second World War, when any activity of the group became virtually impossible due to the war. With insight to see the future, the group aimed at Modern Design advocating a new spirit in architecture, and played a significant role in prosperity of Japanese Modern Design assimilating Western design trends. Pursuing of craft works for everyday life--practical furniture works--Keiji Kobo actively executed various projects to realize modern philosophy. The range of the works of this group was very large: survey, mock-up, experiment, research, exhibition, lecture, order-based sale, advertising and writing. The works of the group were oriented to serious academicism, not compromising with commercialism. Considering the peculiar political situation such as Japanese Militarism, the spirit of functionalism that the group pursued was surprisingly academical and pure. This group was relatively small and clumsy, which lasted as short as around ten years. However, strong motivation was in their seemingly quiet movements, and the influence of the group cannot be underestimated even with today's criteria. There were a number of pioneers who contributed to today's prosperity of Japan and Keiji Kobo can be estimated to be one of the pioneers in the field of design. It was found that the contemporary intellectuals hoped that the committment and activity of the group would contribute to modernization of the life quality of ordinary people. In a sense, Keiji Kobo can be estimated to be a little Japanese equivalent for Bauhaus that could not fully bloom.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.29-33
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• 1974

U-Reuk, a laureate musician in the days of King Jin-Heung, Silla Dynasty, built the Eui Rim Reservoir about 1,400 years ago. This was one of the oldest man-made reservoir. The embankment of the reservoir collapsed by the clumsy artificial drainage on August 19, 1972 when the heavy rainfall of 462 mm/day caused a dangerous overflow of the reservoir. The result of the study on the mystic ancient embankment techniques are as follows: 1. Sandy loam derived from the weathering of granite which is the most widely distributed rock type in the area, was used in the embankment. Large size logs (embankment core) of 30-50 cm in diameter were buried lengthwise along the embankment. 2. The six stocks of Pinus densiflora, 3 stocks of Quercus acutissima, 1 stock of Quercus variabilis and 1 stock of Popolus maximowiczii, altogether 11 stocks are identified. Forest types in the nearby area during the days of the reservoir construction seem to be includde a considerable number of Pinus densiflora, Quercus and Populus species. 3. The angle of repose of the earth materials is taken into account during the embankment. On top of the embankment double layers of clay (20-30 cm indepth) were spread and consolidated. Layer of litter of 20-40 cm in deep covered on the clay layer of the embankment completely, and another layer of clay was consolidated over the litter. Finally, a layer of stones of 10-30 cm in diameter and clay (yellow soil layer) toped the embankment. 4. At the lower part of the embankment clay layer was thicker and became thinner as it goes upwards. At every layer, soil was consolidated and burned. When embankment was completed, it was covered evenly with heavy clay, and finally it was topped with general soil. 5. The heavy clay layer on the inner slope of the embankment showed gray phenomena and litter remained raw humus layer. The clay layer functioned as rubber in the water, and raw humus layer prevented water from seepages. Thus, the embankment was solidly built in this way. 6. The ancient embankment techniques used soils conveyed from nearby area taking the angle of repose into account. Once embankment was completed, clay and litter layers were added to have a plasticity and to withstand the water pressure. 7. It is an excellent technique that the reservoir was constructed with least labor for maximum effects while the recent embankment techniques requires a large amount of labor.