Science for Kids May 2021: Kodomo no Kagaku Laboratory

"Pit Dwelling Model" to Understand Building Structure

The "Interesting Craft Development Site: Kodomo no Kagaku Laboratory" in Science for Kids May 2021 issue features a "Pit Dwelling Model" to understand building structure.

It's a paper craft that simplifies pit dwellings to show the general mechanism, which you then beautifully decorate.

This is a prototype photo.

There are a few things I didn't write about in the magazine, so I'll add them here.

Pit Dwelling Structure

As shown in this diagram, there are various types of pit dwellings, including Fuseya Type A, Fuseya Type B, and Fuseya Type C. The model we made this time is the two-tier Fuseya style.

Following the construction method with the model, you erect four pillars, and on top of the erected pillars, you place, fit, or tie beams and purlins to fix them—this is the

Pillars + Beams + Purlins

part.

On top of that, assembling the ridge beams and ridge poles is the

Ridge Pole + Roofing Material

part.

Placing rafters is the

Rafters + Roofing Material

part.

About Roofing Material

For roofing material, you can experience the atmosphere of thatching by actually using grass...! That's the idea. It seems not only plants were used, but also soil was used in some cases.

If you make it using transparent PVC sheet about 0.2mm thick, carefully cover it with soil and let it dry, you might see the interior atmosphere when looking up from below.

The Role of the Hearth

Also, the "hearth" in the middle is important. It seems to have had various roles such as regulating humidity, keeping dangerous animals away, and preventing excessive insects and mold. And... the theory that having fire always present had an outstanding effect on mental maintenance somehow felt very real.

Learning from Ancient Architecture

When you research and think about ancient architectural structures and living environments from when humans first started building houses themselves, you gradually understand the ingenuity of the time when natural things like soil, wood, water, temperature, light, and darkness were very close and directly dealt with— which I find quite interesting.

See you next time.