A-Z Popular Blog Architecture Search »
Architecture
 Advertisements
Related Guides
Architectural Materials

Architectural Elements

Night Architecture

Fusuma vs Shoji

 , updated on
Fusuma are traditional Japanese room separators constructed with paper or cloth in a wooden frame. They are typically solid and don't allow light through. In palaces and temples they may be decorated with artwork such as paintings. In homes, hotels and restaurants they are typically a solid color, usually white.
Shoji are traditional Japanese room dividers and windows that consist of translucent paper in a wooden latticework frame.

Fusuma vs Shoji

Fusuma and Shoji are similar architectural elements that are both designed to slide on a wooden track. They conserve space as compared with western doors that swing into a room. In many cases, both shoji and fusuma allow rooms to be dynamically reconfigured.
The primary difference between fusuma and shoji is that fusuma are opaque. Although fusuma may be constructed from paper it is typically a thick course grained paper that isn't translucent. Shoji on the other hand are made from a thin waxed paper that lets light through.

Windows

Shoji may be exterior facing where they act as a window, door and wall. In this case, there is usually an outer layer of wooden storm shutters known as amado that are shut in the evenings or in bad weather. Amado are often thick undecorated wooden planks on wooden tracks that have a secure feel.

Interior Light

Shoji give an interior an intimate feel as shadows are cast from one room to the next. They allow natural light to travel through a structure to reach deep into an interior.
Fusuma may also allow for light to reach interiors as they are commonly left open during the day creating large open rooms.
Fusuma vs Shoji
Fusuma
Shoji
Function
Interior door
Interior partition
Interior door
Interior partition
Window
Exterior wall
Exterior door
Construction
Wood frame
Paper or cloth
Mounted on wooden track
Wood
Waxed paper
Mounted on wooden track
Light Properties
Opaque
Translucent
Frame
Rectangular
Latticework

Architecture

This is the complete list of articles we have written about architecture.
Acoustics
Active Design
Adaptive Reuse
Aesthetics
Arch. Elements
Arch. Technology
Architectural Styles
Architecture Techniques
Art Nouveau
Bauhaus
Bottle Wall
Building Automation
Butterfly Roof
Carbon Concrete
Conversation Pit
Daylighting
Deep Water Cooling
District Heating
Dominance
Energy Efficiency
Enfilade
Facade
Form
Form Over Function
Garden Kitchen
Genius Loci
Gesamtkunstwerk
Googie Architecture
Green Facades
Green Roof
Green Walls
Ha-ha
High Modernism
Houses
Human Factors
Human Scale
Japanese Arch.
Light Pollution
Lighting Design
Lightness
Massing
Material Diversity
Minimalism
Mixed Use
Modern
Modernism
Negative Space
Night Architecture
Organic Arch.
Ornamentation
Parlante
Parti Pris
Passive Design
Passive Light
Positive Space
Postmodern Arch.
Postmodernism
Quality Of Life
Renaissance
Skeuomorph
Smart Glass
Soft Engineering
Space
Streamline Moderne
Structure
Sunken Room
Sunlight Transport
Sustainable Design
Sustainable Lighting
Symmetry
Tall Wood
Transition Design
Unity
Urban Density
Urban Design
Variety
If you enjoyed this page, please consider bookmarking Simplicable.
 

Japanese Architecture

A list of Japanese architecture styles, techniques and elements.

Wabi Sabi

A complete overview of the Japanese aesthetic of wabi-sabi.

Architecture

An overview of architecture with examples.

Architectural Technology

A list of common architectural technologies.

Night Architecture

An overview of night architecture.

Passive Design vs Active Design

The difference between active and passive design.

Universal Design

A definition of universal design with examples.

Passive Light

The common types of passive lighting.

Architectural Acoustics

The common types of architectural acoustics.

Parti Pris

An overview of parti pris in architecture with an example.

Genius Loci

A definition of genius loci with examples.

Massing

An overview of massing in architecture.

Compressive Strength

A definition of compressive strength.
The most popular articles on Simplicable in the past day.

New Articles

Recent posts or updates on Simplicable.
Site Map