MUSEUM & INTERPRETIVE
KAY’S GARDEN
DESIGNER: Studio Tectonic
Topeka Zoo wanted an informative exhibit inside their new pavilion for Kay’s Garden. It had to mimic Japanese architecture and provide unique insights into Japanese lifestyle. Studio Tectonic designed a beautiful concept drawing, and reached out to our team to help have it fabricated.
STRATEGY
Japanese woodworking focuses on quality of wood and precise cuts. There can be no flaws in construction; a blemish can’t be hidden as there is nothing to hide it with. Studio Tectonic’s expectation was clear: Absolute perfection.
Our builder’s kept this in mind, starting with quality of the materials first.
We inspected each piece of wood that came through our shop, rejecting pieces we felt wouldn’t reflect the desired inspiration. Spending the extra time vetting each piece allowed us to do a majority of our quality control before it came time for construction.
“Each display is built with a PVC Oak frame with Plyboo accents inlaid at the bottom. To make sure there was consistency, the builders selected bamboo that matching coloration for each slot. This small detail helped to create a flawless, cohesive exhibit.”
PVC Oak Frames, cut with CNC and sanded down for a smooth finish.
Plyboo inserts with coloration match between panels.
MDF printed graphics with ultra clear visuals.
OUTCOME
Studio Tectonic was happy with the results, pointing out how it held up to the Japanese woodworking inspiration. They were especially impressed with our attention to detail, and the quality of cuts we used throughout.
Seth Frankel from Studio Tectonic said, “The quality of the build is what you would expect from a traditional Japanese environment… To put anything out there reflecting Japanese woodworking is an incredibly high bar.”
Kay’s Garden has been booked almost every weekend since it’s grand opening in 2020.
All Photography Used (c) Seth Frankel
