About
James Irvine
Kominka UK was started by James Irvine, an architectural designer, carpenter and conservation-minded builder based in Lincolnshire.
James began as a traditional builder and carpenter, working with green oak, ash, earth, lime and straw, including Lincolnshire mud-and-stud. He studied at the Centre for Alternative Technology in Machynlleth and then spent several years in architectural practice.
In 2001 he spent around four months working alongside Japanese and McCurdy & Co. carpenters on the Minka House at Kew Gardens, where his own work was the unfired earth infill panels and the earthen floor. More recently he has spent time in Japan with Kominka Collective and Toda Komuten, in timber yards, workshops and minka houses in Aichi Prefecture.
Contact
Get in touch
About a building, a tour, a talk or a possible partnership.
Thinking about a relocation project?
A first conversation is most useful if you can tell us:
- Location. Country, region, and whether a site has been secured.
- Intended use. Home, guesthouse, cultural venue, retreat, studio, museum, garden building or another purpose.
- Approximate scale. Desired floor area, and whether a complete structure or selected components.
- Design direction. Faithful reconstruction, adaptive reuse, or a new building using traditional materials.
- Current team. Any architect, engineer, timber framer, contractor or institution already involved.
- Timing and budget. Target dates and an initial budget range, for the work in Japan and in the UK.
The best way to reach us is by email.
Email james@kominka.co.uk
