Floating and Earthquake-Proof: Direct Consultation for Custom Homes (Clinics) by Fukuoka Builder, Kiyotake Construction

We at Kiyotake Construction First-Class Architect Office (Headquarters: Hakozaki, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka City) are participating in 'April Dream,' an initiative to share dreams on April 1st. This press release represents the dream of our company. We aim to popularize 'floating buildings' that fundamentally neutralize earthquake tremors through our 'Architect Direct Consultation' service. Separating the building from the ground to completely protect lives and property from the fear of earthquakes is the ultimate dream of humanity, which has been fighting earthquakes throughout history. We are moving toward the realization of that dream. In earthquake-prone countries like Japan, the mainstream approach has always been to 'strengthen the building to withstand the shock.' However, no matter how sturdy a reinforced concrete building is, as long as it is connected to the ground, it is impossible to cancel out the violent shaking itself. Even if the building does not collapse, it cannot prevent furniture from falling, equipment from breaking, and most importantly, the 'fear' engraved in people's hearts. 'What if the building floated into the air the moment the ground shook?' If released from the ground, no tremors are transmitted. This is not a scene from a sci-fi movie, but a realistic vision of the future of architecture that we are seriously pursuing and moving toward practical application. The system we are promoting is a groundbreaking approach made possible precisely because it is a relatively lightweight 'wooden structure,' rather than a heavy reinforced concrete one. The mechanism is purely physical and logical. The foundation of the building is double-layered and sealed, and an air tank connected to a compressor is installed. When sensors detect earthquake tremors, a solenoid valve opens, and compressed air is sent between the double foundations. This causes the entire building to float about 3cm in the air. A mere 3cm air layer. However, this 'disconnection from the ground' acts as an absolute shield that completely blocks the violent energy of the earth. This system creates immense value not only for general housing but also for 'clinics' of about two stories in wood. Clinics contain precision medical equipment such as MRIs and CT scanners, worth tens to hundreds of millions of yen. If we assume an annual earthquake insurance premium of 2.5 million yen, the initial investment for this construction method can be recovered in four years. Most importantly, it ensures that medical hubs, which are needed most during disasters, can continue to function immediately without creating a 'blank period' of closure. 'If architecture floats, the problem of earthquakes will be solved. It will be realized.' This is not just a fantasy. The technology already exists, and we are now in the stage of implementing it into society. Kiyotake Construction utilizes a style of direct dialogue with customers called 'Architect Direct' to propose this grand vision to society as a real building. We continue our challenge to create a future where children naturally say, 'It's safe because the house floats during an earthquake.'