Ofuro (Japanese Bathtub)

Ofuro (Japanese Bathtub)

By Mark Lever

Ofuro (Japanese Bathtub)

The brief was to create a beautiful Japanese bath tub using no metal fastening that could expand and contract without leaking. We designed the base of the bath that would be independent of the sides to allow movement that naturally occurs as timber swells and shrinks when wet and dry.


The spout and plug were also made from the same timber (Alaskan Yellow Cedar). The Alaskan Yellow Cedar grows along the Pacific coast of North America from Oregon up into Canada and Alaska. Yellow Cedar grows very slowly with closely packed growth rings and very little distinction between early wood and late wood rings. This makes for a dense, consistent color and a high degree of stability throughout the tree. Moreover, Alaskan Yellow Cedar is highly rot and insect resistant and very hard.