At “Kabe-1 GP 2026,” a competition to determine Japan's top timber shear wall, Kumagai Gumi Co.,Ltd. won the overall championship for the second consecutive year and received the Seismic Resistance Award and the Judges' Special Award for Design. The event will be held from 24 to 25 October 2026 at ものつくり大学 in Gyoda, Saitama Prefecture.
Kumagai Gumi Co.,Ltd. participated in Kabe-1 GP 2026, a competition to determine Japan's top timber shear wall, winning the overall championship for the second consecutive year and receiving the Seismic Resistance Award and the Judges' Special Award for Design. This was the second time Kumagai Gumi Co.,Ltd. had won the overall championship, following its victory in the previous competition.
Kabe-1 GP is an annual event that evaluates timber shear walls across seismic performance, design, constructability and environmental performance. The ninth edition had 12 teams participating. Two awards were presented, for the tournament and overall performance, with scores calculated based on the ratios of material, processing, construction and environmental-impact costs.
Kumagai Gumi Co.,Ltd. developed a shear wall named “Shear Rock.” Its central cedar diamond-shaped panels form a hexagonal pattern and incorporate shear-key functionality that limits displacement between members against horizontal forces during earthquakes, creating a design that enhances strength and ductility.
In the competition results, Kumagai Gumi Co.,Ltd. was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the tournament but won the overall championship based on its overall score and design performance. It also received the Seismic Resistance Award and the Judges' Special Award for Design, achieving an overall championship victory for the second consecutive year.