Mass Timber Construction Journal

Tauranga City Council’s brand new timber building has implications for the construction of similar buildings in high seismic areas like Wellington and Christchurch. Development company Willis Bond and its construction partner LT McGuinness have created the country’s largest modern engineered timber office building in Tauranga’s Devonport Rd. Wellington’s oldest and largest wooden building, the Old Government Buildings, was built in 1876 on reclaimed land and has survived major earthquakes where other buildings of more conventional construction did not. Willis Bond’s managing director of development David McGuinness said buildings using timber construction were safer and with low damage design, were expected to be reopened quicker. “There is a reason all those villas in Wellington are built out of timber,” he said. https://lnkd.in/gEzfuAjM

Construction of the stadium will begin in early 2026 and is expected to take approximately two years to complete. The expected total cost is $4 billion with no rate-payer funding required, utilising a fund-raising strategy (sausage sizzles, etc.) to follow. Strategically positioned, the stadium will replace the existing lakefront boardwalk, playgrounds, and green space to create a world-class venue designed to host international sport, large-scale events, and major concerts. The stadium will feature: ·        Seating for 75,000 spectators in a fully immersive, amphitheatre-style design ·        A retractable roof and retractable pitch, offering flexibility to host a diverse range of events in all weather conditions ·        Premium corporate suites and luxury seating zones with sweeping views over Lake Rotorua and toward Mokoia Island ·        State-of-the-art acoustic engineering and digital connectivity throughout the venue At the heart of the design is a commitment to using locally sourced timber, with architectural forms inspired by local patterns.

Timberhaus is an innovative EU-funded project that is shaping the future of sustainable construction! 

The first interview of excellence on our Blog explores the future of Design for Disassembly in timber and hybrid structures: Andrea Polastri, structural engineer and researcher at the Institute of BioEconomy (IBE) of the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), previews some of the results from the mechanical tests on the RING connector. What emerges from his insights is a potential shift in how structures intended to be disassembled at the end of their use are designed, but that’s not all. Read about it here: https://lnkd.in/dCz56trh Peter Lang

Fresh from the "biggest and best" International Mass Timber Conference in Portland, the mass timber construction landscape continues to evolve with groundbreaking projects and challenges emerging worldwide. For those who attended the conference, congratulations on being part of this influential gathering—and for those planning next year's trip, book your accommodations early! Listen here: https://lnkd.in/geK8ePKP The spotlight shines on several remarkable developments this week. Melbourne's Bendigo Government Hub stands as a $90 million testament to mass timber's economic impact, generating 200 jobs and injecting $131 million into the local economy. Meanwhile, at Barcelona's Valldaura Labs campus, innovation takes center stage with the "Cathedral of Robotics Artisans" (CORA), where KUKA robots craft cross-laminated timber structures supporting green roof systems—a fascinating marriage of traditional materials and cutting-edge technology.

"The construction is made of wood inside and out and is planned as a dismountable and reusable kit," explains the responsible architectural firm Oslotre, which is already responsible for the striking Lumber 4 timber construction on the Norwegian coast. HasleTre is a 3,000 square metre office building with five floors, including a basement and roof terraces. The wooden construction is based on a grid of five by five metres, which, according to the planners, makes flexible space solutions possible – from individual offices to open work landscapes.

a symbol of renewal for avignon, france   In Avignon, Jakob+MacFarlane has transformed a dated 1980s library into a civic icon for the future, all without erasing its past. The newly reopened Madeleine Renaud and Jean-Louis Barrault Library, now dubbed The Canopy, is both a renovation and a reinvention, complete with a rooftop metaphor and a structural nod toward the digital age.  Originally designed in 1985 by architects Jacques Prunis and Béatrice Douine, the library sat squarely in the French city’s Saint-Chamand district — more neglected than nurtured in recent decades. Jakob+MacFarlane’s intervention, part of France’s Nouveau Programme National de Renouvellement Urbain (NPNRU), recasts the building as a symbol of community rebirth. Now linked more directly to the city center via a new tramway line, the library is positioned, physically and symbolically, as the gateway to a revitalized Avignon. https://lnkd.in/giN27DxJ

Case study: Galkangu – Bendigo GovHub One such facility is the Galkangu – Bendigo GovHub, a $90 million construction project that provides a centralised location for the delivery of government services in the Bendigo region. The hub brings together around 900 City of Greater Bendigo and Victorian Government workers in a central facility in the heart of Bendigo. It is one of three recently constructed regional council offices to co-locate Bendigo City council officers. The project brought 200 jobs to the local community, a $131 million boost to the local economy and provides a healthy environment for occupants and visitors. The name of the hub and its front facade – which features the shield of the Dja Dja Wurrung Traditional Owners – are designed to evoke Bendigo’s rich Aboriginal heritage. In 2021, then Premier Daniel Andrews, accompanied by Rodney Carter, CEO of the Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation, announced the buildings name; Galkangu, which means ‘we make things happen together and are more connected to Country’. https://lnkd.in/gGi7rhYz

OTTAWA — The Canadian Wood Council (CWC) is applauding a joint investment of over $8.5 million by Natural Resources Canada and Quebec’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests that will go towards four wood construction-related projects across the province. The Government of Canada is investing more than $4.7 million, while the Government of Quebec is contributing $3.83 million. The money will be dispersed among the following projects: $1 million for Les Chantiers Chibougamau Ltée from Natural Resources Canada’s Green Construction through Wood program and $1.33 million from the Programme d’innovation en construction bois of Quebec’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests. The project will develop a four-storey, 20-unit residential mass timber building using prefabrication and modular construction techniques. An additional $2 million for Les Chantiers Chibougamau Ltée from NRCan’s Investments in Forest Industry Transformation program and $2.5 million from the Programme Innovation Bois of Quebec’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests. This project is meant to modernize production processes of finger-jointed lumber, glue-laminated, I-joists and cross-laminated timber through the innovative use of artificial intelligence. $500,000 for Samcon Stanley Properties from NRCan’s Green Construction through Wood program that will go towards developing the design for a 21-storey multi-unit residential building built from mass timber. $1.2 million for the Cree First Nation of Waswanipi from NRCan’s Green Construction through Wood program. This project will build a two-storey low-rise community building with wood building technology and ensure the building’s shape and design preserve the historical culture of the Cree First Nation. https://lnkd.in/gU4f7Xrq

Not really mass timber, but impressive. University students complete xBAMBOO Cabin in china   Architecture students of Soochow University in Suzhou, China, complete the XBAMBOO Cabin, made out of raw bamboo and timber, a serene retreat inside the Dushuhu Campus. The 6-square-meter pavilion functions as a teahouse and meditation space, offering a tranquil environment framed by a lush bamboo forest. The project fosters hands-on learning in computational design, advanced fabrication, and real-world construction. The outer shell of the cabin is made from acrylic panels and precisely cut wooden keels, improving airflow while letting in soft light. The shape of the keel frame was optimized using AI, more specifically, GAN algorithms, to keep the structure lightweight and efficient. Assembling the frame with tree branches and bamboo poles adds an organic touch, creating a layered, textured effect. Thoughtful openings bring the space to life—a welcoming front door connects to the main road, while a big bay window on the south side frames the bamboo forest. https://lnkd.in/eKaxmh5T