Mass Timber Construction Journal

We are just a couple of weeks away from the Rothoschool Melbourne event. If you haven't registered yet and are interested to participate, get in touch, we only have a few spots left before we sell out. Manuel Puce

We are just a couple of weeks away from the Rothoschool Melbourne event. If you haven't registered yet and are interested to participate, get in touch, we only have a few spots left before we sell out. Manuel Puce

Uncover the secrets of how mass timber is revolutionizing construction worldwide, with insights from stunning projects in Finland, Canada, and the UK! We'll take you inside the Finnish forestry giant Store Enso's headquarters, a marvel of sustainable architecture that blends seamlessly with its historic environment. Then, journey to Vancouver to explore a pioneering school crafted entirely from prefabricated mass timber components. Designed by HCMA Architecture and Design, this state-of-the-art facility sets a new standard for educational spaces, offering students an immersive environment bathed in natural light and breathtaking views. Our global tour continues with exciting updates on major developments in the UK and Canada. Discover the ambitious vision for Brent Cross Town, featuring expansive office spaces, student housing, and indoor sports amenities, all coming to life in a vibrant new community. Celebrate with us as Surrey marks a milestone with its first mass timber housing development, enabled by updated provincial building codes. Plus, get all the details on the UK's future educational gem, St John Academy, set to become the region's first all-through school. Join us as we explore how mass timber is not just changing skylines, but also transforming how we live and learn. https://lnkd.in/gyJH3eCU

The Wood Design & Building Awards program celebrates the outstanding work of architectural professionals from around the world who achieve excellence in wood design and construction. Wisdome Stockholm is a part of Sweden’s National Museum of Science and Technology, Tekniska museet. With its pioneering design, and it is a landmark object for sustainable and climate-smart wood construction. Stora Enso, as the main partner and wood products supplier, worked closely with Blumer Lehmann to turn vision into reality with a spectacular vaulted free-form roof and a dome-shaped theatre that is 22 meters in diameter, hosting a 3D cinema with a spherical screen. It was essential that the wood used for the building would be made with the most advanced technology, ensuring every part of the tree was used and maximised for strength efficiency.

Tate said the nonprofit and the board wanted the museum to be unique inside and out. To highlight the products that come from national forests, the building itself will use mass-timber construction. Architect Tom Chung said his design was inspired by a Monte Dolack painting commemorating the Forest Service Centennial. “The iconic image of the forest ranger on a horse on top of a mountain overlooking one of the national forests. Really being a reminder of being a steward of this great gift of a national forest that we have that is to be for all of the people of our county. That image really stuck in our minds,” Chung said. “The signature elements of the design are these tree-shaped columns and the folded-roof canopy. That became a way to render that in 14 different species of different woods that are emblematic of the national forests.” As Tom Thompson walked to the front of the crowd gathered on the grounds of the National Museum of Forest Service History on Friday afternoon, he was finding it hard to believe that the day had finally come. Within a few minutes, he and other museum board members would hoist the 12 golden shovels waiting behind him to break ground on the new National Conservation Legacy Center. As more than 200 supporters braved the afternoon heat, Thompson thanked them for the seven years of support. https://lnkd.in/gDGV4hrp

Before teaming with fellow students last fall to build one of the first six homes in Elon’s new EcoVillage at Loy Farm, Abi O’Toole ’26 had never held a drill or used a power saw. She’d never built window frames, stained and finished countertops, or considered fitting a custom shower and bathroom. Shot of a home construction project with a man in the foreground pointing to the roof as students climb scaffolding and paint. Associate Professor of Environmental Studies Robert Charest, front, directs students as they put the finishing touches on their home in the EcoVillage at Loy Farm on Aug. 21, 2024. Now, O’Toole has done all of that and more as one of over 60 Elon students involved in the home’s design and construction. “It was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up, and something I’d never experienced before: building a house, and one that students will live in for decades, while caring for the environment,” said O’Toole, an environmental and sustainability studies major from Raleigh, North Carolina. “It’s given me so much confidence to see that I’m capable of this.” https://lnkd.in/gjccpyQd

The construction of the unique wooden building complex continues on the territory of Zābaki tree nursery of Latvijas Finieris as part of the development project. The construction of external engineering networks and monolithic reinforced concrete structures has been completed. Construction of the load-bearing timber structures and roofing for the warehouse-cooler building is well underway. The assembly of the timber structures for the other buildings of the complex has also started. The construction of all buildings is expected to be fully completed by winter, with interior works and internal communications then being started. The design and construction of the wooden building complex at Zābaki is being carried out in close cooperation with Latvian scientists as it introduces new wood construction solutions for non-traditional uses. The new tree nursery building complex is scheduled for completion in 2025 and is being built by UPB in cooperation with subcontractors. https://lnkd.in/gbCcZQhp

The German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture has backed a construction project developed by ZÜBLIN (a German-based construction company that is a subsidiary of the Austrian construction giant STRABAG ) and Stuttgart University of Technology. The “Eco-Box” project, which is receiving €718,000 (AUD $1,170,000) in funding under the “Renewable Raw Materials” program, aims to develop a market-ready modular building system using cross-laminated timber (CLT). Their objective is to combine sustainable materials with efficient modular construction techniques, targeting multi-storey residential and office buildings. https://lnkd.in/g8cmnKqp

On July 23, we hosted the PURA Flying CLT Panel Event, marking a significant milestone in our sustainable construction efforts. Our team discussed the environmental benefits of Mass Timber, with special insights from Councillor Linda Annis. The event concluded with a $10,000 donation to Surrey Memorial Hospital, supporting their healthcare services for our community. https://lnkd.in/gMt4E4Eg

That innovation is evident in the twin buildings at Liverpool’s Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, designed by Cullinan Studio and delivered by Manchester-based 10architect. Catkin Centre and Sunflower House have different purposes, the former providing various outpatient services; the latter is an inpatient unit accommodating 12 children aged 5-13. Hygiene requirements have made exposed timber surfaces a relative rarity in clinical settings, but that ‘conventional wisdom’ has been successfully challenged to allow the use of hybrid timber structures here. Catkin Centre combines glulam with cross-laminated timber (CLT) slabs while Sunflower House has CLT walls and slabs. ‘We used CLT as a way of giving warmth and a natural feel to the environment and we knew it would be robust,’ says Langmuir. https://lnkd.in/gR7hcNwb