Cross-laminated timber

Multidisciplinary architectural studio Kirkland Fraser Moor (KFM) has adopted a biophilic approach to the design of a low-carbon family home in the English village of Wiggington, Hertfordshire. The picturesque residence, named Foxglove House, replaces a small stable block, its unobtrusive design having a low visual impact on the surrounding landscape. KFM’s effective approach to massing and orientation resulted in a fourfold increase in the new home’s footprint (gross internal floor area 285 square meters – 3,068 square feet) without any adverse impact on the green belt or “AONB” countryside location. Edmund Sumner Kirkland Fraser Moor The home’s design concept centers around a single-s... More

Prague-based Markéta Cajthamlová, Architektonická projekční kancelář (architectural design office) has designed a holiday cottage in the Šumava National Park in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. The contemporary wooden dwelling is inspired by a local vernacular. Petr Polák Petr Polák Markéta Cajthamlová, Architektonická projekční The shape of the cottage was dictated by the strict requirements of its location. Markéta Cajthamlová chose the form of a traditional cottage, making the best use of the site’s natural context. The design embodies a typical local style: the cottage has a significant widt... More

In Walthamstow, East London, a single-story new-build home brings contemporary flair to a small backland site. Designed by London-based architecture practice ao–ft, “Tree Courtyard House” is constructed from brick and cross-laminated timber (CLT). The home’s L-shaped plan is guided by the site’s mature London Plane tree and root system. ao–ft Rory Gardiner The restricted backland site is located at the end of a laneway,  behind the Walthamstow Village commercial street. It was originally occupied by the large rear kitchen of a restaurant. In 2021, the client, a local property developer, contacted ao–ft with a view to exploring the possibility of building on the site: “T... More

Located within Labiomista, a 24-hectare park that Belgian artist Koen Vanmechelen has been creating over the past five years, Future Garden is a new ecological complex and laboratory for the future. Designed in collaboration with BURO B and Thys Bouwprojecten, the 850 m2 energy-efficient complex features a mastaba-like structure and extensive pasture and houses a pair of endangered tapirs. The complex also houses a studio and research library.  Jeroen Verrecht Vanmechelen describes the complex as a contemporary interpretation of the mastaba, a precursor of the Egyptian pyramid. The complex features sloping bamboo walls and expansive glass-panelled areas. A public roof terrace, measuring approximately 125 m2, offers stunning v... More

“World of Volvo” opened its doors to visitors in Spring 2024. A joint venture between Volvo Cars and Volvo Group, the new experience center is located in central Gothenburg, the Swedish city where Volvo’s journey began in 1927. The project by global architecture firm Henning Larsen is a study in mass timber construction. Spanning 22,000 square meters (236,806 square feet), the building is constructed from glued laminated timber (glulam) and cross-laminated timber (CLT) — on the interior, three majestic tree trunk-like columns are arranged in a mathematical pattern and fan outwards, their “canopies” supporting the roof’s entire mass and enveloping visitors in an enchanting forest-like setting. R... More

London-based architecture and design studio Unknown Works has created the Armadillo, an experimental cross-laminated timber (CLT) pavilion for the 2024 London Festival of Architecture and Houghton Music & Arts Festival. The pavilion is the world’s first exposed eucalyptus CLT structure. Henry Woide Unknown Works The Armadillo is a project that explores the connection between innovative timber construction and acoustic design, acting as both a stage and an amplifier for a natural, spatial sound experience. Unknown Works collaborated with a number of agencies to create the unique structure: CLT manufacturer Xilonor, CLT constructor ConstruktCLT, and Houghton Music & Arts Festival (the pavilion’s commissi... More

Wangen Tower is the first multi-level and climbable structure to use self-shaped, structural timber components. The tower’s design and build is based on research from the Cluster of Excellence “Integrative Computational Design and Construction for Architecture” (IntCDC) at the University of Stuttgart. The tower was created as an architectural landmark and a pioneering timber structure for the Landesgartenschau 2024 (this large-scale, annual horticultural show takes place in different regions of Germany — the 2024 edition is in western Allgäu). ICD/ITKE/IntCDC University of Stuttgart (Photo: Nina Baisch) ICD/ITKE/IntCDC University of Stuttgart Wangen Tower connects the Landesgartenschau site in... More

Bregenz-based Bernardo Bader Architekten designed Haus Gapfohl as a solitary wood dwelling — a contemporary take on a traditional hut. The house sits on a sloping, south-facing terrace in an Austrian valley called Laternsertal. The compact structure is perched towards the upper boundary of its given plot to minimize the impact on the property and ensure it takes advantage of the sweeping mountain vista. Gustav Willeit Bernardo Bader Architekten Bernardo Bader Architekten “The architectural concept of the original hut goes back to [Roman architect] Vitruvius and, as an idealized principle of the natural house, gained far-reaching impact in architectural theory of the 18th century, especially with [Fren... More

atelierjones has completed the design of Heartwood, a 67,000-square-feet (approx. 6,225-square-meter) mass timber workforce/middle income housing project in Seattle, USA. Located in the city’s mainly residential Central District, the eight-story Heartwood building was designed for Community Roots Housing, a Seattle-based non-profit organization. It is the first Type IV-C International Building Code (IBC) workforce housing building to be built in the US. Breaking ground in April 2022, Heartwood was completed in late 2023.  Lara Swimmer Photography The anticipated demand for taller mass timber buildings led to three new construction types being added to the 2021 International Building Code: IV-A (18 stories), IV-B (12 sto... More

A new planetarium has opened its doors in the heart of the University of Strasbourg. The “Planétarium du Jardin des Sciences” was designed by Paris-based architectural studio Frenak+Jullien in association with Cardin Julien (associate architects) and M+ Mathieu Holdrinet (project architect). Set in a newly redesigned garden, the planetarium consists of two bold geometric volumes: a truncated cone houses a 138-seat projection room and entrance gallery; an adjoining cylindrical volume comprises the reception and related service facilities of the Jardin des Sciences. Maxime Delvaux Maxime Delvaux The “Jardin des Sciences” — Science Garden — is a cultural district of the University o... More

Maestro is a construction-technology start-up from Turin-based Carlo Ratti Associati (CRA) that recently unveiled a prototype for “A.I. Timber”. This new way of producing sustainable cross-laminated timber (CLT) uses artificial intelligence to maintain a tree’s original shape. Wooden pieces fit together like those in a puzzle, thereby reducing waste. Reed Photographic Reed Photographic The first A.I. Timber prototype — a small, triangular pavilion — was produced earlier this summer in Shanghai during a one-week workshop that was part of “DigitalFUTURES” (a conference organized by Professor Philip Yuan of Shanghai’s Tongji University). The prototype was developed with student... More

Traditionally, a library is often remembered as a place of quiet study, filled with hushed tones and old-fashioned librarians. However, today’s libraries will typically offer an array of community-centered, cultural, social, and inclusive activities and facilities, programmed within open and contemporary spaces. More and more, today’s school, university, public, and community libraries are mixing quiet areas that encourage educational pursuits with those that embrace recreation. One material that is increasingly used in modern-day library interiors is wood. An exceptionally versatile building material, wood is hard-wearing and offers structural rigidity, especially when using engineered timber. Wood is a sustainable and renewab... More

French architectural studio Rue Royale Architectes has designed La Croze school in Billom, a small town in Puy-de-Dôme, France. A new nursery school with space for 120 children, the architects worked to integrate the project within its context, making use of local materials and providing a direct connection with nature. The building’s design places an emphasis on both indoor and outdoor schooling. Vladimir De Mollerat du Jeu   Project development The project connects the new nursery school facility with Billom’s primary school via a path: a “children's walkway". “The route between them skirts the rue de la Croze, crosses a public park, slopes gently over the roof of the school, and then reaches... More

The Swiss House is a new building project by Polish architectural practice BXB studio Bogusław Barnaś. A contemporary reading of vernacular architecture, design for the Swiss House was informed by centuries-old traditions, geography, climate, and context. Its plan reinterprets a regional building style known as the Gotthard House. Located in Unterschächen, Switzerland, this intriguing construction sits in harmony with the alpine landscape. BXB studio Bogusław Barnaś BXB studio Bogusław Barnaś The 1,050-square-meter (11,302-square-feet) Swiss House is a multifunctional building, with commercial space, apartments, co-working facilities, and tourism-related activities. Its design incorporates a covered bus stop, mountai... More