Cross-laminated timber

The single-family house AD is situated in the foothills of PolhovGradec Dolomites, in the vicinity of the capital Ljubljana. Its architectural design follows the existing contours of the sloping terrain. There are two entirely different views of the building being developed from either the basement level or from the ground floor. Looking onto the single-storey part, two interconnected perpendicular masses are revealed. The two volumes are placed on top of the green landscape and covered with flat green roof, enveloped in a detailed metalfascia.Whereas the full extent of the building’s form can finally be observed from the basement level – the delicate top structure with accommodation spaces is being supported by an almost entire... More

The Eton Accessory building sits amongst a gnarly row of alley structures of varying vintages; old stucco garages, laneway homes and garden sheds. It stands out and invites curiosity from the neighbourhood – what is it used for? What is it made of? Jean-Philippe Delage This 100% wood structure is a testament that no project is too small for prefabrication, its design born out of a strong desire to work with cross laminated timber – to better understand its properties as well as the efficiencies of its assembly on a project of a very small scale. Designed as a kit of parts, the structure is entirely made of 3 ply CLT with large cedar framed openings at both ends. Skylights and windows are strategically cut in to allow dayli... More

Completed in 2014, the BC Passive House factory is an ‘all wood construction’ demonstration project. The building was the vision of a company dedicated to the concept of truly sustainable construction methodologies, typified by the international Passive House Standard. The building consists of a large open workspace that is used for the construction of their wood based building systems. The mezzanine offices, support spaces and showroom are built to the Passive House standard.   Located in Pemberton, BC, the building utilizes its southern exposure to harvest solar energy for the offices and showroom. The 360-degree clerestory windows in the workspace provide natural daylight and spectacular mountain views.    ... More

Commissioned by Nice Developers & Era Contour, Mei architects and planners designed 'SAWA': a unique and circular wooden residential building of 50 meters high, adding value to the neighbourhood and the city in the broadest sense. These "shared values" relate to CO2 reduction, the enhancement of biodiversity and the creation of a circular building with affordable housing for an inclusive community.  SAWA's exceptional feature is that the building is constructed entirely of CLT (cross laminated timber), with the use of concrete kept to a minimum. This makes SAWA the first full-height timber residential building in Rotterdam. The building is distinctive in its appearance due to the generous green terraces, which refer to the history... More

The project was conceived as a study of different alternatives for a refuge residence that at the same time can be replicated in different situations, such as countryside, beach or even in the same urbanized centers. Hence the proposal to make a modular structure in which it is easy to assemble and standardized manufacture, seeking greater precision and generating less waste, this makes our proposal sustainable and less aggressive with the environment. The aim of the project was to propose the primitive shape of the house: open to the landscape. The play of lights and shadows enriches the transformative perception of the house, as volumetry we have a subtle square box that does not interfere with nature and can also integrate with the diff... More

Peninsula campus is the third largest of Monash’s urban campuses, and comprises the University’s major presence in the Frankston and Mornington Peninsula region.   Gillies Hall provides 150 self-contained studio student apartments across six levels, two ground-floor apartments for residential support, and ground-floor common spaces for all 250 on-campus residential students. It is the largest Passive House certified (PHC) building in the southern hemisphere, Australia’s first student accommodation built to Passive House standards, and one of Australia’s largest cross laminated timber (CLT) projects.   The project demonstrates Passive House as a responsible and viable option for large residential projec... More

Under-utilised garages along the busy A12 in East London have been transformed into custom-designed workshops, studios and a manufacturing unit for local fashion businesses, training and community makers.   Designed by architects Adams & Sutherland and delivered by Poplar HARCA alongside London College of Fashion and social enterprise, The Trampery, Poplar Works sees 100 under-utilised and disused garages across two sites in the Aberfeldy and Teviot neighbourhoods, repurposed into 45 custom-designed, low-cost workshops and studios, a public café and events space, and manufacturing facilities offering enterprise support and training programmes.   The project has been supported by the Mayor’s Good Grow... More

Hotel Bauhofstrasse is a consistent sustainable building with eyes on the future. Due to sensitive urban integration next to historic buildings the hotel contributes to the revitalization of the surrounding district.   By choosing the trendsetting construction principle of wooden room modules it sets standards regarding ecology, efficiency, construction period and quality. The modules were produced in Austria, transported to Ludwigsburg and installed on site within five working days. The shingling with white fibre cement plates does not reveal that this is a wooden building. The surfaces in the interior remain visible in their inherent construction and thus provoke a special atmosphere.   The four-storey building adopts the he... More

Self-confident solitaire What exactly makes for a good house is not laid down anywhere. The question "How do we want to live?" is too personal, as is the answer. All the more astonishing is the fact that in modern residential areas, single-family houses are as alike as two peas in a pod. In a new residential quarter being built in Neuffen, a town in Württemberg, Stuttgart-based architect Henrik Isermann has implemented an ensemble of two residential buildings for his wife's family that self-confidently demonstrates how to creatively deal with the provisions of a regulatory development plan. In the context of the neighbouring buildings it gives the owners their own architectural expression, and although both buildings share the same de... More

CLT House is a bridge between architectural thinking and sustainable construction methods. It is a poetic and pragmatic balance between architect and builder, whose relationship developed from the concept design to ensure a highly considered outcome. The project encompasses a reconfiguration of the existing building as the base with a new upper floor addition which spans the established gardens on the site and replans the home with a new central core for this multigenerational family home. Diana Snape The rhythmic quality of the sawtooth roof to the new bridge structure is both lyrical and rational. The pitched roofs to the north integrate an extensive solar array with high level windows at its peak to capture the changing light throu... More

Another row house, another four-person family, another set of parents, and another two children. Another challenge to take on. The design deals with an issue that is characteristic of this kind of project: is it better to refurbish the original building or tear it down and build something new? In this case, the answer is unclear. On the one hand, the structure at the back of the house has been damaged due to a lack of maintenance on the roof. The stairwell also needs to be torn out to make room for a parking area (one of the client’s non-negotiable requests). That requires a rather large surface area of new construction. On the other hand, the original building has the charm of a 100-year-old house, and the rest of the structure and... More

The company GAB contacted us because they were in need of a new showroom next to their other showrooms. GAB is the official distributor in Belgium and Luxembourg of Pepe Jeans, Scotch & Soda, Hackett London, Karl Lagerfeld, Façonnable, McGrego and so many more. The need for this showroom was quite urgent so they decided to look for a modular concept which can be made as fast as possible. Brand image was also very important and they were immediately convinced that our Shelters would perfectly fit with their brands. For the showroom they were in need of a big open bright spaces with a lot of natural incoming light within a two storey building of 200 m2.   The location for us was very interesting because on one... More

Set in Oxford, this new build dwelling splits functions over three distinct levels whilst offering a striking addition to its immediate surroundings. The key to finalising the final concept was a comprehensive analysis of the proposal's materiality, concluding with a solid state mass which acts as an anchor to the more lightweight box cantilevering on top of it. This arrangement offers a flexible living space while providing views and a high penetration of natural light, both of which can be enjoyed from all areas of the dwelling.   Internally, the proposal has a more traditional living arrangement, with the kitchen and open plan living/dining area located on the ground floor and the bedrooms and bathrooms above. The internal stairca... More