Metsä Wood, architects and LSBU students challenge the perceptions of timber construction
Environmentally friendly, easy to work with, adaptable, and extremely cost effective – these were just some of the major benefits of working with modern engineered timber, as defined by some of the UK’s leading architects, at a recent event hosted by London South Bank University (LSBU).
The ‘Urban Wood: An Alternative Architecture’ event was attended by more than 100 practitioners, as well as architecture students and professors, in a collaborative project between Metsä Wood and LSBU. The purpose of the event was to present and discuss alternatives to preferred materials, such as concrete, steel and brick.
The event also marked the launch of an innovative design project between Metsä Wood and architectural students at LSBU. Students have been challenged to identify how timber, (as a more cost effective and flexible building material), could be used to restore old or iconic buildings in London. The idea being that communities can be cost effectively refurbished rather than torn down and rebuilt from scratch.
The project is designed to challenge perceptions of the next generation of architects so that timber is seen as a true alternative in everything from structures to exteriors and its potential for the city buildings of the future. Students will present their designs in June, with Metsä Wood awarding a prize for the winning concept.
The thought provoking seminar began with a brief introduction from Metsä Wood’s Head of Technical, Engineering and Design, Frank Werling, who presented some of the types of modern engineered timber materials available, including the innovative Kerto® LVL (Laminated Veneer Lumber) range, I-BEAM Joists and Glulam beams. Werling spoke of the innovative Plan B project and how Metsä Wood is re-imagining famous architectural designs, including the Empire State Building, the Reichstag and the Coliseum, explaining how these iconic buildings could be constructed using modern day engineered wood.
Guest speakers included Jon Broome (Jon Broome Architects), Andrew Waugh (Waugh Thistleton), and Professor Alex de Rijke (dRMM Architects). These industry-leading architects presented how engineered wood is being used in some of their most innovative projects and how this sustainable, flexible and cost effective material is becoming more widely adopted in modern day construction.
About Metsa Wood
Metsä Wood is a Finnish wood supplier that provides premium-quality wood products for construction, industrial and distribution customers, aiming to open up the almost endless possibilities of wood. The company is strong in Europe, with ambitious global growth targets. Metsä Wood’s primary products are Nordic premium timber, plywood and Kerto® LVL. Metsä Wood is a part of Metsä Group, which covers the whole wood value chain from sustainably grown forest to various wood-based products like timber, plywood, pulp, paperboard and tissue and cooking papers.
Metsä Wood Plan B
Plan B challenges widely spread preconceptions and explores the various possibilities of wood construction. As a part of the project, Metsä Wood shows in detail how to build a recognizable yet modern version of well known buildings using wood as the main material.
The Plan B concept is featured on Metsä Wood’s website http://www.metsawood.com/planb