WORDS Jo Buitendach PHOTOS Adam Letch (Tree House); Ye Rin Mok (The Landing House, Courtesy of v2comnewswire.com); Charly Broyez (Simon de Beauvoir School, Courtesy of v2comnewswire.com); Luuk Kramer (PATCH22, Courtesy of v2comnewswire.com); Supplied (YourCube); Brett Rubin (Houtlander); DisruptDesign.Lab (WoodenWood, Courtesy of v2comnewswire.com); Supplied
Know your cedar from your oak, or the difference between cherry and walnut? Then you’re probably as wild about wood as we are. Here’s a roundup of innovative timber projects to get your xylophilic heart racing.
Archaeologists in Zambia recently unearthed the remains of a wooden structure that dates back 476 000 years. It proves that humans have been fashioning this marvellous material for yonks – unsurprising, considering its strength and availability. Wood is organic, recyclable and climate-smart, and has a comparatively short construction time – and with so many different types available, each with its own characteristics and uses, designers and makers are continually finding new ways to work with this versatile material.
BUILT TO LAST
Inspired by the existing trees on the property, as well as the work of international architects Horace Gifford, Kengo Kuma and Louis Kahn, Constantia Tree House by Malan Vorster Architecture Interior Design is a knockout. The client asked for “a cabin-like one-bedroom hideaway resembling a treehouse” – so naturally, wood was the building material of choice. While working on the project, the architects kept these words of Kengo Kuma in mind: “In using natural materials such as wood, I believe in creating architecture that brings us back to our senses, deepening our connection to the environment and evoking an emotional response.”
The Landing House is a simple yet beautiful modern wood pavilion located in the Mojave Desert in California. Created by Industry of All Nations, a research and design office committed to sustainable production, the house is designed with sustainability at its core, and blends into its desert backdrop. “We chose simple, low-maintenance materials – including concrete, cedar and glass – that will age naturally within the surrounding environment,” says Buenos Aires-born architect Fernando Gerscovich, who created the home with his brothers Juan Diego and Patricio.
Simone de Beauvoir School in Drancy, France is a lesson in simplicity, the importance of quality materials, and that a building can be both functional and beautiful. Designers Bond Society and Daudré-Vignier & Associés used locally sourced wood as one of the primary building materials because it’s biologically renewable and energy-efficient, specifically during installation. Completed in 2020, the elementary school includes 10 classrooms, a leisure centre and a restaurant.
A wooden high-rise isn’t something you hear about often, but PATCH22 in Amsterdam is just that. Completed in 2016 and designed by Frantzen et al Architecten, the project has won numerous awards for innovation. The tallest wooden apartment building in the Netherlands is not only clad in wood, but also has a 30-metre-tall wooden load-bearing structure. In the event of a fire, the outer layer of wood will burn and protect the structurally necessary wood from charring for up to two hours. frantzen.nl
With the popularity of small homes on the rise, a pre-designed modular timber abode has become an exciting option. Local company YourCube offers a range of smart, small timber-frame homes and studios, which come in four sizes and a variety of roof pitches. These durable wooden structures have a fast turnaround, and can be removed without leaving a huge imprint. As YourCube co-founder Jeanette Schachler puts it, “There’s a tangible connection to nature as you handle timber – its natural feel and distinct smell add an authentic touch to every project. In an era where sustainability matters, timber emerges not just as a building material but as a conscious, ecofriendly statement.”
PART OF THE FURNITURE
Mention wooden furniture design in South Africa, and many minds instantly turn to the award-winning team at Houtlander. Inspired by timeless furniture and innovation, owners Phillip Hollander and Stephen Wilson merge modern technology with age-old craft techniques to create collectable, contemporary classics. Nowhere is this more obvious than in their jaw- dropping Preservation bench, which represents the journey of a sapling reaching upwards from the forest floor. “We know that sustainably sourced and processed timber is one of the best manufacturing materials,” Phillip says. “The timber is carbon-negative when it arrives at our door. We use American oak because we understand the importance of good governance around the process of harvesting hardwood in a sustainable manner, and the industry in the US is highly regulated.”
Disrupt.Design Lab is pushing boundaries by creating a circular design solution to combat the millions of tons of wood wasted every year. Called WoodenWood, the project takes raw wood and sawdust, and uses robotic printing methods to create a new “wood textile” that resembles rattan in texture.
SMALL BUT MIGHTY
Established in 2020, Margo Makes is a Cape Town-based company owned by woodworker and woodturner Margo Ackeer, who deftly crafts products such as serving boards, bowls, children’s toys, vases and candlesticks out of wood. After studying interior and industrial design, Margo realised that wood was her passion. “I love wood because of its willingness and ability to bend, break and snap – and the way it allows us to just bring it back together,” she explains. “The feeling you get at the end, once you have moulded and oiled it, is unbeatable.”
Husband and wife Andre and Diana James are the duo behind Dor+Kie. With a background in industrial and jewellery design, they share a passion for using conventional materials in surprising ways. Their focus is on wood, from which they create unique sculptural pieces of jewellery and small homeware objects. They also, notably, use traditional Japanese handsaws in an untraditional way. “It’s the only tool that works really well when it comes to creating the perfect cut and angle of each facet we make, but it’s really not the ‘correct’ way of using these beautiful saws,” says Diana. “We try to keep the tradition of hand- carving wood alive by creating objects that have a modern aesthetic.”
REQUIRED READING
Taschen’s 100 Contemporary Wood Buildings, written by Philip Jodidio, explores the diverse ways in which architects around the world have used wood to create things in the 21st century. Focusing on everything from smaller homes to larger buildings and ambitious urban-renewal schemes, it includes the designs of emerging talent and iconic architects, exploring and honouring their vision and innovation.
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