Hello and welcome to the August issue of the Materials for Architecture Newsletter

In this issue, we bring you news on the benefits of wood as a construction material, the aesthetics of brick, and more...

The brick essentials

With an increasing number of homeowners choosing to pursue self-build or embark on self-renovation work, Simon Taylor of Ibstock examines one of the key considerations for any self-builder – the aesthetics as well as function of the bricks they will use for their project. Anyone considering embarking on a self-build home improvement job... Read more...
Published 16/08/2019 via materialsforarchitecture.co.uk

Growing opportunities for specifying timber

Kevin Underwood of the British Woodworking Federation discusses the challenges as well as wide-ranging benefits of using wood as a construction material. Wood, the world’s oldest and most traditional building material, is increasingly being re-evaluated as a modern-day first choice for both structural and interior applications across domestic... Read more...
Published 06/08/2019 via materialsforarchitecture.co.uk

Modification, innovation and sustainability

Dr Andy Pitman of Lignia Wood Company discusses how the UK timber industry is embracing change and innovating – for the benefit of the environment and the customer. All over the world we are surrounded by wooden structures of all ages, shapes and sizes. They range from the ancient temples of Japan and oak framed medieval buildings... Read more...
Published 06/08/2019 via materialsforarchitecture.co.uk

Looking past the uncertainty

Gavin Knowles of Howarth Timber & Building Supplies on why scrutiny needs to be applied to ensure correct product specification, which is also being applied to the industry. The construction sector is the second largest consumer of plastics behind retail, however the industry is now starting to focus on ways in which it can improve its sustainability... Read more...
Published 06/08/2019 via materialsforarchitecture.co.uk

Forest canopy

Inspired by the ‘Bamboo Forest’ of a nearby national park, the Wuxi Taihu Show Theatre near Shanghai marks the entrance to a huge new tourist attraction in its city. Roseanne Field reports. The city of Wuxi sits on the banks of the Taihu Lake in the southern Jiangsu province in China, just north west of Shanghai. Opposite it, on the other side of the lake... Read more...
Published 06/08/2019 via materialsforarchitecture.co.uk

All hands on deck

The UK’s official agency for shipping and Royal Navy data has a new headquarters in Somerset, designed to push collaboration to the fore, in an open and fluid structure enhanced by timber throughout. Jack Wooler reports on how the AHR-designed project helps workers engage in a ‘one team culture.’ Based in Taunton, Somerset, the new headquarters... Read more...
Published 06/08/2019 via materialsforarchitecture.co.uk

Climb every mountain

Challenged by steep topography, unspoilt alpine surroundings, and a devastating fire after its initial construction, the creation of a community sports and activity hall brought architect, client and locals together in the Swiss village of Le Vaud. Sébastien Reed speaks to architect Laurent Saurer. Situated just a stone’s throw away from Lake Léman on one side... Read more...
Published 06/08/2019 via materialsforarchitecture.co.uk

Yakafu DIY bakery in China with geometric terrazzo blocks + graphic elements

Shanghai-based studio KCA – Kostas Chatzigiannis Architecture has completed Yakafu’s flagship DIY bakery in Anji, a picturesque town near Hangzhou, China. Bold, graphic, and brightly coloured, the store invites adults and children who want to learn how to bake bread and pastries – or simply enjoy them – into its double-story interior, characterised... Read more...
Published 05/08/2019 via designboom.com

Aluminium-clad cabins perch on stilts over the Barents Sea in Norway

Stinessen Arkitektur has built three cabins and a sauna on an island in the remote Steigen Archipelago off the coast of Norway in the arctic circle. Called Manshausen 2.0, the project is an extension of the Manshausen Island Resort, an eco-retreat founded by Børge Ousland, the Norwegian polar explorer who was the first person to cross the Arctic solo... Read more...
Published 03/08/2019 via dezeen.com

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