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

In this issue, we bring you news on glass sails, bamboo flooring, the aluminium renaissance, and more...

The aluminium renaissance

Steve Bromberg of Express Bi-Folding Doors looks at why he believes that more housebuilders than ever are ditching PVCu in favour of aluminium. When it comes to the design of a residential or commercial property, the finer details can make all the difference. While windows are of course an integral component to any property... Read more...
Published 18/12/2019 via materialsforarchitecture.co.uk

Bamboo flooring: the sustainable alternative

Rob Wooldridge from Moso Bamboo Surfaces looks at the many merits of bamboo flooring – and provides some installation tips for self-builds. Bamboo flooring may not be your first thought when considering what flooring to lay in your new build house or refurbishment, especially as there is such a huge range on offer, but then again... Read more...
Published 18/12/2019 via materialsforarchitecture.co.uk

Why timber needs to be in the frame

Malcolm Thomson of Scotframe explains why he believes timber frame is the ‘gold standard’ for modern construction and why we should all be thinking about fabric-first approaches. Offsite timber frame construction allows homes to be built faster and to a higher sustainability standard compared with traditional construction methods, making them... Read more...
Published 11/12/2019 via materialsforarchitecture.co.uk

Adding value to fenestration design

Ian Osborne of Kestrel Aluminium Systems explains how the aluminium industry has evolved to reduce waste and optimise production, enabling the material to compete with PVCu in a range of sectors. The increasing preference for aluminium in window and doorframe construction owes much to its versatility and design life value. Widespread... Read more...
Published 10/12/2019 via materialsforarchitecture.co.uk

Offsite timber is construction’s future

Stewart Dalgarno of Stewart Milne Timber Systems discusses why modern methods of construction coupled with a build fabric such as timber frame is key to meeting Government housing targets sustainably. Industry reports are increasingly signalling a move towards modern methods of construction (MMC) in the housebuilding sector. A phrase coined by... Read more...
Published 29/11/2019 via materialsforarchitecture.co.uk

Reinforcing the GRP Message

Andy Fell of Hambleside Danelaw explores how housebuilders and developers can avoid the common pitfalls of flat roofing by specifying glass reinforced polyester (GRP), explaining its various benefits. How many times have you heard it said: ‘flat roofs never last more than 10 years’? Even roofing materials manufacturers have to admit that 'flat' roofs... Read more...
Published 27/11/2019 via materialsforarchitecture.co.uk

Frank Gehry crowns Louis Vuitton Maison Seoul with glass sails

Frank Gehry has perched a stack of sweeping glass sails atop a cube of white stone for Louis Vuitton Maison Seoul, with interiors by architect Peter Marino. The roof is a reference to the curved roofs found in traditional Korean architecture, and a nod to the billowing forms of Gehry's Foundation Louis Vuitton in Paris. Designed to "give an impression of... Read more...
Published 25/11/2019 via dezeen.com

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