Over the past month or so, Architecture & Design has released a series of articles about
building with timber. We noted that mass timber construction (MTC) is nothing
new, but that the industry has become more aware of this method in recent
years.
Backed up with reasons for the potential and various
benefits of structural timber, we said that Australia is poised to build timber buildings bigger and better. After all, there are an increasing number of
examples that can stand and testify for MTC.
Lend Lease’s Library at The Dock is one project that proudly
shows off the possibilities of cross laminated timber construction. Scott Carver’s Netball Central in Sydney is
another development we explored that is successfully using laminated veneer
lumber for construction.
We also examined the advantages and possibilities of glulam,
a commonly specified material that has wider design possibilities than what it
is currently being used for, as well as the benefits and potential of floor cassette systems and other hybrid timber innovations.
There was no shortage of case studies and products to look
at in our features, but is there really a timber revolution currently underway
across Australia as some have suggested?
We posed this question to Rod Pindar, a
principal at Fitzpatrick + Partners, a practice that has spent the past five
years exploring the use of timber in their buildings. In this teaser video,
Pindar shares his thoughts about whether he believes there is a revolution. Stay tuned as we'll go into detail with a full length interview next week.
What do you think? Is there a timber revolution, is Australia on the verge of one, or is it way too early to tell?