And Time Marches Onward... As 2021 unfolds, the uncertainty of the ongoing pandemic has impacted every industry, with supply chain interruptions and other far-reaching repercussions, including the sudden closure of Katerra. Even so, all is not doom and gloom. At the same time that vaccines are arriving and infection rates are starting to drop, a surprisingly robust industry has seen the announcement of many new mass timber projects worldwide. Some of those are featured in “Projects to Watch” (p.8), and also in our e-newsletter; sign up at WoodDesignandBuilding.com. Last year, the annual Wood Design & Building Awards were delayed, as many things were, and for the first time they were held virtually. We’ve included the winners in this issue, but this year we also expanded the section to include more information about all categories of awards. Each year, the jurors are impressed with the diversity and excellence of the international entries. It is never an easy choice, as you can see, starting with the Honor winners on p.16. Along with featuring some of the world’s best wood structures, this issue takes a closer look at parametric design. Not only is computer-aided design enabling new ideas, it is helping engineers and architects problem solve and push the limits of many materials, including wood. Two Canadian mass timber innovators, StructureCraft (p.10) and Intelligent City (p.40), explain how computers are helping to generate new possibilities for mass timber. Long before these advanced technologies, the Canadian Wood Council was founded in 1959, and in 1991, it created this magazine to showcase the many uses of wood. Thirty years ago, when this magazine was first named Wood le bois, some of today’s commonplace construction methods were barely conceived. Now, with nanoscale wood fibers (see “Wood Ware” on p.50) and algorithms that can generate infinite solutions, the built environment only seems to be limited by our imaginations. As we strive for a more sustainable planet, mass timber is poised to take on a growing role. This magazine has changed considerably over the past 30 years, and it will continue to evolve, just as the industry does. Stay tuned, and stay healthy!
Popi Bowman Managing Editor
Wood Design & Building magazine invites you to submit your project for consideration and possible publication. We welcome contributed projects, bylined articles and letters to the editor, as well as comments or suggestions for improving our magazine. Please send your submissions to pbowman@dvtail.com.
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