Timber Design & Technology Middle East - October 2018

New district in Toronto will tackle the challenges of urban growth Bunjil Place: the meeting of many paths The Conversation Plinth sparks discussion and transforms cityscape 31 cross-laminated timber towers planned for Stockholm’s waterfront Rycotewood furniture students create sustainable storage solutions in American red oak

Sound design.

American hardwoods.

American tulipwood acoustic panelling by Ben Percy uplifts and updates the performance hall at the Northern Beaches Colleges Senior Campus in Freshwater, Sydney. Architects and designers all over the world have embraced American hardwoods for the range of colours, grains and textures they offer, as well as for their consistency in grade, quality and supply and their sustainable credentials.

For more information visit www.americanhardwood.org

New district in Toronto will tackle the challenges of urban growth Bunjil Place: the meeting of many paths The Conversation Plinth sparks discussion and transforms cityscape 31 cross-laminated timber towers planned for Stockholm’s waterfront Rycotewood furniture students create sustainable storage solutions in American red oak

Bunjil Place © Trevor Mein

October 2018 Issue 40 PUBLISHER Andy MacGregor publisher@citrusmediagroup.net +971 55 849 1574

MARKETING DIRECTOR Eric Hammond marketing@citrusmediagroup.net +971 4 455 8400 INTERNATIONAL SALES DIRECTOR James Hamilton james@timberdesignandtechnology.com EDITOR Tony Smith editor@timberdesignandtechnology.com INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATIVES Rabia Alga AntExpo Org. | Turkey rabia@antexpo.net +90 216 541 0390 ELIAS AGGELOPOULOS Med Expo Greece info@epipleon.gr +30 210 2931011 Timber Design & Technology is published 5 times a year

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EDITOR’S NOTE As humans, we have an innate need to connect with nature. There is a growing body of evidence internationally demonstrating that connection to nature, biophilic design and wood is associated with improved physical and mental well being. However, to date there has been little rigorous primary research conducted in Australia. In the context of increasing urbanization and declining exposure to nature, Pollinate undertook a large-scale study investigating the relationship between exposure to wood in the workplace and worker well being. The Workplaces: Wellness + Wood = Productivity report is based on the results of an online survey of n=1000 Australians working in indoor environments. We start things off in this issue by taking a closer look at the findings of the report.

Cross-laminated timber has been the hottest topic for a while and this trend doesn’t trend seem to be slowing down any time soon. Late last year, design firm IKD unveiled the first hardwood cross-laminated timber (HCLT) structure in the United States at the Exhibit Columbus exhibition. The Conversation Plinth sparked conversation whilst transforming the cityscape but more importantly demonstrated the abilities of hardwood CLT, with the potential to act as a catalyst for a new timber industry. More recently, the American Hardwood Export Council collaborated with Waugh Thistleton Architects and ARUP to launch MultiPly, a nine-meter high, carbon-neutral wooden pavilion made entirely of American tulipwood. The installation, which was on display as part of the London Design Festival 2018, illustrates how modular cross-laminated construction in hardwood is a viable solution to the current housing crisis.

An annual must-attend event, Dubai Design Week returns for its fourth edition from November 12 - 17, 2018. Taking place at locations across the city, this year’s programme will be the most comprehensive to date, with more than 120 companies participating and 230 events taking place, encompassing exhibitions, commissioned installations, awards and competitions, talks and workshops, tours and experiences for design enthusiasts and public visitors alike. An accessible meeting point for the global design community, since its inauguration in 2015, Dubai Design Week has become a platform for growing and enabling the region’s design scene, attracting 60,000 visitors to the event at d3 alone throughout the 2017 edition. Whilst the complete details have yet to be announced, we are confident that timber will once again be the material of choice for many of the pieces set to go on display next month, and we look forward to covering the festival extensively in our final issue of the year.

As always, I would like to encourage you to log on to the website - www.timberdesignandtechnology.com - for the latest updates and please get in touch if you have any suggestions for subjects we should consider covering. In closing, I would like to thank our advertisers, our partners and our readers.

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CONTENTS

11 SUSTAINABILITY

40 TALL TIMBER

New district in Toronto will tackle the challenges of urban growth

31 cross-laminated timber towers planned for Stockholm’s waterfront

18 MARKET REPORT

50 WOOD WORKS

World-first research proves wood is associated with improved physical and mental well being

Rycotewood furniture students create sustainable storage solutions in American red oak

22 ANALYSIS

54 SHOWTIME CALENDAR

MultiPly: a carbon-neutral American tulipwood pavilion launches at the London Design Festival

All the dates of the top industry exhibitions coming up this season

38 COMMENT Industry experts, leaders to converge at inaugural Malaysian Timber Conference

DESIGN & DÉCOR

28 Conversation Plinth

TECHNOLOGY

32 Bunjil Place

The Conversation Plinth sparks Bunjil Place: the meeting of discussion and transforms cityscape many paths

44 HOMAG

48 SCM

HOMAG launches new generation of robot saws in Holzbronn

Masonite opens doors to the world

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Prompted by the positive response from the furniture production industry to the launch of the Custom Furniture Suppliers Zone at the international exhibition area of CIFM / interzum guangzhou in 2018, organizers of the show have announced the return of an expanded feature showcase next year to take up twice as much space in view of strong growth potential for this market. Slated to be held in China’s furniture manufacturing powerhouse Guangzhou from March 28 to 31, 2019, CIFM / interzum guangzhou is the largest and most comprehensive trade fair in the woodworking machinery, furniture production and interior decoration industry in Asia. Located in Hall 14.1 (Area C) of the Pazhou Complex, the Custom Furniture Suppliers Zone is poised to stir up fresh interest among visitors.

With continuously evolving consumer demand, custom and nonstandard furniture has become the hottest trend that has been widely embraced by furniture makers. While they meet the individual needs of consumers, flexible automated production in small volumes is also made possible. Data shows that China's custom furniture industry continues to grow, and accounts for about 20 percent market share in the furniture industry. Compared with developed countries with over 60 percent market share, there is substantial room for growth in China. Currently, the phenomenon has extended from customizing cabinets and wardrobes to the entire house. This is also a test of information technology, process technology and flexible production capabilities of manufacturers, which in turn is expected to bring about

Image © CIFM / INTERZUM GUANGZHOU

Image © CIFM / INTERZUM GUANGZHOU

Image © CIFM / INTERZUM GUANGZHOU

Image © CIFM / INTERZUM GUANGZHOU

CUSTOM FURNITURE SUPPLIERS ZONE AT CIFM / INTERZUM GUANGZHOU 2019 TO DOUBLE IN SIZE

greater opportunities.

CIFM / interzum guangzhou continues to be sought after by industry brands, with over 95 percent of the exhibition spaces at the international halls booked out. Among them, the national pavilions have always been an integral part of the international exhibition area and are also one of the most popular highlights at the event.

Every year, nearly 100 of the industry's top raw material as well as component suppliers for furniture production are being showcased bringing the latest product information to the show. In 2019, CIFM / interzum guangzhou will continue to welcome national pavilions from major global furniture manufacturing hubs and markets, such as Germany, Turkey, US/Canada, South Korea and Italy. In addition, industry associations including the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC), Quebec Wood Export Bureau, Canada Wood and French Timber will also be back once again to seek distributors, agents and bulk buyers in Asia through the event.

Besides that, a series of exciting concurrent activities is also to be anticipated, including business match-making, exhibitor sharing sessions and forums to enable enterprises in the region to promote their products and technologies to global buyers. The last edition occupied 150,000 square meters and spanned 17 exhibition halls.

1,459 companies from 38 countries and regions gathered at the event attracting 89,858 trade visitors from 132 countries and regions.

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Pandre Special Architecture, a boutique design practice based in Dubai which specializes in multi-family residential projects, has won the ‘Outstanding use of American Hardwood in the Middle East’ award for its Nad Al Sheba Garden Pavilion at the Commercial Interior Design (CID) Awards 2018, which took place on Wednesday, September 19, 2018 at the Joharah Ballroom, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai. The award, which was sponsored by the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) for the seventh time, was presented by Roderick Wiles, AHEC Regional Director, and Kurt Seifarth, Regional Agricultural Counselor for the United States Foreign Agricultural Service, to Mark Klever, Head of Design, Pandre Special Architecture.

Pandre Special Architecture was praised by the judges for their ‘extensive and thoughtful use of American hardwoods in this modern annex project, which complements the traditional majlis inside the villa’.

Highly commended in the category were AIC Design for Optifashion, the eyewear store in Dubai’s La Mer precinct, which smartly incorporated American hardwoods into a Fibonacci Sequence-inspired design. Also shortlisted for the award were Doubletree by Hilton, Bay Square by Design Worldwide Partnership; Intercontinental Hotel Resort Spa & Gym

by Esadore Creative; Renaissance Downtown Hotel fit out by Khansaheb Interiors; and Little Miss India by Bond Interiors. Overall, the category this year attracted a record number of nominations from across the region.

“This project gave us as designers an opportunity to develop many custom built elements throughout, particularly in timber. American hardwoods have been used in a number of areas across the project such as American oak for the flooring, cladding and columns as well as for the bespoke tables and chairs. Black-stained American oak was used for the

Image © PS Architecture

Image © PS Architecture

Image ©ITP

PANDRE SPECIAL ARCHITECTURE WINS ‘OUTSTANDING USE OF AMERICAN HARDWOOD IN THE MIDDLE EAST’ AT CID AWARDS 2018

custom-designed dining table, whilst oak was also used for the ceiling cladding and panelling,” said Klever. “The interior design brief was to provide a complimentary experience to the existing formal majlis in the main villa. Through the use of warm timbers and natural stone, we were able to create a beautiful and comfortable space to enhance the relaxing indoor-outdoor living experience.”

According to Klever, the design intent was to create a place of hospitality, entertainment, relaxation and reflection; an informal, modern annex that complements the ‘formal’ Majlis located inside the more traditional family villa. As such, the cantilevered roof and opening glass walls create an open, peaceful, shaded outdoor living area enabling the owners to experience the tranquil ebb and flow from the Majlis out to a landscaped garden. The canopy roof, supported by four columns, acts as a tent poled awning stretched over all the internal components camped within. Further, the functional components of kitchen, and washrooms are stand-alone rooms clad in stone and timber and are separated by views to pocket gardens.

“We were delighted to be able to sponsor these prestigious awards yet again and to support the immensely talented, diverse and burgeoning design community in the Gulf. The winning design creates an excellent showpiece for American hardwoods in the Middle East, which are extremely well established as a design material.

Sustainable American hardwoods are now beginning to enter new and exciting commercial markets and as the world re-embraces timber as a building material, it is hoped that they will become recognized more for the possibilities they can offer in all aspects of design and construction,” concluded Wiles.

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DOMOTEX ASIA/CHINAFLOOR IS EXPANDING TO 15 EXHIBITION HALLS IN 2019 The 21st edition of DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR, taking place from March 26 - 28, 2019 at the Shanghai New International Expo Center, is expanding this year to 175,000 square meters across 15 halls. 5 of them are dedicated to carpets and rugs, 4 to wood, bamboo and other hard floors, 1.5 to FLOORTECH asia and 4.5 halls are dedicated to resilient floorings for sport, commercial, industrial and residential purposes.

The show's clusters display categories in an optimal way so attendees can quickly find everything of interest to them. Getting down to specifics, this year wood flooring will occupy E1-E4 halls, which means that the exhibitors will have bigger spaces to display their products.

E1 will exhibit only international brands, such as Labeco, Boen, Arte Mundi, Swiss Krono, Classen and Faus. E2 will house domestic companies, including Starforest, Tubao, TECLIC, Artree, Jinqiao and Dalian Wood Flooring Pavilion. The largest part of E3 will be for floor heating and E4 - for bamboo flooring and Changzhou laminate flooring pavilion. This way it will be a lot easier for visitors to survey the market and connect with the exhibitors and trends that matter to them.

The organizers of the show have also confirmed that W5 will once again be the host hall for the Luxury Brands Carpet Show. Moreover, U-living, Hongjia, Babylon and some other premium household carpet companies will join the hall in 2019, making W5 a highlevel design hall. Three country pavilions (Afghanistan, India, and Pakistan) have also confirmed their return to W5 for the 21st edition of the show with large stands.

Since the establishment of the show in 1999, DOMOTEX asia/ CHINAFLOOR has been regarded as the place to be for floor covering professionals from around the globe and a unique opportunity for manufacturers to position themselves as trendsetters of the flooring industry. DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR 2018 gathered 1,418 exhibitors from 35 countries and attracted 60,029 trade visitors, of which 14,238 were international visitors from 104 nations. The 2019 edition will continue its successful route, attracting even more professionals and offering the flooring world a unique platform to access and do business in the biggest flooring market in the world.

Image © DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR

Image © DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR

Image © DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR

FLOORTECH asia will be displayed in E5, bringing ever new technologies and wood flooring printing machines to the show for the first time; while a part of E6 will house wood flooring supplies like cleaning and maintenance equipment, and applications and installation technology. According to Sara Babinski, Design Manager at Armstrong Flooring, 3D printing will play an important role in the flooring industry. To take that into account, DOMOTEX asia/ CHINAFLOOR 2019 will present companies such as Hope Ceramics Machinery Equipment and ELECTRONICS FOR IMAGING.

With regards to mechanical equipment for wood flooring, the world’s leading brands like Homag, Hawk, Suzhou Hotjin Precision Machinery, AZUMI Mechanical Equipment and Wintersteiger AG have already secured their space. This year E6 will be a gateway to outdoor decking flooring and E7 will house sports flooring, as the industry grew extensively from last year. A big part of N3 and N5 will be occupied by the major international brands, such as KDF, Tarkett, Wineo, JaeYoung, US Floor, NOX, Adopen, GoaKe. The resilient flooring section is expanding dramatically, that is why it will be spread out to halls E6, E7 and N3-N5, taking up 4.5 halls for the first time.

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Image © Dubai Design District

DUBAI DESIGN WEEK CONTINUES TO GROW CEMENTING DUBAI AS THE DESIGN CAPITAL OF THE MIDDLE EAST

Held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-Chairman of the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, and in partnership with Dubai Design District (d3) and supported by Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, Dubai Design Week will be returning for its fourth edition from November 12 - 17, 2018. Taking place at locations across the city, this year’s programme will be the most comprehensive to date, with more than 120 companies participating and 230 events taking place, encompassing exhibitions, commissioned installations, awards and competitions, talks and workshops, tours and experiences for design enthusiasts and public visitors alike.

from November 13 - 16 with over 175 premium design brands from the region and across the world. The fair will present a new element titled Downtown Editions, a curated showcase dedicated to limited-edition and bespoke design, capsule collections and designer collaborations.

Design weeks from the region, including Amman, Beirut and Casablanca, will unite within Downtown Editions, bringing co-curated showcases of some of the Middle East’s brightest design talent. Under the theme of Livable Cities, this year’s fair will feature an indoor garden space by landscape designers desert INK, creative pop-up concepts and installations by globally renowned designers, alongside industry talks by over 25 leaders of the international design scene at The Forum.

An accessible meeting point for the global design community, since its inauguration in 2015, Dubai Design Week has become a platform for growing and enabling the region’s design scene, attracting 60,000 visitors to the event at d3 alone throughout the 2017 edition. Dubai Design Week will this year launch its first app, allowing visitors to create personalized schedules on the go based on preferences and interests and to be the first to get notified of must-attend launches and events.

An exhibition of life changing inventions designed by graduates from the world’s best design and technology schools, Global Grad Show values innovation that transcends technology and exists independent of wealth; equality without hierarchy amongst universities, regions and designers; universal design open to all types of projects; and impact on the world at large through solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems. With more than 1,000 submissions, double the number received last year, Global Grad Show 2018 will showcase 150 selected projects from 100 of world’s top universities and emerging programmes.

d3’s Chief Executive Officer, Mohammad Saeed Al Shehhi, says: “d3 is once again thrilled to be the strategic partner and host of the fourth edition of Dubai Design Week. For 2018, we are proud to add d3’s ‘UAE Design Stories’ exhibition to the programme and highlight several projects under d3’s ‘Design for Good’ initiative which supports and promotes social change within the UAE. It's always important for us to continue to support the growth of the design industry as a whole and it is events like this that celebrate design from across the region which truly cement Dubai, and d3, as a design destination.”

Coinciding with the event, this November will see the official opening of the Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai’s first contemporary arts museum, the inaugural Fikra Graphic Design Biennial in Sharjah, the first of its kind in the region, and a range of activities staged at Alserkal Avenue, reinforcing November as the annual focal point for design and creativity in Dubai.

The Middle East’s leading design trade fair, Downtown Design returns

Named after the Arabic word for ‘doors’, Abwab is an annually remodeled exhibition dedicated to design from the region. This year, Dubai Design Week will stage the fourth edition of Abwab within five dedicated pavilions designed by Architecture + Other Things, composed of natural materials including fallen twigs and timber coated in recycled newspaper pulp. Under the theme ‘Between the Lines’, commissioned designers from five communities, Amman, Beirut, Dubai, Eastern Provinces of KSA, together with Pavilion Partner Ithra, and Kuwait City will produce design experiences for cultural exchange.

Director of Dubai Design Week, William Knight, says: “Dubai Design Week 2018 will build on the success of the previous editions of the event, with an outstanding array of installations, exhibitions and activations, and the diversity of talent represented is the strongest yet.

Dubai’s design community will take center stage, alongside regional collaborations and preeminent international profiles.”

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New district in Toronto will tackle the challenges of urban growth

Image Š Michael Green Architects

Waterfront Toronto and Alphabet’s Sidewalk Labs to create neighborhoods that blend people-centered urban design with cutting-edge technology

Image © Sidewalk Labs

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Sidewalk Labs and Waterfront Toronto have launched ‘Sidewalk Toronto’ - their joint effort to design a new type of mixeduse, complete community on Toronto’s Eastern Waterfront.

Sidewalk Toronto will combine forward-thinking urban design and new digital technology to create people-centered neighborhoods that achieve precedentsetting levels of sustainability, affordability, mobility, and economic opportunity. ‘Sidewalk Toronto’ aims to make Toronto’s Eastern Waterfront the global hub for urban innovation, starting with the relocation of Google’s Canadian Headquarters.

After exploring opportunities all over the world, Sidewalk Labs, an Alphabet company, responded to a Request for Proposals (RFP) issued in March 2017 by Waterfront Toronto that sought an innovation and funding partner for the Eastern Waterfront, beginning with the creation of a new neighborhood called Quayside, located at Parliament Slip.

Following a rigorous procurement process involving a number of local and international firms,

Waterfront Toronto selected Sidewalk Labs as its partner; the company has committed USD 50 million to an initial phase of joint planning and pilot project testing.

To initiate a public conversation about what might be possible on the Eastern Waterfront, Sidewalk Labs has released the vision laid out in its RFP response.

Speaking at the launch, Will Fleissig, President and CEO of Waterfront Toronto, said: "Waterfront Toronto has made remarkable strides in revitalizing the waterfront with forwardlooking new neighborhoods and reconnecting Torontonians to their waterfront. Today, we are expanding our know-how by partnering with Sidewalk Labs to create a progressive, innovative community; one that addresses significant challenges and sets new standards around sustainability, affordable housing and community engagement."

Consistent with the RFP, Sidewalk Labs and Waterfront Toronto will work with the City to bring urban innovations advanced at Quayside to scale

Image © Sidewalk Labs

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Waterfront Toronto. This will not be a place where we deploy technology for its own sake, but rather one where we use emerging digital tools and the latest in urban design to solve big urban challenges in ways that we hope will inspire cities around the world,” added Dan Doctoroff, CEO of Sidewalk Labs.

Waterfront Toronto and Sidewalk

Sidewalk Toronto is considering using tall timber technologies on an unprecedented scale and exploring what it would mean to build Quayside primarily, or even entirely, out of tall timber “Successful cities around the world are wrestling with the same challenges of growth, from rising costs of living that price out the middle class, to congestion and ever-longer commutes, to the challenges of climate change.

Sidewalk Labs scoured the globe for the perfect place to create a district focused on solutions to these pressing challenges, and we found it on Toronto’s Eastern Waterfront - along with the perfect public-sector partner,

Labs have also announced plans to devote a year to extensive community and stakeholder consultation and long-range planning, focused on improving infrastructure and transportation systems, creating new models of affordable housing and flexible retail uses, and establishing clear governance policies related to data protection and privacy. This critical public engagement will culminate in a Master Innovation and Development Plan that, if

Image © Sidewalk Labs

in the Port Lands, the primarily publicly-owned area of more than 325 hectares (800 acres), one of North America’s largest areas of underdeveloped urban land. A recent CAD 1.25 billion investment by federal, provincial, and municipal governments will also enable Waterfront Toronto to provide the flood protection and critical infrastructure necessary to revitalize the area.

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"Today's announcement is about creating a new type of neighborhood that puts people first. Sidewalk Toronto will transform Quayside into a thriving hub for innovation and a community for tens of thousands of people to live, work, and play. This project offers unprecedented opportunities for Canadian innovators and will create thousands of good, middle class jobs. The new technologies that emerge from Quayside have the potential to improve city living - making housing more affordable and public transit more convenient for Canadians and their families. I have no doubt Quayside will become a model for cities around the world and make all of our communities even better places to call home," said Justin Trudeau, Canadian Prime Minister.

Image © Sidewalk Labs

Knowing that great neighborhoods aren’t planned from the top down, Sidewalk Toronto will create the conditions for a community to be built - and

innovations launched - by people, companies, startups, academic centers, and local organizations over many years. Sidewalk Toronto aims to make the Eastern Waterfront the global hub of a new industry focused on urban innovation to improve the quality of city life, tapping into Toronto’s already-thriving tech sector and developing innovations that could benefit communities and neighborhoods elsewhere in the city.

To help get started, Alphabet plans to move Google’s Canadian headquarters to the Eastern Waterfront. The district will become a place for tens of thousands of people to live, work, learn, and play - and to create and advance new ideas that improve city life, from climate-positive energy systems that can deliver a new standard in sustainability, to self-driving transit that makes streets safer, to new construction techniques that can lower housing costs. It will also reflect the cultural diversity and openness of Toronto, and help connect all Torontonians to waterfront beaches, parks, and communities.

“Ontario is already known as a world leader when it comes to innovation and for having the

Image © Sidewalk Labs

adopted by the Board of Directors of Waterfront Toronto and by Sidewalk Labs, will form the basis for the Quayside development and any subsequent revitalization of city-owned lands in the Eastern Waterfront.

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without giving up the privacy and security that everyone deserves.

highly-skilled, educated people that can bring game-changing ideas to life. This is an opportunity to apply all of that talent to one of the biggest challenges faced by cities here and the world how to build urban spaces that are inclusive, sustainable and responsive to the needs of the people who call them home. This project will be a true collaboration between the community and some of the brightest minds in urban development, generating thousands of new jobs and new opportunities for the people of this province,� said Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne.

Sustainable design

Working together with the local community, Sidewalk Toronto aspires to create a place that encourages innovation around energy, waste, and other environmental challenges to protect the planet; a place that provides a range of transportation options that are more affordable, safe, and convenient than the private car; a place that embraces adaptable buildings and new construction methods to reduce the cost of housing and retail space; a place where public spaces welcome families to enjoy the outdoors day and night, and in all seasons; a place that is enhanced by digital technology and data

Designing a sustainable building system is the first step towards developing a more healthy, adaptable, and affordable neighborhood. In the case of Sidewalk Toronto, the developers are considering constructing all the buildings from local and renewable Canadian timber, in order to create an affordable and sustainable built environment, while supporting the country's industry. Sidewalk Toronto is considering using tall timber technologies on an unprecedented scale and exploring what it would mean to build Quayside primarily, or even entirely, out of tall timber, given that timber is readily available in Canada, and is growing

"On Toronto's Eastern Waterfront, we are making a bold bet that innovative technology and forward-thinking urban design can make fundamental improvements in city life. Toronto is the ideal place for Alphabet and Sidewalk Labs to do something impactful that we hope will foster new ideas that can be applied by cities around the world," said Eric Schmidt, Executive Chairman of Alphabet.

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in popularity as a construction material in the country.

New illustrations of the vision were recently completed by Michael Green Architecture - the firm behind the largest mass-timber building in United States - and show high-rise wooden structures fronted with triangular frames and perforated white screens. Given that each building in the neighborhood will host a mix of programmes like residences, offices and shops, so a modular structure that would be easy to adapt for different uses has been proposed. The developers are considering using two types of engineered wood: cross-laminated timber (CLT) and glue-laminated timber, also known as Glulam, which are both significantly stronger than standard wood.

Image © Sidewalk Labs

According to the design team, building in timber will help achieve the buildings objectives, which include: Adaptability - to create structures that are more responsive to the people’s needs over time, both on day one and years later; Affordability - to reduce the cost and speed

of construction through a manufactured approach to buildings; Sustainability - to build at the highest sustainability standard to help the environment, reduce utility costs, and improve occupant well-being; and Design Excellence - to uphold and deliver innovative building design and architectural excellence on the waterfront.

timber and related industries. In addition to faster construction times, less on-site noise, less congestion, and safer sites via off-site manufacturing, timber also provides warmth and character to living spaces.

Significantly, mass timber construction can help realize significant cost savings in the long term, especially as the

Ultimately, mass timber at Quayside could help enable a unique new living experience on the waterfront and expand housing options for a diverse range of residents

Why Mass Timber?

market expands.

Building using mass timber offers several benefits. Firstly, it is climate friendly and will help Sidewalk Toronto make progress towards meeting Waterfront Toronto’s ambitious sustainability goals and achieving climate positive.

By supporting and leveraging the expertise of Canada’s world-leading timber industry, the project will provide an economic boost not only to the surrounding area but also to the

However, the team is wary of limitations around construction of wooden buildings to a great height, including local regulations that restrict them to six storeys; current technological capacity that limits timber construction to thirty storeys; limited industry capacity as well in terms of supply chains needed to support largerscale construction; and lastly the immediate cost factor wherein savings may not be realized

at the scale and timeframe envisioned for Quayside. Despite the challenges, Canada is leading tall timber building construction in the Americas with residential buildings, scholastic buildings, and commercial buildings, including Brock Commons and The Arbour.

Current code pre-approves buildings up to six storeys, with performance-based approvals for taller buildings. However, in 2021, the code is anticipated to pre-approve timber buildings up to twelve storeys with performance-based approvals for taller buildings. In addition, federal, provincial, and city agencies have partnered to support the advancement of timber technologies and industry growth. Given that Canada is home to the largest supply of certified forests that can be sustainably cultivated, expanding the existing tall timber industry could allow Toronto to become a global resource for tall timber expertise. Ultimately, mass timber at Quayside could help enable a unique new living experience on the waterfront and expand housing options for a diverse range of residents.

Image Š Lee Grant

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World-first research proves wood is associated with improved physical and mental well being Workplaces: Wellness + Wood = Productivity study explores the relationship between exposure to wood in the workplace and worker well being

Image © Albert Vecerka / Esto

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Internationally and in Australia, there has been extensive research on the positive health and well being impacts of spending time outside in nature. This research builds on the ‘biophilia hypothesis’ first popularized by Edward Wilson.

Wilson argued that humans have an innate tendency to seek connections with nature and other forms of life. Biophilic design elements such as natural light, plants, nature views and water features are increasingly used in the modern built environment.

In the last 35 years there have been several studies exploring the relationship between exposure to these elements and well being. Some of the key findings include increased rates of learning, improved test results, concentration levels and attendance, and reduced impacts of ADHD; office productivity can be increased by 8 percent and rates of well-being increased by 13 percent; and post-operative rates of recovery reduced by 8.5 percent and a reduction in pain medication by 22 percent.

The presence of vegetation and landscaping has also been found to increase average rental rates on retail spaces with customers indicating they were willing to pay 8-12 percent more for goods and services. Significantly, there has been 7-8 percent less crime in areas with access to nature, with homes in these areas commanding an increase of 4-5 percent in property price.

More recently this hypothesis has been extended to include exposure to wood in the built environment.

As a natural material, wood is thought to provide a connection to nature and therefore improve physical and mental well being.

Internationally studies have demonstrated this relationship in offices, schools and hospitals.

However, to date there has been little rigorous primary research conducted in Australia.

In the context of increasing urbanization and declining exposure to nature, Pollinate undertook a large-scale study investigating the relationship between exposure to wood in the workplace and worker well being. The Workplaces: Wellness + Wood = Productivity report is based on the results of an online survey of n=1000 Australians working in indoor environments.

The sample was recruited via an accredited market research panel and structured according to the indoor working population with respect to gender, age and location using ABS data. We take a closer look at the findings of the report.

There is a growing body of evidence internationally demonstrating that connection to nature, biophilic design and wood is associated with improved physical and mental well being. According to the report, around two thirds of indoor workers spend most of their work day in an office environment; around half spend an hour or less outdoors each day; and over a third aren’t satisfied with their physical working environment.

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connection people have with wood as a natural material has the effect of increasing workplace satisfaction and well being.

Those in workplaces with a higher proportion of visible wood feel more connected to nature and rate their working environment far more positively. These people report lower stress levels, higher concentration and improved overall mood.

The report found that the majority use negative words such as enclosed and dull to describe their workplace with over one in four taking unplanned leave when they are physically fit but don’t feel like going to work. In a nutshell, workers who are satisfied are less likely to take unplanned leave and have fewer sick days. Morever, workers in workplaces with more wood were found to have higher levels of satisfaction.

In addition to these compelling employee benefits, the use of exposed wood in the workplace has a clear benefit to the organization. Wood in the workplace is associated with higher productivity and reduced sick leave. Increasing the use of wood in the Australian workplace not only benefits employees but improves organizational productivity and therefore the Australian economy.

According to the report, biophilic design elements (e.g. plants, natural light) are also correlated with increased workplace satisfaction.

Workers in work environments with exposed wood felt more connected to nature and had more positive associations with their workplace. Those in wooden working environments had higher levels of well being and took less leave. Overall, wood is correlated with higher levels of concentration, improved mood and personal productivity.

Increasing the use of wood and biophilic design in the Australian indoor workplace has clear benefits for both employees and their employers. The positive

Image Š Pollinate

Increasing the use of wood and biophilic design in the Australian indoor workplace has clear benefits for both employees and their employers

* This article contains text from the report - Workplaces: Wellness + Wood = Productivity - which was prepared for Forest & Wood Products Australia*

by Andrew Knox, Howard Parry-Husbands, Pollinate. For more information, please visit: https://www.pollinate.com.au.

Image Š Hufton + Crow

The report concluded that we as humans have an innate need to connect with nature. In an increasingly urbanized world with rising work hours, Australians are now spending over 90 percent of their time indoors. It is therefore socially and economically important to look for opportunities to enhance our connection with nature in the indoor environment.

Wood is the only renewable building material and the one most loved by Australians. Wood is natural, timeless, versatile and elicits feelings of warmth and comfort in those exposed to it. There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that the future of the Australian indoor built environment is wood.

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MultiPly: a carbon-neutral American tulipwood pavilion launches at the London Design Festival

Image © Ed Reeve

The tulipwood used to build MultiPly stores the equivalent of 30 tonnes of carbon dioxide and is replaced with natural growth in the American hardwood forest in 5 minutes MultiPly, a nine-meter high, carbon-neutral wooden pavilion made entirely of American tulipwood has opened to the public in the Sackler Courtyard of the V&A in time for the London Design Festival on September 15, 2018 and will remain there until October 1. The 43 cubic meters of tulipwood that make up MultiPly store the equivalent of 30 tonnes of carbon dioxide and are replaced with natural growth in the American hardwood forest in just 5 minutes.

The installation is a collaboration between Waugh Thistleton Architects, the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) and ARUP, and illustrates how modular cross-laminated construction in hardwood is a viable solution to the current housing crisis. The structure is made with the first UKmanufactured cross laminated timber (CLT) panels.

One of the London Design

Festival’s Landmark projects, MultiPly is comprised of a mazelike series of interconnected spaces that overlap and intertwine. It has been conceived and constructed to encourage visitors to re-think the way we design and build our homes and cities.

The three-dimensional structure is built out of a flexible system, made of 17 modules of American tulipwood CLT, with digitally fabricated joints. Like a piece of flat-packed furniture, the pavilion arrived as a kit of parts and has quietly and efficiently been assembled in under a week.

At the crown of the structure is a module with a thermo-treated tulipwood interior layer - the first time thermally modified timber (TMT) has been incorporated as a protective layer in CLT. MultiPly confronts two of the current age’s biggest challenges - the pressing need for housing and the urgency to fight

Image © Ed Reeve

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“The main ambition of this project is to publicly debate how environmental challenges can be addressed through innovative, affordable construction,” says Andrew Waugh, Co-founder of

Waugh Thistleton Architects, a studio that has been at the forefront of wood construction for decades. “We are at a crisis point in terms of both housing and CO2 emissions and we believe that building in a versatile, sustainable material, such as tulipwood, is an important way of addressing these issues.”

To keep up with population growth and deal with years of under supply, around 250,000

new homes would need to be built in the UK every year. In 2016/17, 184,000 new homes were built in the UK, a shortfall of approximately 66,000 homes.

To increase supply to meet demand, we must change the way we think and build.

Waugh Thistleton Architects have been pioneering innovative uses of wood in construction for decades. MultiPly explores a new, more sustainable way of building, bringing together a

readily available carbon-negative material - American tulipwood - with modular design. AHEC have worked with many great architects - David Adjaye, Alex de Rijke, Alison Brooks, and now Waugh Thistleton - to demonstrate the structural, aesthetic and environmental properties of American tulipwood.

Tulipwood is sourced from the Eastern United States, where the hardwood forest

Image © Ed Reeve

climate change and presents the fusion of modular systems and sustainable construction materials as a solution. Given that it is built out of modules, the pavilion can be taken apart and reassembled in a new home after the London Design Festival.

The research and projects undertaken have proven that weight for weight, tulipwood CLT is stronger than steel and concrete and can be machined to

Image © Ed Reeve Image © Ed Reeve

MultiPly uses a wood engineering technique known as crosslaminating, where timber planks are laid perpendicular to one

another and glued together to form very strong, stiff and stable panels. CLT has traditionally been made of softwood trees.

However, together with Arup, AHEC have been experimenting with CLT made from fast-grown U.S. tulipwood for the past decade.

Image © Ed Reeve

area is expanding at a rate of one football pitch every minute, and already exceeds 110 million hectares, equivalent to the combined area of France and Spain. This makes the material both sustainable and environmentally friendly, especially as it is one of the most abundant American hardwoods.

Image © Ed Reeve

Image © Ed Reeve

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dramatic marble-like appearance, make tulipwood a perfect pioneer hardwood for innovative timber construction. Tulipwood planks are imported from the U.S., but the panels for MultiPly have been manufactured in the Construction Scotland Innovation

The use of tulipwood CLT means that large-scale timber buildings can be constructed without the use of concrete or steel. These properties, together with its

The use of tulipwood CLT means that large-scale timber buildings can be constructed without the use of concrete or steel

MultiPly would not have been possible without the contribution of timber from AHEC members Allegheny Wood Products, Ballie Lumber, Bingaman Lumber Inc.,

Boss Lumber Corporation, Classic American Hardwoods, Collins Hardwoods, Latham Timber, Northland Forest Products, Parton Lumber, and Thompson Hardwoods Inc. Tulipwood accounts for 7.7 percent of the total standing volume in U.S. hardwood forests. Every year, even after harvest, the volume of tulipwood in the U.S. forest grows by 19 million cubic meters, the equivalent of over 19 Olympic swimming pools per day.

Image Š Ed Reeve

Centre (CSIC), the UK’s first CLT factory.

incredibly high tolerances. This makes it ideal for prefabrication and rapid assembly, reducing construction times by around 30 percent. Tulipwood is an inexpensive and easy to machine hardwood that is incredibly strong for its weight.

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The Conversation Plinth sparks discussion and transforms cityscape

Image Š IKD

IKD pioneers the first hardwood cross-laminated timber structure in the United States

Image © IKD

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Design firm IKD unveiled the first hardwood cross-laminated timber (HCLT) structure in the United States at the Exhibit Columbus exhibition. The Conversation Plinth, which won the Miller Prize, sparks conversation whilst transforming the cityscape, and was situated in the main plaza of Columbus, Indiana for the duration of the exhibition. The Miller Prize competition honors J. Irwin Miller and Xenia S. Miller, two patrons of architecture, art and design by continuing their desire to make Columbus the best community of its size.

The Conversation Plinth aims to celebrate the community of Columbus while also paying homage to past revolutionaries of design such as J. Irwin Miller who transformed the small city of 46,000 people. The structure takes inspiration from the conversation pit in the living room of the Miller House, as well as the plinths that raise the iconic surrounding landmarks such as Cleo Rogers Memorial Library, Eliel Saarinen’s First Christian Church and the Large Arch designed by Henry Moore.

The installation encircles the Moore statue with large timber disks rising upwards, encouraging viewers to change their perspective on the city. Illuminated at night, the Conversation Plinth

transforms the plaza in which it sits, reflecting the innovative nature of the historic city, offering a place for the community to come together to converse and to consider the design heritage of Columbus.

Although softwood CLT is already in commercial use in the U.S., hardwood CLT is not. As pioneers in the use of the material in the U.S., IKD was awarded a 2017 Wood Innovation grant by the United States Forest Service.

The grant was given to develop the material innovation for both the installation and for product certification with the aim of mass production. Led by Yugon Kim and Tomomi Itakura, IKD developed a hardwood CLT made from a mix species, low value grade three common American hardwoods for use in the project.

HCLT offers numerous benefits over softwood, including superior mechanical properties, material volume savings, increased resistance to fire and higher quality appearance in visible settings as The Smile for London Design Festival 2016 demonstrated. This collaboration between Alison Brooks Architects, ARUP and the American Hardwood Export Council was the first structure ever built with industrial sized panels of hardwood CLT and is still receiving

awards for its innovation.

The Conversation Plinth also demonstrates the abilities of hardwood CLT, with the potential to act as a catalyst for a new timber industry. Indiana’s largest cash crop is hardwood, but more than 55 percent of each log processed is of low value. The project proves that the parts of logs harvested from Indiana’s forests, currently being used to produce low value wood products, can be put to better use with hardwood CLT. The installation showed that by up-cycling lowvalue hardwood sawn logs, such as grade 3 common oak, maple and ash, a high-value hardwood CLT can be made and subsequently used in commercial projects.

“We are currently exploring a number of applications that could have larger scale building applications,” said Yugon Kim, IKD partner. “Since hardwood has superior mechanical properties, we believe we can achieve a panel that could be thinner to meet the same structural capacity of an equivalent softwood CLT panel.”

The Conversation Plinth is not simply an exhibition piece for IKD. It is a test of the hardwood CLT the firm developed with SmartLam, the first CLT manufacturer in the United States. Over the months, the project will be subjected to the

Image © IKD

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varied and sometimes-extreme weather of south-central Indiana, providing first hand data that IKD and SmartLam can use to advance their research on the material.

From the beating sun of late summer through the sleet, snow, and ice of winter, the project will be monitored for durability as well as aesthetic and structural changes.

Image © IKD

The inspiring project seeks to revolutionize the timber industry by demonstrating the viability, value and benefits of hardwood CLT for Indiana and the Midwest.

IKD hope that their project will work as a catalyst to initiate effects such as expanding and diversifying hardwood lumber markets, creating higher forest land value, increasing job growth in rural forestry and manufacturing and improving forest management practices to reduces wildfires and encourage biodiversity. IKD believes the future of CLT should also include hardwood, and now it just might.

Project Name:

The Conversation Plinth

Type:

Pop-up Installation

Location:

Columbus, Indiana, USA

Architects: IKD Image © IKD

Image © IKD

“We are closely observing the mixed-species panels and seeing how they react in the extreme temperature and moisture fluctuations so that we can continue to refine the species mix within the panel, the adhesion process, and the finish application and approach,” explained Kim. “It is really interesting to see how differently hardwood moves from softwood when the moisture content varies, and we are looking deeper at the fiber structures and unique characters of species themselves as well to create a superior CLT panel.”

Photography: IKD

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Bunjil Place: the meeting of many paths Laminated natural timber structure supports the dynamic roof forms and connects them at two central points

Image © Andrew Chung

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The City of Casey is one of the fastest growing regions in Australia. It is important that there is a complement of uses and that a new community, cultural and civic heart is created that will represent and reflect the values of the community, and instill a new sense of place, pride and ownership for the residents. Bunjil Place is an example of a new form of community and civic building.

It is not a single use or single facility that tends to divide and separate a community by interest, education or culture, but an inclusive hybrid form of public building, reflecting and embracing our diversity.

Designed by fjmt studio, it is a library, a performance theater, a public gathering space, a place of exhibition, gallery and display, a flexible and experimental space for events,

Image © Trevor Mein

Image © Trevor Mein

Image © Trevor Mein

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Supporting the dynamic roof forms and connecting them at two central points is a woven structure of laminated natural timber lectures, debate and celebration.

It is a help point, a service center and a place of work and collaboration. Above all, it is a place where all of this overlaps and interconnects and at the center is the interconnecting fluid form of the foyer gathering space, a non-hierarchical space that unifies the complex. fjmt’s design approach reinforces the history and diversity of the area and aims to keep alive the stories that have shaped the community that continues still to grow and evolve. Looking at the land, history and nature, sources of inspiration included that of ‘The

Meeting of Many Paths’ and the Bunjil the Eaglehawk; both central themes to the culture of the Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation, the traditional owners and inhabitants of the land.

According to the designers: “We began to conceive this project as an extended public ground plane and a broad sheltering roof, below which we could gather the hybrid uses of library, theater, exhibition and also gathering itself. The architecture began to form around the idea of an organic meeting of many paths, literal pathways but also paths of life. This gathering, to take

place under the protective and sheltering wings of a great roof.”

The hybrid uses and gathering are sheltered under an iconic soaring roof. Like Bunjil’s wings, this sinuous element symbolizes not only the traditions of the past, but provides a contemporary vision of the future, movement, technology and innovation. The emblematic roof provides a sheltered central civic space protected from the noise and pollution of the highway to create a welcoming celebration and back-drop for community life, gathering, external performance and interaction.

The form of the roof wings protect and shelter the community, and also give identity and unity to the diverse cultural and civic purposes.

Between the ground and roof

Image Š Trevor Mein

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Image © Glenn Hester

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The realization of these fluid, interlocking shells of laminated timber was a technological and construction challenge utilizing advanced computer-generated design production and assembly techniques. This is an architecture drawing together advanced systems with the most traditional and essential systems. It is an architecture that embraces new technology and innovation to express eternal and timeless themes true to the unique nature of this place.

The design creates a new cultural and community heart that is drawn from the traditions and qualities that

make Narre Warren and the City of Casey special and will be a unique place and icon.

The importance of the Princes Highway and Magid Drive entry is recognized through a considered and formal building geometry that fans out from this corner, creating radial axes and alignments of building forms, relating to the neighboring Arc Building, the entry to the shopping center and the alignment of the street. Overlaid upon this arrangement is an informal meandering and organic organization that creates curving ground- plane connections between the various project components and surrounds.

It defines both internal and external usages, creating a fluid expression and arrival as a ‘meeting of many paths’.

Project Name: Bunjil Place

Location:

Casey, Australia

Architects: fjmt

Completion: 2017

Photography: John Gollings Glenn Hester Trevor Mein Nicole England

Image © John Gollings

Supporting the dynamic roof forms and connecting them at two central points is a woven structure of laminated natural timber. This is a concept of support and connection at the very heart of Bunjil Place. A warm and innovative grid-shell structure that emphasizes the lightness of the roof through a fluid, organic geometry. The form of this timber structure reinforces the openness and welcoming nature of the complex in the way it reaches out to the public open space

and lifts up to create a powerful sense of invitation.

Image © Trevor Mein

planes the various spaces and volumes are shaped and defined through a series of white and timber ribbons accentuating the flow and interconnected nature of the ensemble.

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www.superfici.com

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Industry experts, leaders to converge at inaugural Malaysian Timber Conference Opportunities for delegates to obtain new perspectives and outlook on tropical timbers, and to network and share experiences with industry peers

The Malaysian Timber Council (MTC) looks forward to welcoming more than 200 industry experts and leaders to its inaugural Malaysian Timber Conference. The one-day event will take place on October 18, 2018 in Kuala Lumpur and will run under the theme ‘Towards A Better Tomorrow’.

Chief Economist of Affin Hwang Investment Bank Bhd, Malaysia, who will talk on ‘Global Economic Scenarios’. Dr. Ed Pepke, Senior Timber Trade and Policy Analyst at the European Forest Institute based in Finland will deliver a talk focused on the ‘Overview of Global Timber Trade’.

“We have lined up nine distinguished speakers who will share their passion, insights and experiences based on their respective area of specialty,” said Richard Yu, CEO, MTC.

‘Certification: Opening or Closing Doors to Global Markets for Tropical Hardwood’ will be the topic of discussion by Peter Latham, Chairman of PEFC International, Switzerland. A partner and senior expert from the Italy-based Center for Industrial Studies, Sylvia Weichenberger,

Taking to the podium to start the day’s proceedings will be Alan Tan,

will talk about ‘World Furniture Outlook: Future Perspectives & Opportunities’. Richard Yu will round up the morning’s session with his paper detailing the ‘Performance of the Malaysian Timber Trade’.

With his take on ‘Mechanisation & Automation in Malaysian Wood-based Industry and Where They Are In Relation to Industrial Revolution’, Ng Kheng Joo, Technical Director & Co Founder of Novetec Innovation Sdn Bhd, Malaysia will start off the afternoon’s discussions. One of two public-sector voices to be heard from the stage will be

Dr. Gan Kee Seng, the Director of Forest Products Division at the Forest Research Institute Malaysia. He will share his knowledge on ‘Commercialisation of R&D Findings’.

Laurent Maillefer, Vice President and Head of Robotics at ABB Malaysia, will attempt to impress upon the delegates the importance of ‘Embracing Transformation: Efficient Robotbased Automation for the Wood Industry’. Raw material supply is one of the hottest topics for the timber industry. Dato’ Hj. Nor Akhirrudin Mahmud, Director-General of the Forestry

Image © MTC

Image © MTC

Image © MTC

COMMENT 39

Department Peninsular Malaysia, will provide an insight on ‘The Supply Scenario: Natural & Plantation Forests’.

“The forest and timber sector is one of Malaysia’s pioneer industries, and it continues to be a main economic driver for the country. The industry today is substantially different from the past, and tomorrow’s industry will look different still,” said Yu. He added that with many dynamics and events continuing to shape global wood markets, obtaining the latest insights and perspectives on what lies ahead

for the Malaysian timber industry and in its key export markets is of utmost importance.

“The Malaysian Timber Conference 2018 is an effort to understand the views of a wide spectrum of timber experts on how our forestry and wood-processing sectors can be successful and resilient in the future,” concluded Yu. *This article has been submitted by the Malaysian Timber Council (MTC). To learn more about Malaysian timber species and the conference, please contact MTC (www.mtc.com.my).

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31 cross-laminated timber towers planned for Stockholm’s waterfront

Image © Anders Berensson Architects

Anders Berensson Architects design Stockholm’s highest, densest and most environmentally friendly new neighborhood using modern timber construction technologies

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Image © Anders Berensson Architects

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Anders Berensson Architects have been commissioned by the Stockholm Center Party to design Stockholm’s highest, densest and most environmentally friendly new neighborhood in the city's central dock area - Masthamnen by building one wooden city on top of another. In the lower city, they plan to build blocks with homes, offices and shops surrounded by streets, squares and a living dockside. On top of this city, the aim is to build a city of narrow wooden skyscrapers in a public parkland that connects the new area with the surrounding hills and

city parts.

The new district can be divided into three main parts. The lower block city that is built on today’s dock level; the narrow wooden skyscraper city that is built on top of the lower city; and the landscape of roofs and bridges that is connected with the surrounding heights.

The lower block city consists of 19 new city blocks with 6-10 floors and contain 2,500 apartments, 60,000 square meters of office space and about 90 shops and

restaurants. The neighborhood connects to the few existing streets that surrounds the area. To the west, the area is connected to Folkungagatan and Stadsgårdskajen by continuing these streets into the new area. To the south, the area is connected to the new residential district Persikan and Norra Hammarbyhammnen via new buildings. To the east, the area connects to Saltsjökvarn via an openable walking and cycling bridge. The existing ferry terminal is planned to be kept with some adjustments to its new central

location. Office spaces are planned to the noisiest parts of the terminal and the neighborhoods are designed so that all apartments either look over the boats or get a good second view when the cruising ships are moored.

The narrow wooden skyscraper city sits on top of the lower block city. It consists of 31 new narrow wooden skyscrapers with 25-35 floors. These buildings contain about 3,000 apartments and about 30 shops and restaurants.

The flats in these skyscrapers

“Masthammen is situated in a valley between three local hills.

When entering the new city area,

you will often be at the same height as the roofs of the new district. As such, we have chosen to make a public park on all roofs of the lower block city and connect them with bridges. The roofs and bridges form a large public landscape that binds together all beautiful high situated promenade trails that already exist on eastern Södermalm.

This way we also make eastern Södermalm easier and more beautiful to have stroll on,” concluded Anders Berensson, Founder and Director, Anders Berensson Architects.

Image © Anders Berensson Architects

will all get a great view, and by placing the skyscrapers within a good distance of each other, the view is kept great from the roof landscapes between the buildings.

New construction techniques such as CLT makes it appropriate to build high buildings in wood. Wood is the construction technology that releases the least carbon dioxide in today’s construction industry and is therefore the obvious choice to build a new Swedish city area in.

Image © Anders Berensson Architects

Image © Anders Berensson Architects

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TECHNOLOGY 45

HOMAG launches new generation of robot saws in Holzbronn SAWTEQ B-300 flexTec and SAWTEQ B-400 flexTec allow for automated robot operation as well as manual use The HOMAG Group, a worldleading company that manufactures machines and equipment for the woodworking industry, launched its new generation of robot saws at its in-house expo in Holzbronn. The SAWTEQ B-300 flexTec, which was developed concurrently with the SAWTEQ B-400 flexTec, represents an entirely new generation of robot saws because, in addition to automated robot operation, manual use of the saw is still possible. Given this revolution that allows for highly flexible use of these new saws, it was no surprise that the saws were the biggest attraction for visitors to the 2018 show.

Tried-and-tested technologies

The new saws are based on technologies that have long proven their worth. The basic machines are, to a large extent, identical to the popular SAWTEQ B-300 and SAWTEQ B-400 single saws, while the integrated robot has already been doing an outstanding job in the fully automated cutting cell SAWTEQ B-320 flexTec.

Image © HOMAG Group

Optional features for a wide range of processing options

As a result of the new concept, it has been possible to retain almost all of the usual processing options. There are a great many optional features for the SAWTEQ B 300 flexTec and SAWTEQ B-400 flexTec saws, allowing customers to tailor their saw precisely to their needs. For instance, the SAWTEQ B-300 flexTec shown at the inhouse exhibition was equipped with trim stops and the CADmatic

module ‘material-dependent parameters’.

Manual cutting of books

Another advantage of the new saws is that, in manual operation, it is possible to cut books of panels as usual. This gives users maximum flexibility.

Automated batch size 1 cutting processes

The new generation of saws feature a high level of automation, as the robot is used in batch size 1 cutting processes. Thanks to the robot, the new cutting cell can operate unmanned over longer distances, during which time the skilled operators can support other teams that urgently need additional capacity.

Flexibility with feeding and destacking

During the exhibition, the saw was fed via a table at the side that was specifically designed for this purpose. The robot fetched the panels as required from there. Alternatively, it was also possible to feed the saw via a lifting table – this option is also ideal for cutting books in manual operation. However, in addition to the solutions exhibited at the fair, customers can choose from a variety of other feeding options - such as simple feeding using the HBX 150 single-axis portal, or a high-performance connection to a horizontal storage system.

The storage system option was also on display at the in-house exhibition, in conjunction with a

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SAWTEQ B-320 flexTec. Two large lifting tables were available for destacking pallets, and the robot made impressive and highly intelligent use of them to create stable stacks. This is possible with the aid of software and specially developed algorithms that have already been tried and tested on the SAWTEQ B-320 flexTec. In terms of layout and equipment, the variant shown at the in-house exhibition is one of many. Both the SAWTEQ B-300 flexTec and the SAWTEQ B-400 flexTec are available with up to five lifting tables in various layouts for automatic batch size 1 cutting processes.

Image Š HOMAG Group

In robot operation, the saws offer highly efficient batch size 1 production with up to 800 parts

per shift; low unit costs per part; the possibility of unmanned operation over longer distances; and extremely low error rates.

When operated manually, the saws offer complete operating freedom in the cutting process; and maximum flexibility, when it comes to cutting books or thin panels.

intelliDivide - the clever alternative

Computing power and intelligent algorithms can save a great deal of time and money, and not just when cutting the panels. They can also revolutionize cutting pattern optimization. Visitors attending the in-house exhibition were able to acquaint themselves with intelliDivide and try it out and were impressed by the results: the software-as-a-service provides

optimization on demand.

How does it work? Just upload the parts list online. A choice of optimized cutting patterns and entire runs is displayed.

Depending on the requirements, results can be based on reducing waste, or focus on the shortest production time or the simplest handling. And all without having to invest in software and computing power - directly from the tapio cloud. intelliDivide offers users several benefits. Firstly, it can be used anywhere, anytime via the tapio cloud - on a desktop or any mobile device with Internet access - no matter whether iOS, Android, Windows or Mac OS. Secondly, there are no investment costs or hardware

costs. intelliDivide is softwareas-a-service and customers pay only for actual usage - no investment in local software, updates or processing cores is necessary. intelliDivide also allows for reduced personnel costs and time requirement. Optimization starts automatically after data has been uploaded. The software always calculates a choice of multiple alternatives.

As such, the results require no adjustments and are immediately ready for the machine. Further, the new HOMAG saws are tapio-ready and so users no longer need to enter any machine parameters and can apply the optimization results with one simple mouse click.

Design meets digital.

The new HOMAG machine generation.

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YOUR SOLUTION

Masonite opens doors to the world Manufacturer selects SCM’s Superfici technologies to automate processes whilst retaining high quality and finishing standards

Image © SCM

Image © SCM

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Masonite is a publicly traded door manufacturer serving residential and architectural customers globally. The Northumberland plant serves middle and upper architectural markets with a focus on the hospitality, healthcare and education segments. Their doors are constructed using a variety of natural wood materials which are 100 percent wood with the exception of glass viewing panels and metal accessories.

Particularly attentive to the advances of woodworking market and to the customers’ needs, Masonite company chose Superfici technologies,

SCM’s highest quality finishing solutions.

“Our target markets are 90 percent domestic and 10 percent international,” said Bill Freeman, Plant Manager. All constructions are ‘made to order’ with infinite variation in size, wood species, machining requirements, fire rating, paint, stain and glass configurations.

“Our process is fully internal, and our supply chain is largely vertical from raw components through to the finished product,” adds Freeman.

“Machining and finishing are

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central to our competitive advantage, particularly our ability to process batch one single piece flow.”

Technology is extremely important to the business strategy of Masonite, improving safety and agility with SMED technology, and reduced lead times. Manual work remains necessary as in the case of true craftsmen installing molding or louvers. However, material handling and repetitive actions are being automated.

“We are progressing through an automation revolution as

a company, seeking new and innovative ways to supply more than great doors. Two of our core tenants are ‘on the threshold of what’s next’ and ‘flexibility in every fiber’,” says Freeman.

“Installing the new Superfici finishing system allowed us to expand our painted capabilities in terms of overall capacity and flexibility. Our 10-color quick change system allows seamless color changes while the robots maintain material handling flow with no manual intervention,” explains Freeman.

“The system is versatile enough

for us to pivot between waterbased UV cured coatings and water-based enamels as well as between flush and molded profiles. The integrated sanding and auto-bagging reduced manual handling and provide a superior finished product. Our new paint and wrap system was a significant capital investment, which required significant diligence before selecting a supplier. We chose Superfici largely due to our confidence in their passion for finishing,” said Freeman.

As with any highly complex multi-million-dollar custom automation solution, Masonite

experienced challenges along the way. From heavy seas damaging some components in transit to intermittent timing issues getting the line in sync, the company collaborated with Italian and domestic technicians to work through to resolution.

“We hit some bumps, but resolution was always close at hand even when we needed to bring Italians back to our plant for additional training and support,” concludes Freeman. “The system is exceeding expectations and fueling our growth in the architectural painted door segment.”

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Image © Rycotewood Furniture

Rycotewood furniture students create sustainable storage solutions in American red oak

Rycotewood Furniture at the City of Oxford College, one of the United Kingdom’s mostrespected furniture making programmes, collaborated with the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) to produce a series of storage pieces out of American red oak. The project was originally conceived as a way to introduce students to red oak as a new material.

solution using this versatile material. The students were tasked with using the material as efficiently and creatively as possible, making the most of its natural characteristics. They were also asked to record all material and energy use so that the environmental impacts of each piece could be calculated using the Life Cycle Assessment method.

AHEC donated two cubic feet of red oak per student to the college and set 10 of the school’s Year 2 Foundation students a brief to create a storage

Acclaimed UK furniture designer and maker Philip Koomen oversaw the project and mentored the students with design tutorials throughout. As

an addition to the brief, Koomen asked the students to reference artists, sculptors or architects as an inspiration for their work.

"The students have responded enthusiastically to this environmental brief. Their willingness to be adventurous and take creative risks has produced very innovative designs," says Koomen. “I’m very impressed with the results.

There is a lot of thought and good craftsmanship in these pieces.”

Tom Morgan has created a

colorful shoe cabinet influenced by his cordwainer background.

Initially inspired by the work of Richard Deacon, Tom began by breaking down red oak veneer into smaller strips. The thin strips, dyed various colors, have been woven together to create a screen that wraps around a solid wood frame with five slatted shelves within.

Farrell Livingstone enjoys creating unnatural shapes out of natural materials. He sought to combine the shapes found in aviation and modern, industriallooking architecture, such as the

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Daisy Brunsdon has focused on the social side of furniture.

Her record player cabinet was motivated by how her family has been brought together by

a record player that her mother found. The cabinet’s arch was inspired Oxford architecture. The red oak has been soap finished to show off its natural state.

Marcin Waszak’s wall drawers are inspired by the organic, wavy and often weird shapes found in the architecture of Frank Ghery, particularly the Hotel Marques de Riscal in Spain. The design process was labor intensive as each piece of red oak had to be soaked before being steam bent.

Darren Scott wanted to explore furniture design from the perspective of an architect and create a side cabinet that is a showcase of materials. In

Image © Rycotewood Furniture

Michael Buick has developed a series of shelves inspired by

Japanese minimalism and the ancient technique of pegged wooden joints. The shelves are American red oak, the dowels are ash and the pegs European oak. The series is designed to be easily moved and stored, ideal for those who are renting and likely to move house often.

Each piece begins as flat-packed furniture which once built can be disassembled when needed.

Image © Rycotewood Furniture

Image © Rycotewood Furniture

Andrew Joye has designed the 'Oat & Oak' desk with a movable sculptural hood made from steam-bent strips of red oak.

The desk’s main frame is solid oak while the desktop is natural cork. Stitched oat straw from a farm in Orkney has been used for the drawer and cabinet fronts, inspired by the Orkney chair and a cabinet made by Gareth Neal in collaboration Kevin Gauld.

David Howston’s ‘biophillic desk’ features exposed drawers and has three copper plant pots integrated into the red oak worktop. The project was inspired by the theory that plants encourage creative thinking within the workplace. Having to care for the plants is also likely to make you look after the desk and therefore be less likely to leave it cluttered.

Image © Rycotewood Furniture

Design Museum of Barcelona, with nature. The final piece is a coffee table with a pull-out Japanese garden.

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Image © Rycotewood Furniture

Freddie Jackson has designed a wine cabinet with a stack of drawers, made for a house that’s approximately 400 years old.

Freddie wanted the piece to sit comfortably within the house so took inspiration from its existing furniture. The color of the red oak gives the design a traditional feel while its curves are quite contemporary.

Image © Rycotewood Furniture

Image © Rycotewood Furniture

Emily Taylor was influenced by the work of ceramic artist Richard Slee who took inspiration from everyday objects. Emily’s shelving unit has adopted the form of an easel, with a curtained cabinet at the base. Emily chose grey for the

curtains to bring out the cool tones of the red oak.

Image © Rycotewood Furniture

addition to the red oak, slate and washi paper, often used in Japanese architecture, have been used to play with light and shadow.

David Venables, AHEC’s European Director, says: “We saw this as a great opportunity to allow some very talented students to engage and experiment with a great looking but underused sustainable material and to teach them how to calculate the environmental impact of the pieces they have created.”

“American red oak represents almost 20 percent of the natural hardwood forests of the U.S.

and its volume has more than doubled in the last 50 years.

However, this beautiful timber, highly considered in other markets, remains underutilized in Europe. This initiative is part of AHEC’s wider effort to encourage European designers and makers to use all the species that nature provides, and not only the few in fashion, in order to contribute to a sustainable use of the forests,” concluded Venables.

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Timber Expo

PROWOOD

FURNITURE. INTERIOR. DESIGN 2018

WOOD-TEC

Intermob Istanbul

Belgrade Fair

SICAM

Big 5 Dubai

Holzhaus

Cairo WoodShow

October 9 - 11 NEC Birmingham, United Kingdom www.ukconstructionweek.com/timber-expo .............................................................................................

October 11 - 13 Lithuanian Exhibition and Congress Center Vilnius, Lithuania www.litexpo.lt/en/exhibitions/furniture-design-interior-2018 .............................................................................................

October 13 - 17 Tuyap Fair Convention and Congress Center Istanbul, Turkey www.intermobistanbul.com .............................................................................................

October 16 - 19 Pordenone Exhibition Center (Fiera di Pordenone) Pordenone, Italy www.exposicam.it/english/index.asp .............................................................................................

October 18 - 21 Pavilion 3 - Expocentre Fairgrounds Moscow, Russia www.zagoroddom.com/ru-RU .............................................................................................

October 21 - 25 Flanders Expo Ghent, Belgium www.prowood-fair.be/en ...........................................................................................

October 29 - November 3 Brno Exhibition Centre Brno, Czech Republic www.bvv.cz/en/wood-tec .............................................................................................

November 6 - 11 Belgrade Fair Belgrade, Serbia http://sajamnamestaja.rs .............................................................................................

November 26 - 29 Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Center Dubai, UAE www.thebig5.ae .............................................................................................

November 30 - December 3 Cairo International Convention & Exhibition Center Cairo, Egypt www.cairowoodshow.com .............................................................................................

Reasons Why Malaysian Timbers are the Preferred Choice!

Sustainable Renewable Versatile Durable Diverse

Malaysian timbers, exported to more than 160 countries, have continued to be favoured and featured in building applications in various parts of the world. The remarkable performance characteristics of many Malaysian timbers have allowed architects and designers to feature timber in extraordinarily imaginative ways and time-transcending designs that match beauty with functionality.

To learn more about Malaysian timbers and timber products, please visit www.mtc.com.my

SUSTAINABLE

PROGRESSIVE

ROBUST