Is Mass Timber the Key Element in a Low Carbon Future?

This article was originally published on Common Edge.

Chinese temples have stood for centuries, battered by wind and earthquakes, without a crack or timber out of place. They employ an ancient technique called “bracket set construction” that requires no nails or metal parts to connect wooden structural elements. Scandinavian stave churches are nearly as durable. Unsurprisingly, there are plenty of trees in Sweden and all over China.

So what is with the hype about innovation in “mass timber” construction over the past few years? As Boyce Thompson argues in his thoughtful new book, Innovations in Mass Timber: Sequestering Carbon with Style in Commercial Buildings (Schiffer Publishing), this will be the next big thing in “green” tech for architects feeling guilty about their costly titanium skins and outsized carbon footprints. The color photos show some impressive buildings in places where the wood industry has always been healthy, such as the Pacific Northwest and Scandinavia. The Japanese build log cabins with imported material that might as well be gold.

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Parramatta Town Hall / DesignInc + Lacoste + Stevenson Architects + Manuelle Gautrand Architecture + TKD Architects

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Pass-Through Windows: Inspiring the Design of Easy-Open Spaces

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The desire for fluid integration between spaces has become increasingly relevant in contemporary architecture. This reflects a search for more connected and harmonious living experiences, especially in urban environments, where the cityscape can saturate us. By transcending conventional boundaries and blurring the lines between interior spaces and the vast outdoors, living environments can be created to celebrate connectivity, sustainability and the well-being that comes from being alongside nature. These types of integration not only make it possible to unite spaces with their surrounding contexts, but also to segment indoor environments when necessary, maintaining a visual connection while keeping them functionally separate. By creating these integrations, architects and designers allow spaces to merge with each other or with nature, promoting a sense of tranquillity, balance and rejuvenation, as well as integration and fluidity—a seamless transition that blurs the distinction between the two. This is achieved through architectural elements such as large windows and doors, which dissolve barriers through the simple action of opening and closing.

Renovation of East Nanjing Road Sub-district Community Comprehensive Life Service Center / TJAD Original Design Studio

Renovation of East Nanjing Road Sub-district Community Comprehensive Life Service Center / TJAD Original Design Studio - Exterior Photography, Adaptive Reuse, Facade, CityscapeRenovation of East Nanjing Road Sub-district Community Comprehensive Life Service Center / TJAD Original Design Studio - Adaptive ReuseRenovation of East Nanjing Road Sub-district Community Comprehensive Life Service Center / TJAD Original Design Studio - Adaptive ReuseRenovation of East Nanjing Road Sub-district Community Comprehensive Life Service Center / TJAD Original Design Studio - Interior Photography, Adaptive Reuse, Kitchen, FacadeRenovation of East Nanjing Road Sub-district Community Comprehensive Life Service Center / TJAD Original Design Studio - More Images+ 22

  • Area Area of this architecture project Area:  3339
  • Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2023
  • Manufacturers Brands with products used in this architecture project
    Manufacturers:  Zhongfan International Engineering Design Co., Ltd.

Ritratana Office Building / Urban Praxis

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Brown Hill House / Eldridge Anderson Architects

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Brown Hill, Australia

Lourosa-Fiães Transport Interface / Atelier d'Arquitectura Lopes da Costa

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Atelier Casa GO / MAGarq

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Posadas, Argentina
  • Architects: MAGarq
  • Area Area of this architecture project Area:  63
  • Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2022
  • Manufacturers Brands with products used in this architecture project
    Manufacturers:  Sika, ACINDAR, Alba, Awaduct, Calvu, +11

SOLO luminosa / CONTRA arquitetura

SOLO luminosa / CONTRA arquitetura - Interior Photography, Cabins & LodgesSOLO luminosa / CONTRA arquitetura - Cabins & LodgesSOLO luminosa / CONTRA arquitetura - Cabins & LodgesSOLO luminosa / CONTRA arquitetura - Interior Photography, Cabins & Lodges, BedroomSOLO luminosa / CONTRA arquitetura - More Images+ 20

  • Architects: CONTRA arquitetura
  • Area Area of this architecture project Area:  1507 ft²
  • Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2022

The Stoic Wall Residence / LIJO RENY architects

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Kadirur, India

Ana Skobe Wins the Architecture Photography Category at Sony World Photography Awards 2024

The Sony World Photography Awards 2024 has announced its category winners and shortlist, showcasing the best single images from around the world captured during the last year. With over 395,000 submissions from 220 countries and territories, the competition aims to highlight established and emerging photographers from around the world. The Open Competition is divided into 10 category sections, covering a diverse range of themes, from Architecture and Landscape to Portraiture, Lifestyle, and Wildlife photography.

For the Architecture category, ArchDaily collaborator Ana Skobe has been declared the winner with a photograph titled “Falling Out of Time.” Bathed in the soft hues of evening light, a sleek geometric structure rises from the coastal landscape, its clean lines contrasting with the natural elements surrounding it. Positioned at the base of the lighthouse, a solitary figure gives a sense of scale to the composition, as it contemplates the vastness of the ocean.

Ana Skobe Wins the Architecture Photography Category at Sony World Photography Awards 2024 - Image 1 of 4Ana Skobe Wins the Architecture Photography Category at Sony World Photography Awards 2024 - Image 2 of 4Ana Skobe Wins the Architecture Photography Category at Sony World Photography Awards 2024 - Image 3 of 4Ana Skobe Wins the Architecture Photography Category at Sony World Photography Awards 2024 - Image 4 of 4Ana Skobe Wins the Architecture Photography Category at Sony World Photography Awards 2024 - More Images+ 10

Gotham House / Plan:b arquitectos

Gotham House / Plan:b arquitectos - HousesGotham House / Plan:b arquitectos - HousesGotham House / Plan:b arquitectos - Interior Photography, Houses, Table, Lighting, ChairGotham House / Plan:b arquitectos - HousesGotham House / Plan:b arquitectos - More Images+ 37

Medellín, Colombia
  • Architects: Plan:b arquitectos
  • Area Area of this architecture project Area:  985
  • Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2023

Exploring the Grand Egyptian Museum Through Photography: Bridging Past and Present in Cairo

Showcasing millennia of Egyptian history and culture, the Grand Egyptian Museum is a monumental project in Cairo, Egypt, designed by the Irish firm Heneghan Peng Architects. Home to over 100,000 artifacts spanning Egypt’s storied past, the museum is on the brink of opening its doors to the public after multiple setbacks. Recent updates offer glimpses of the structure’s progress, with photographs captured by Egyptian photographer Farida Bustani providing sneak peeks of the architectural landmark.

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Transformation Langensand Apartment Block / Galliker und Riva Architekten

Transformation Langensand Apartment Block / Galliker und Riva Architekten - Exterior Photography, Apartments, FacadeTransformation Langensand Apartment Block / Galliker und Riva Architekten - Exterior Photography, Apartments, FacadeTransformation Langensand Apartment Block / Galliker und Riva Architekten - ApartmentsTransformation Langensand Apartment Block / Galliker und Riva Architekten - Interior Photography, Apartments, Facade, HandrailTransformation Langensand Apartment Block / Galliker und Riva Architekten - More Images+ 22

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