Timber in contemporary architecture: a designer's guide

Timber in contemporary architecture was published to coincide with the Timber Research and Development Association's 75th anniversary in 2009.

Written by leading experts in timber architecture and engineering, Timber in contemporary architecture investigates materials, connections, applications, and celebrates innovation. Excellence in timber design is demonstrated in the last section of the book which is devoted to eighteen highly illustrated case studies, some award-winning, some groundbreaking. All of these have been chosen for their inspirational qualities, and include: Visitor Centres at Savill Garden and Alnwick, Weald and Downland Museum, David Douglas Pavilion, Mossbourne Academy, Formby Pool, Kingsdale School, Haberdashers Hall, Ealing Bridge, The Globe Theatre, Carlisle Lane apartments, Sage concert hall.

Timber is a flexible and aesthetically appealing material that allows designers to develop creative, high quality, innovative and robust solutions to meet client needs and exceed their aspirations.

There are now excellent examples of timber being used for landmark buildings such as the award- winning Savill Garden Visitor Centre in Windsor Great Park, in the 9-storey Murray Grove residential building, in schools and wide span structures such as supermarkets and sports centres, and in both affordable and bespoke housing. Progress and transparency in responsible sourcing means that timber is frequently preferred for its low environmental impact.

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1 The appeal of timber
1.1 Visual and tactile qualities 1 The appeal of timber
1.1 Visual and tactile qualities
1.2 Material properties
1.3 Environmental credentials
1.4 Conclusion
2 The materials of construction
2.1 The general characteristics of timber
2.1.1 Strength and structure
2.1.2 Movement and shrinkage
2.1.3 Resistance to decay
2.2 Selecting a suitable species
2.2.1 Commonly used species and their properties
2.2.2 Sustainability issues
2.3 The range of timber products available
2.3.1 Solid timber
2.3.2 Glue laminated timber
2.3.3 Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL)
2.3.4 I-Joists
2.3.5 Cross-laminated timber
2.3.6 Board materials
2.3.7 Modified wood
2.4 Performance in fire
2.4.1 Surface spread of flame
2.4.2 Period of fire resistance
2.5 Surface finishes
2.6 Preservatives
3 Connections
3.1 All-timber connections
3.2 Metal connections
3.3 Adhesives
3.3.1 Formaldehyde adhesives
3.3.2 Resin adhesives
3.3.3 Polyurethane adhesives
4 Applications
4.1 Roofs
4.1.1 Beams and trusses
4.1.2 Arches
4.1.3 Geodesic structures
4.1.4 Lamella structures
4.1.5 The gridshell
4.1.6 Stressed skin structures
4.2 Frames
4.2.1 Post and beam frames (dry material)
4.2.2 Traditional framing (using green material)
4.2.3 Platform frame construction
4.3 External joinery and claddings
4.3.1 Windows
4.3.2 External doors
4.3.3 Louvres
4.3.4 Panel ventilation
4.3.5 External cladding
4.4 External structures
4.4.1 Walkways and stairs
4.4.2 Footbridges
5 Innovation
5.1 Alternatives to chemical preservatives
5.2 A nine-storey residential building in timber
5.3 Fast-track in timber
5.4 Supermarket frames in timber
5.5 Computer conversations
Case studies
Residential buildings
6 Hodges Place
7 Carlisle Lane Flats
Roofs
8 Haberdashers’ Hall
9 Norwich Cathedral Visitor Centre
10 Savill Building
11 Weald and Downland Open Air Museum
12 Portcullis House
Building frames
13 Kingsdale School
14 David Douglas Pavilion
15 Alnwick Castle Visitor Centre
16 Formby Pool
17 Mossbourne Academy
Internal joinery
18 The Globe Theatre
19 Sage Concert Hall
20 King’s School Library
External frames
21 Accordia Flats
22 Ealing Bridge