Timber + Design by Joel Meneses

FIRST QUARTER 2012

SUSTAINABLE BUILDING SOLUTIONS

SUB-EDITOR Michael Smith ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Australia Kay Phillips – kayp@optusnet.com.au Tel: +61 0432 393343 New Zealand Don Wilson – don_wilson@xtra.co.nz Tel: 09 535 7275 DESIGN Bill & Jo Paynter, Pix Design PRINTER MHP Print SUBSCRIPTIONS subs@neilsonpromotions.com timber+DESIGN is an independent magazine published quarterly by Neilson Promotions Pty Ltd, targeting design and build professionals throughout Australia and New Zealand. Available by subscription or special delivery. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, internet or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publishers. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication, the publishers accept no responsibility or liability for any errors, omissions or resultant consequences, including any loss or damage, from reliance on information in this publication. Opinions expressed in timber+DESIGN are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the publisher. All letters or other material forwarded to the magazine are assumed to be intended for publication unless clearly marked ‘not for publication’. ISSN-1178-881X

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‘BARE-ASSED TO THE WIND’ It has been a long time since we were able to present such a rich diversity of material as in this first quarter edition for 2012. There is a whole new range of timber utilisation features and product showcases, plus special reports on the hardwood timbers of the US and Tasmania to gorge on. And there is so much content deserving of supplementary comment – like the forehead-bloodying experience of New Zealand structural timber promoters trying to get a share of the Christchurch mediumrise rebuild. But one item stands out, if only for its hidden lessons and ‘parallels’ with advice to wood specifiers scattered throughout this (and earlier) editions. Our cover story is the Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater in Washington DC – opened about a year ago to much acclaim after 10 years in the making. A major engineering and architectural feature of the building are huge Douglas fir parallel strand lumber (PSL) columns – curtain-like behind a wall of glass. Made by wood giant Weyerhaeuser and marketed as Parallam, the engineered product was also used a decade ago on the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Philip Merrill Environmental Center in Annapolis – the first in the US to achieve LEED Platinum rating from the US Green Building Council. But in that case, things have not gone quite as smoothly. With a lawsuit pending, we are unable to comment in detail, but at the core of the Chesapeake argument is deterioration of weather-exposed PSL and the extent to which it was preservative treated. We raise this not because of any concern about Parallam – indeed, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the architect support the product as a whole. “We made some decisions we would probably rethink,” say architects SmithGroup, “but the [use of ] Parallam wasn’t one of those issues.” The real lesson, according to Peter

Photo: 123rf.com

EDITOR & PUBLISHER Tony Neilson – tony@neilsonpromotions.com Tel: +61 0408 166 543

Moonen, leader of the sustainable building coalition for the Canadian Wood Council, goes right back to basic product awareness and understanding. “Every material has its strengths and its limitations, and designers, architects, engineers and other specifiers need to know what those capabilities and limitations are to ensure appropriate applications,” he told Green Building Law Update. “Like most wood products, parallel strand lumber is susceptible to the vagaries of nature. Water, intense sunlight and blowing particles will take [their] toll on any exposed material – be it steel, concrete or wood – unless steps are taken to protect the material from those wearing forces. “When I talk to specifiers, I try to point out that no material is inherently bad or good, but how we use the product is what will determine its ability to endure … Parallam was never designed to be ‘bare-assed to the wind’.” Moonen says there are three principal ways to make a wood product more durable: by design (protecting the material from weathering factors), by nature (choosing naturally durable species for exterior use), and by treatment. Let’s face it. There is risk in everything new – but as they are discovering in Christchurch, try convincing the banks and insurance companies to ‘come for the ride’.

For comment or information about any aspect of this edition, please email us at: info@timberdesignmag.com www.timberdesignmag.com timber+Design AUSTRALASIA FIRST QUARTER 2012

PROJECTS & FEATURES 04 THE BALLET DANCERS Extension of a major centre for American theatre posed the architects with challenges common to many who advocate structural timber solutions. 08 A ‘MODEST’ INTERVENTION Village firewood plays a key role in the building volume of Liyuan Library, about two hours drive from Beijing. 10 CHRISTCHURCH: HAVE COURAGE Multilevel timber technology is an obvious and proven answer to quakeproofing the New Zealand city, but will anyone have the courage to make it happen?

14 FLOATING LIKE A BUTTERFLY The Olinda Tea House in the Dandenong Ranges behind Melbourne is an awardwinning example of engineered laminated pine construction. 16 A BRIDGE MUCH FURTHER A treated timber bridge from the Yorkshire Dales uses a construction technique believed unique in the world. 18 DUE DILIGENCE The latest version of Australian legislation to shut the door on illegal wood has importers and international suppliers worried.

20 FREE MARKET CONCERNS Malaysia is one of Australia’s biggest hardwood suppliers – much of it third party certified – but the trade faces a new threat. 22 AMERICAN HARDWOOD SPECIAL A 14-page special report covering: carbon miles and Life Cycle Analysis developments, David Trubridge – one of the region’s most successful contemporary furniture designers, why Kiwis can’t get enough US hardwoods (particularly white oak), an incomparable Melbourne furniture sister act, and some intriguing facts about the new Geelong Performing Arts Centre.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We gratefully acknowledge the special assistance of the following organisations with the distribution of timberDESIGN to leading design and build professionals throughout Australia and New Zealand: American Hardwood Export Council – representing producers of lumber species from sustainable American hardwood forests. Forest & Wood Products Australia – a not-for-profit company increasing awareness of the many advantages of wood. New Zealand Timber Design Society – fostering the designed use of timber.

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14 22

37 TIMBERS OF TASMANIA Eight pages of information about Tasmania’s sustainable hardwood species and their uses across a range of contemporary applications. 45 SPOTLIGHT ON TIMBER ENGINEERING The World Conference on Timber Engineering (WCTE) in Auckland in July will be the biggest of its type ever held in the southern hemisphere.

46 48

GALLERY – pages 51 & 56

48 COATING & FINISHING Although there have been many recent advances in the quality of coating and finishing products, is seems “the ‘Ferrari’ is still in the garage”. 52 FURNITURE & JOINERY Two articles here: ‘New Dimensions’ – a chair made of silk and solid oak, and ‘The Manolo Lounger’ – a master class in the cabinetmaker’s art.

Everything from alleged dodgy plywood to the latest on the NZ Wood Awards, ‘banana wood’ and letters to the editor. IBC SUBSCRIPTIONS Order your timberDESIGN subscription here or go directly to the website. It only costs $55.00 a year.

54 HAPPINESS BY NATURE

46 THE BIRDCAGE The special complexity and texture of this residence is achieved by presenting the building’s structure as a kind of exoskeleton.

They say their passion for bikes (yes, even wooden ones) is why the Dutch are the world’s happiest people.

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX FIRST QUARTER 2012

Wood Solutions IFC, NZ Wood 9, IPL NZ 12, Nelson Pine MDF 13, Laminated Timber Supplies 14, EWPAA 16, WoodMart 17, Nelson Pine LVL 19, Lucas Mill 20, Australian Architectural Hardwoods 21, Britton Timbers 22 & 44, Mathews Timber 27, American Hardwood Export Council 31, Baillie 35, WCTE 36, Tastimber 37, McKay Timber 40, Porta Mouldings 40, Island Specialty Timbers 41, Oakdale Industries 43, Mirotone 50, Wespine 51, Specialty Timber Traders 53, Kennedy’s Timbers OBC.

SUSTAINABLE BUILDING SOLUTIONS

COVER: Huge Douglas fir PSL columns hold the glass in place at the Arena Stage, Mead Center for American Theater in Washington DC – story page 4 Photo: Nic Lehoux, courtesy Bing Thom Architects.

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CASE STUDY

THE

‘BALLET

DANCERS’ Curtain of huge engineered wood columns

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LEFT Eastern poplar on the Cradle wall is an important

foil to the retained concrete/brick and steel

TOP The roof cantilever salutes the Washington

Monument, summoning visitors and establishing Arena Stage as one of the city’s primary landmarks BELOW The huge parallel strand lumber (PSL) columns

are major attractions in themselves

“

Aesthetically, the client had no issue with wood columns. They quickly understood that they were a significant

component to the design and would also be a major attraction and fund-raising element.

”

The new Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater in Washington DC posed its architects challenges common to many who advocate wood ahead of conventional structural solutions. The new building by Canadian firm Bing Thom Architects (BTA) creates a vibrant cultural destination and one of the leading centres for the production and development of American theatre. After almost a decade of planning, design and construction, Arena Stage opened in late 2010 to immediate acclaim as “an intellectual and aesthetic challenge to the city”. BTA’s ‘challenge’ was to maintain the original listed historic structures (designed by Harry Weese) while doubling the size of the overall facilities, improving the acoustics and creating an innovative design that lives up to the strength of the original. The solution saves and reuses the two original, historic theatre buildings—while adding a third ‘Cradle’ theatre. And by wrapping all three buildings in an insulated glass skin and topping them with a heroic, 145-m-long cantilevered roof, BTA has produced an imaginative and forceful theatrical complex. The glass is held in place by a system of 18 large, heavy timber columns (each between 13.7 m and 16.7 m tall, and supporting an average 200-plus tonnes of load) that also support the roof. Made of parallel strand lumber (PSL) – an engineered wood product – the columns have an elliptical shape to reduce their visual impact, and are spaced 11 m apart to maintain the building’s transparency. At the time, it was the first structure to employ heavy timber on this scale in modern Washington DC, and the first application of this efficient form of hybrid wood and glass building enclosure in the United States. When timber+DESIGN asked BTA’s project director James Brown how

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CASE STUDY

“

We came up with a basket weave finish and used the curves in the weave to reflect sound at different angles.

As a result, wood became the obvious and only realistic option.

difficult it was to convince the client to use wood products, he said the structural elements were a much harder sell than the interior.

Major attraction “The use of wood in Washington DC for major structural components was new and there were concerns about the ability to deliver within the project budget. We spent much time trying to educate the client and contractors that wood would be feasible. Aesthetically, the client had no issue with wood columns. They quickly understood that they were a significant component to the design and would also be a major attraction and fund-raising element. “But we did have to convince the building code authorities in DC that the wood columns would hold up in a fire, and prove that they met required fire ratings.” For the interior of the Cradle theatre, the timber decision was natural. “The client wanted a warm interior that would create a distinctive finish to the room. Certainly not a typical black box studio theatre … more like a library, but tougher and easy to install and repair. It is a working stage after all.” Acoustic performance was also critical and challenging, particularly given the client’s wish for an oval shape. “The shape ‘focuses’ sound and we had to find ways to disperse that, letting sound through the wall. We came up with a basket weave finish and used the curves in the weave to reflect sound at different angles. As a result, wood became the obvious and only realistic option. But there was the small matter of cost!” Brown says the initial costing for the cradle interior was 10 times over budget – primarily because it was tendered to millwork, who understood it to be a high performance acoustic item and priced it to allow for changes due to rejections by the acoustic consultant or architects. “We had to find another trade to bid on the work. In the end, we were

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”

able to convince the drywall installers to install the finish, and told them it was like installing wood baseboard. They agreed and we brought the price back on budget. They did an incredible job, and in talking with the labourers, it was clear they loved the design and invested themselves into it.” Why specify wood in the first place? “BTA has a long history of using wood. Aesthetically, we find it brings incredible warmth to a project – all the more important with Arena and the hard [concrete, brick and glass] finishes it was designed with.” The yellows and reds of the Douglas fir Parallam PSL structural columns – trucked from Vancouver – are incredibly warm and soften the look of the concrete. The cradle interior is finished with eastern poplar. “The wood was being stained dark, so the base colour was not the issue. We also wanted a wood that the theatre could easily obtain after the project was finished,” says Brown. The lobby ceiling was made with the same material.

Detailing considerations The architects wanted the massive metre diameter wood columns to appear light, so the whole curtain wall assembly referenced a theatre curtain. That was achieved by making the last metre of each column with a ductile steel casting – connecting to a large steel plate, cast into the floor – ending on a point, like a ballet dancer. All other metal connectors attaching the curtain wall to the wood structure were hidden within the wood, so as not to obscure its beauty with heavy and articulated details. The main detailing effort with the cradle was to plane the 19-mm-thick poplar boards to 8 mm so they could be bent without steaming. The curve was produced by a simple 50 mm x 50 mm standoff from large 50

FAR LEFT A ‘basket weave’ of eastern poplar solved acoustic challenges in the oval Cradle theatre LEFT The massive roof above the otherwise

starkly cool theatre entrance and assembly area is finished with stained eastern poplar

BELOW Glass is held in place by a system of 18 Douglas fir PSL columns, each supporting 200 tonne-plus BELOW LEFT Wood was a critical offset to the retained 1960’s brick and concrete structures

mm x 305 mm vertical posts that circled the stage and seating. Clear satin polyurethane finish was applied to the structural columns, allowing the distinctive appearance of the Douglas fir strands and their warmth to contrast with the glass, concrete and brick of the existing theatres. Inside, the architectural cradle wall serves as a backdrop to plays, readings, lectures and concerts. “We wanted a stain that would not be custom because the theatre company wanted a simple way to alter and restore the finish after each production. And an exterior stain was found that gave the wood a dark, purple/black quality with a low sheen.” Brown says wood is a critical component on many BTA jobs – mainly for its ease of use and warmth. “All projects have their own personalities, and wood on Arena Stage was critical since we kept the existing 1960s brick and concrete structures and made them part of the interior expression of the design. These structures are prime examples of 1960s Brutalist architecture and are tough, concrete/brick with steel roofs. The wood we used for the project was an important foil to those materials and brought warmth and scale.”

PROJECT Arena stage, Mead Center for American Theater, Washington, DC ARCHITECT Bing Thom Architects, Vancouver WOOD PRODUCTS Douglas fir parallel strand lumber columns, eastern poplar Cradle theatre interior wall and ceiling PHOTOGRAPHY Nic Lehoux, courtesy Bing Thom Architects

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SECTION TITLE HERE PROJECT

The sticks temper the bright light and spread it evenly for perfect reading ambience

A ‘MODEST’

INTERVENTION Village firewood part of building volume The Liyuan Library is a ‘modest’ addition to the small village of Huairou – about two hours drive from busy Beijing urban life. It forms a modern programmatic complement to the village by adding a small library and reading space within a setting of quiet contemplation and enhanced appreciation of the natural landscaping qualities. Instead of creating a new building inside the village center, the architects chose a site in the mountains five minutes walk away – a setting of clear thoughts when one consciously takes the trouble to head for the reading room. “Because of the overwhelming beauty of the surrounding nature, our intervention is modest in its outward expression. We can’t compete with nature’s splendor,” says designer Li Xiaodong of Atelier, China.”

Engineered pine, steps and small level changes deliver expressive character to the library

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The building blends into the landscape and recognises regional characteristics through the delicate choice of materials and the careful placement of the building volume. “We found large amounts of locally sourced wooden sticks piled around all of the village houses to fuel their cooking stoves. We decided to use this ordinary material in an extraordinary way – cladding the building in familiar textures in a way that is strikingly sensitive.” Inside there is strong expressive character and special diversity, using

“

We decided to use this ordinary material in an extraordinary way – cladding the building in familiar textures in a way that is strikingly sensitive.

”

steps and small level changes to create distinct places. Views toward surrounding landscapes are ‘framed’ and act as an embracing shelter. The building is glazed to allow for a full daylight space. The wooden sticks temper the bright light and spread it evenly to provide a perfect reading ambience. Li says the range of local firewood (tree branch) species is too numerous for him to name, but pine was used extensively inside the library. “We chose the local branch material because it can be recycled from nature itself. It is not treated with any protection and I am expecting that the façade will become home for the local birds – increasing’ the building’s participation in nature.” LEFT Liyuan library – a setting of clear thoughts and natural beauty ABOVE Library entrance – steel and wood in usual combination

Liyuan Library, Huairou village, China Li Xiaodong Atelier DONORS Luke Him Sau Charitable Trust and Pan Xi WOOD PRODUCTS pine and local branch timbers PHOTOGRAPHY Li Xiadong PROJECT

ARCHITECT

WOOD IT STANDS TO REASON LIGHTWEIGHT RENEWABLE VERSATILE SAFE

w w w. n z wo o d .c o. n z

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TECHNOLOGY

CHRISTCHURCH: HAVE COURAGE Banks and insurers threaten a timber rebuild

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Multilevel timber technology is an obvious and proven answer to the quakeproofing of a rebuilt Christchurch, but will anyone have the courage to lead the way? And then there are the (newly) risk-averse banks and insurers – as Peter Harington writes. When Albert Einstein said, “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity”, he could well have been talking about the aftermath of the Christchurch earthquakes. New Zealand’s second-largest city was left with most of its CBD fit only for demolition, and entire suburbs rendered uninhabitable. And still the quakes continue.

Three years ago, this writer reported on a new LVL-based building technology for multi-story buildings being developed at the University of Canterbury. We speculated that the opportunity to launch this revolutionary building system might come with the reconstruction of a city after a major earthquake! Now on the market as EXPAN, the system combines post-tensioned building technology with LVL beams as an alternative to concrete. The beams, columns and walls are held together with steel tendons, as in post-tensioned concrete structures. The original trial structure – which survived all of the major Christchurch quakes unscathed – is now the working offices of the Structural Timber Innovation Company (STIC) on the university campus. Hundreds of people have visited the demonstration building. “They all leave excited about the potential of this earthquake-safe building method … and then go back to the realities of dealing with the stakeholders,” says STIC chief executive Robert Finch with obvious frustration. But he is confident the innovative building system will take off once one or two “visionaries” adopt it. “But no one wants to be the first right now.” Finch and Dr Andy Buchanan, Professor of Timber Design at Canterbury University, found the EXPAN promotion job something of a revelation. “There is a chain of stakeholders which includes the owner, financiers, insurers, developers and the [local body], and if any one of them is too

The Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology building is the only major structure so far to use EXPAN post-tensioned technology Photos: Patrick Reynolds, courtesy NZ Wood Awards

“

If we do what we have always done, we will get the same result we have always got … This is not a time to be timid.” Jane Arnott

”

“

They all leave excited about the potential of this earthquakesafe building method … and then go back to the realities of dealing with the stakeholders. Robert Finch

”

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Photo: ©timber+DESIGN

While the upside is a rare opportunity to rebuild the city from the ground up, and to look beyond concrete and steel, there is doubt that the people in charge will actually have the courage to look outside the square – at wood, for instance.

TECHNOLOGY

“

Timber has the promise of being one of the solutions to the seismic

future of Christchurch, while giving us elegant and attractive buildings. Graeme Finlay

”

risk-averse, they will revert to steel and concrete – which they know.” Before the earthquakes, bankers and insurers took little interest in the construction methods employed in buildings they were involved with, but post-quake is an entirely new environment. Another group promoting more wood in the Christchurch rebuild is the NZ Wood campaign. CEO Jane Arnott – herself a victim of the quake – says banks and insurance companies should be looking much harder at new, quake-proven timber technologies. Arnott is emphatic about innovative wood structures for the city. “If we do what we have always done, we will get the same result we have always got. We will end up with the same structures that have let us down. This is not a time to be timid.” Michael Doig, New Zealand director of property developer Ganellen, has been through the prototype STIC building and was impressed. “The LVL appeals to us because of the aesthetic value of the exposed beams in addition to the seismic advantages,” he told timber+DESIGN. “But for over three or four storeys wooden structures have yet to be proven in the seismic environment. This is a large investment to get it wrong. How it will apply to the larger market rebuilds is yet to be decided. It is a combination of the engineers, us as owners and developers, and cost.” Doig says the cost of complying with post-earthquake design codes for multi-storey buildings will push some rentals up by 60% – putting pressure on often more expensive wood-based structural systems. Despite that, Ganellen has one timber building in progress, but using LVL beams on a gravity system rather than post-tensioned.

Brick buildings failed to stand up in the Christchurch quakes

Warren and Mahoney architect and executive director Graeme Finlay likes the idea of more wood in the Christchurch rebuild. “Timber has the promise of being one of the solutions to the seismic future of Christchurch, while giving us elegant and attractive buildings.” Although a prominent promoter of timber in sustainable building, Finlay admits the EXPAN-style technology is not easy to sell: “We are presenting it to clients, but there is slight nervousness about being the first. The impediment is not having an example. Nelson [the award-winning Nelson Institute of Technology building] is good, but we need a local example. Someone has to show the courage to be the first.” As this issue was being compiled a Royal Commission was investigating the reasons behind building collapses in Christchurch, throwing structural engineers into the spotlight. As a result, Finlay believes engineers are even more sensitive to risk. “You would have to be a brave engineer in this day and age to promote something relatively new given the structural risk facing their profession.” Out in the suburbs the prospects for timber construction are brighter. In any given street, Arnott says the survival rate of lightweight wooden houses far exceeds that for the stone and brick varieties. She has no doubt that timber frame construction and solid timber systems will largely sell themselves in the rebuilt suburbs. New Zealand’s fondness for building houses on concrete slabs has also been exposed by the quakes. Many otherwise intact dwellings are now sitting on shattered slabs – unusable and unrepairable. Arnott contrasts this with her own property – an old villa on wooden piles; repiled, refloored and reoccupied. The qualities traditionally associated with those who create our cityscapes have been exposed in Christchurch. Now, the qualities most required are courage and leadership … to be the first to adopt the innovative alternatives and lead others in taking up the opportunity to build a workable and vibrant city.

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SPECIAL FEATURE

FLOATING LIKE A BUTTERFLY Engineered pine in a spectacular setting

The Olinda Tea House is a modern, pavilion-style building with a distinctive Japanese influence, located in the tranquil Dandenong Ranges, 40 minutes out of Melbourne. It is also an award-winning example of engineered laminated pine construction. It was designed principally as a single-storey post-and-beam glulam component, using a ‘floating’ butterfly roof with large, cantilevered eaves and expansive areas of glass walls to take advantage of the Olinda State Forest surrounding the site. Additional to the main restaurant, kitchen and gallery space are two adjacent but independent conference clustered buildings that also reflect natural wood products, with spectacular treatments used in the roof and around the perimeter of the centre. The main structural timbers are a mix of GL13 ‘A’ grade H3-treated pine beams and 250 x 250 glulam columns over 12.0 m long, and cypress posts 250 x 250 at 7.5 m high. The buildings

14 14

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are clad with rough-sawn western red cedar, connected by generous hardwood decking with timber handrails. All timber received two coats of Cutek CD50 with a “Grey Mist” colourtone to assist in accelerating the silver/grey appearance of the timber specified by the architects. A decorative spine wall clad with recycled timber planks features at the end of the tea room and extends as a wing wall each side of the building. At the north side the al fresco dining deck is partially enclosed by the recycled wing wall, a louver roof and a laser-cut patterned Corten steel balustrade. The ceiling and large eave soffit overhangs are lined with honey-coloured hoop pine plywood panels –

“

Careful selection of sustainable timbers and finishes was a keynote of the design. The result is spectacular use of natural wood and glass, blending into the surrounding forestland.

alternate panels perforated for internal acoustic treatment. Inside, the flooring selected is an Antique finish tongue & groove bamboo board system. External decking is spotted gum in 140 mm-wide planks. External wall cladding consists of horizontal western red cedar shiplap boards with matching Cutek stain finish – a solvent/oil based product with deep penetration and longterm performance. It was an obvious choice for protecting all timber components, and easily reapplied. A curved, rammed earth entry wall compliments the extensive use of timber in the development. David Roberts of Smith & Tracey Architects says careful selection of sustainable timbers and finishes was a keynote of the design. “The result is spectacular use of natural wood and glass, blending into the surrounding forestland.”

Olinda Tea House, Dandenong Ranges, Victoria ARCHITECT Smith & Tracey (David Roberts) ENGINEER Wallbridge Gilbert (Cameron Jackson) TIMBER WHOLESALER Laminated Timber Supplies (Bruce Bell) BUILDER P & S Building Services (Andrew Brown) TIMBER SUPPLY Moorabbin Timber (Robert Williams) TIMBER FINISHES Cutek (Peter Reid) WOOD PRODUCTS Treated pine beams and glulam columns, cypress posts, spotted gum decking and handrails, western red cedar shiplap cladding, hoop pine ply, recycled hardwood’ AWARDS Australian Timber Design Awards 2011, winner engineered timber products PHOTOGRAPHY Courtesy Smith & Tracey and Australian Timber Design Awards

”

CLIENT

MAIN PICTURE A floating butterfly roof atop an engineered timber structure and expansive glazed and timbered walls TOP The framework for all buildings

combines treated and engineered pine, and solid cypress

ABOVE LEFT Cutek ‘Grey Mist’ timber stain

will accelerate the desired silver/grey appearance

ABOVE RIGHT The ceiling and large eave

soffit overhangs are lined with hoop pine ply panels ABOVE Generous hardwood decking and access ways connect the main pavilion with the conference buildings

For additional information, please contact: Bruce Bell, Managing Director, Laminated Timber Supplies, Melbourne. Ph 03 9761 4488, email: bruce@lamtim.com.au

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STRUCTURAL

A BRIDGE MUCH FURTHER Pushing timber spanning boundaries

This bridleway bridge in the Yorkshire Dales of England uses a timber construction technique believed unique in the world. Far Moor Bridge across the River Ribble is part of a new 563 km Pennine Bridleway National Trail, funded by the Countryside Agency (now Natural England) and Sports England. The commissioning authority saw an opportunity to build an environmentally sustainable, iconic structure that would delight walkers and riders. For natural, landscape and contextual

reasons, timber was the preferred construction material. But there were concerns the required span would be too great, until a stresslaminated single-arch bridge was seen in the North York Moors. The Yorkshire Dales National Park (YDNPA) approached Civil Engineering Design Services (CEDS) about a design solution for a much larger bridge using this technique.

The brief required an aesthetically pleasing bridge, complementing the surrounding rural upland, built with regard to environmental constraints and to the standard expected by National Trail users. The resulting flat arch structure reflects the ‘egg shape’ drumlin landscape of the locality. CEDS says the timber construction technique is, to its knowledge, unique in the world. It combines stress-laminated arch construction acting compositely with a screw-laminated stressed timber deck. Assembled on site, the main construction material is preservative-

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e. Be sur e. Be saf

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“

The design required a three-dimensional analysis not previously attempted for this type of structure.

”

FAR LEFT The Far Moor Bridge flat arch structure reflects the ‘egg shape’ drumlin landscape of the locality LEFT Stress-laminated arch construction acting

compositely with a screw-laminated stressed timber deck

treated Scottish larch. Oak was chosen for the outer section of the lower arches to withstand and spread the stress loading of 150KN. The arch-to-concrete pad foundation support brackets, stressing rods and washer plates are galvanised steel. The design loading was 5kN/m2, with as high a fundamental natural frequency as possible to ensure comfort for horses. The architects knew a 50 m-long bridge could become a major obstacle for some types of horse – overcome by linking the deck and arches to form a stiff composite structure. The resulting design required a three-dimensional

analysis not previously attempted for this type of structure. The central span over the river is 24 m, with only a 200 mm deep section. The bridge required two side-arches of about 15 m to maintain the integrity of the flood plain. Trial pits revealed that the ground at either springing of the central arch would not support the significant lateral thrust of about 300kN. The design was modified to ensure thrust was transmitted through that support and into the side arches. This transferred the lateral thrust to the outer foundation which are in drier, better ground.

PROJECT

Far Moor Bridge, North Yorkshire,

UK Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority ARCHITECT Civil Engineering Design Services (CEDS) BUILDER Houseman and Falshaw STRUCTURAL ENGINEER CEDS JOINERY CTS Bridges WOOD Treated Scottish larch AWARD Highly commended, Sructural, UK Wood Awards 2011 PHOTOGRAPHY Peter Lambert, YDNPA CLIENT

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CERTIFIED WOOD

Low-risk North American and New Zealand timber likely to have easier entry

DUE DILIGENCE Australia will demand proof of legality for all imports

The latest version of Australia’s impending illegal logging prohibition legislation is being viewed with trepidation – not least by a number of supplier countries. But, as Stephen Mitchell reports, there is good cause for certifiers to celebrate. 18

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The second draft of the Australian Government’s Illegal Logging Prohibition Bill 2011 is widely acknowledged as an improvement on the previous draft, and will make it a criminal offence to import illegally logged timber or process ‘raw logs’ that have been illegally logged. The key change is the requirement for

“

The key change for importers and domestic processors to implement ‘due diligence’ systems, and for

importers to make a customs declaration accordingly.

”

importers and domestic processors to implement ‘due diligence’ systems, and for importers to make a customs declaration to the effect that they have undertaken due diligence to verify the legality of the timber before importation.

similar clause for domestic processors does not include the reference to a certifying body, but this is probably a drafting error and should be corrected in the final legislation.

The modified document removes complex and bureaucratic government licensing and a timber industry code of practice-based approval system, following criticism by the industry of the previous version.

Based on the Explanatory Memorandum accompanying the bill, and statements from Commonwealth Government staff who have drafted the bill and strong stakeholder representation, it is likely that product certification to the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and schemes endorsed by the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) (such as the Australian Forest Certification Scheme (AFCS), PEFC Canada and the Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme (MTCS)) would meet the legislation’s due diligence requirements.

At time of writing the draft legislation was with the Senate Standing Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport. Changes may occur after it reports (due 27 February), but the core requirement to undertake due diligence is likely to remain. So what place does certified wood have in Australia under the legislation? Answering that question with confidence is compounded by the fact that a number of key aspects of the arrangements will only be fully realised via supporting regulations. Having said that, one clause applying to imports in the bill specifically recognises “rules or processes established or accredited by an industry or certifying body”. A

The lucky ones

Supporting this assumption is a study undertaken in 2010 by URS for the Federal Government entitled A framework for differentiating legality verification and chain of custody schemes. It assessed all the legality verification and chain of custody (CoC) schemes in the Asia Pacific region at that time.

The study also looked at other timber legality assurance systems such as those developed by Rainforest Alliance (SmartWood), Société Générale de Surveillance (SGS), CertiSource, the Tropical Forest Foundation (TFF), the Forest Trust and Global Forestry Services. URS also assessed the Indonesian Government’s Sistem verifikasi legalitas kayu (Timber Legality Assurance System) SVLK. A key finding was that FSC and PEFC were well resourced, more rigorous and robust legality verification schemes. SGS also shared this benefit of scale. But some other schemes did not rate as highly. URS suggested importers may need to seek additional information if using them. (A couple of these other schemes have been developed since this assessment and may now meet the forthcoming due diligence criteria for importing from higher risk sources.) Third-party verification is unlikely to be necessary for timber products directly from countries deemed ‘of low or negligible risk’, such as New Zealand, Canada and the US. Meanwhile, the world of certification and legality verification is constantly changing. With the US Lacey Act amendments, cont p21

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TIMBER TRADE

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CONCERNS

Australia’s near neighbors continue to express concern about aspects of the Illegal Logging Prohibition Bill 2011, which was being hawked around the country in February before enactment. The legislation (and similar law in other countries) is intended to strangle the trade in illegal wood – largely, but by no means exclusively, of tropical origin. Instead, there is a real possibility that low-risk and legitimate operations will also be caught up in the process, and deemed guilty until proven innocent. Continuing ambiguity in the bill as we went to press had officials in New Zealand and Papua New Guinea sufficiently concerned to make urgent submissions, and Malaysia had also joined the fray. Malaysian Timber Council CEO Cheah Kam Huan told timber+DESIGN that, in the context of free market, the proposed Australian bill – in addition to conditions imposed by Europe through its EU Timber Regulations, and the US through the amended Lacey Act – can be regarded as discriminatory. “Not only to tropical timber, but also to all wood products, on the basis that the same strict requirements are not being requested of other building materials, like steel and aluminium,” he says. “These conditions are especially discriminatory to tropical wood producers as many of the tropical timber countries in the African, Asian and Latin American regions lack the capacity and resources to introduce additional measures to fulfil the requirements.

Tagged and certified legal Malaysian logs Photo: ©timber+DESIGN

“In practical terms, additional regulatory requirements will translate into restricted access to markets and additional costs in meeting the requirements.” As with the US Lacey Act, Cheah says the

“

In practical terms, additional regulatory requirements will translate into restricted access to markets and additional costs in meeting the requirements. Cheah Kam Huan

”

definition of ‘illegality’ in the Australian bill remains ambiguous – leaving room for possible misinterpretation of foreign laws. “It is also still unclear how it will be implemented and how it would affect the competitiveness of the timber industry in Australia and its trading partners.” Malaysia is working hard to legitimise its forestry and wood products industries, and the Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme (MTSC) is almost sure to meet the Australian legislation’s due diligence requirements. Malaysia has also set a goal of 375,000 ha of forest plantation wood by 2020 – mainly in Sarawak. Since the scheme was launched in 2006, around 52,000 ha have been planted. A separate planting program in Sarawak had added 263,000 ha at October 2011. (Australia was the eighth largest export market for Malaysia’s wood products (50% furniture) in 2010, and valued at US$270 million.)

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CERTIFIED WOOD

“

The key change for importers and domestic processors to implement ‘due diligence’ systems, and for importers to make a customs declaration accordingly.

Having CoC with the major certification schemes will be adequate

”

Photo: ©timber+DESIGN

cont from p19

the EU Timber Regulation and now Australian legislation imminent, there has been a proliferation of legality assurance schemes and certifiers.

Not well qualified European Timber Trade Federation (ETTF) sustainability advisor Rachel Butler says some companies advertising due diligence and legality verification services in Europe are not well qualified or experienced. The ETTF’s response has been to issue guidelines to help members select credible schemes. An important element of the Australian regulations will be ensuring such schemes meet minimum requirements and are not just window dressing. It will also be important for competitiveness that new entrants are not discouraged. Although the details will be in the regulations, it is expected that having CoC (for all products) to the standards of the major certification schemes will be more than adequate. Since the passing of the EU Timber Regulation, PEFC and FSC have announced intended changes to their CoC standards. PEFC will revise its International Chain of Custody Standard to ensure all certified companies

meet the EU regulation. FSC is already adjusting its standards to comply. Australian Forestry Standard national secretary Richard Stanton has noted increased enquiries about CoC certification from a range of timber companies in the supply chain – driven by the impending legislation. It’s a tangible step that people can take now to reduce their risk of importing illegally logged wood products, he says. Once the legislation has been finalised the Timber Development Association (TDA) will co-ordinate an industry project to develop guidance for importers and domestic processors to meet due diligence requirements. Editor: See separate story this issue noting trading partner concerns about the illegal logging bill. (Stephen Mitchell is the sustainability programme manager with the Timber Development Association. He has undertaken timber legality projects for the Australian Timber Importers Federation and the Australian Government’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.)

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AMERICAN HARDWOOD SPECIAL

‘LOCALISM’ IS NOT GREENEST Contrary to popular opinion, ‘local’ sourcing is not a default setting guaranteeing low environmental impact.

‘Why buy apples from New Zealand when we grow our own in the UK?’ is a common and oversimplified northern hemisphere green cry. Unfortunately, it is now being applied to an increasingly wider range of products and industries. The result is a generalisation that locally sourced produce is automatically ‘greener’ because of the small distance it has been transported. Wrong! Measuring the true environmental impact requires a definition of ‘local’, and the type of transport used. Wood products are a case in point. Raw material and finished product are moved worldwide by sea freight and, as a new AHEC Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) study confirms, the environmental impact is lower than other forms of transport – notably rail and road. So beware of those who claim that buying ‘local’ hardwood is always better for the environment. Sometimes it may be true, but it all depends on where the local lumber is sourced and consumed.

This special feature (pages 22-35) is supported by the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC). For more information about AHEC’s new LCA research and GWP impact on hardwood shipments to Australasia (see page 34), please contact AHEC regional director Roderick Wiles: rod@ americanhardwood.org or try www.americanhardwood.org

A ‘REVEALING’ SPACE WITH BUILT-IN SECRETS

Demonstrating the full environmental impacts of wood products through LCA will, AHEC believes, be the best way for wood to compete with other materials. It will also help markets make more informed choices.

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SETTLING THE SUPERFICIAL ‘Seeing deeper’ with top furniture designer David Trubridge

David Trubridge, contemporary designer – believes in the power of wild places PHOTO: ©Tony Neilson

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AMERICAN HARDWOOD SPECIAL

Kitset options and flat packing have reduced the environmental footprint PHOTO: ©Tony Neilson

‘Minimum material for maximum effect’ is a core creative mantra behind the international success of David Trubridge – one of the southern hemisphere’s most successful contemporary furniture and lighting designers. The New Zealander, who describes wood as “the only true material”, has achieved celebrity status at the top end of contemporary furniture and accessory design. Since the sensational first major international outing of his American ash and hoop pine plywood ‘Body Raft’ recliner at the Milan furniture fair more than a decade ago, the character and exotic flavours of Trubridge’s creations have been eagerly awaited by the design press. When Italian design guru Giulio Cappellini announced he wanted to manufacture the body raft, Trubridge was on his way as a ‘designer’. “Cappellini was the kingmaker in those days – the person everybody wanted to be associated with. Having him endorse me was a massive jump up from just producing craft pieces.” Four years after, Trubridge won an important Japanese design award for a kitset hanging lamp system (made at the time with Australian hoop pine plywood). That launched a second major advance in the global success of the David Trubridge brand, with its underpinning ethos of ‘wild nature, artistry and design’.

The David Trubridge showroom in New Zealand

PHOTO: ©David Trubridge

“

In our cities and lifestyles we are assailed by stimuli that you can never quite get away from. For me, it is going somewhere to find the stillness so I can see deeper into myself …

”

Designers implicated Still based in the Hawke’s Bay region of New Zealand’s North Island – but in more salubrious and substantial premises than the shed at the end of his garden where it all began – Trubridge’s lights and furniture are popular with interior decorators for bars, cafes and hotels. They are available through distributors across Europe, the US (65 Design Within Reach stores), the Middle East and Australia. A committed conservationist and with three-quarters of his production exported from the bottom of the world, his ‘minimalist’ production and design philosophy is no surprise. The light range, with its distinctive South Pacific names like kina, nikau, koura and the big-selling original coral, was relaunched in kitset form at Milan in 2011. Trubridge believes designers should be more active in changing the way we live. “Through the evolution of humankind, design has been about creating structures and things to help us survive. But that has totally reversed – design is actually causing our destruction because we are making all this stuff we don’t need.

The Ruth rocker series features hoop pine plywood and American ash PHOTO: ©David Trubridge

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“We are destroying our environment by using up non-renewable resources and polluting what we have got, just to produce more stuff to sell as a consumer fashion. And designers are implicated in this because they create new designs to replace last year’s ones – regardless of whether they are aesthetically or technologically different.” Rather than just reshape things or introduce small styling changes, Trubridge tells students at his international workshops to redesign the process and don’t take anything for granted. “Don’t assume, for instance, that people sit at a table. They might, but why assume that? Designing tables is not about round or square legs, or mouldings on the edges. The real design process is about re-evaluating the eating process. So don’t design a table – design eating!”

The beautiful wood Born in the UK where, had it not been for a drunken Scotsman smashing him up in a car accident in his final year of a naval architecture degree, Trubridge may never have had the chance to fully explore art, design and craft: the three essential elements in everything his company produces. Carving wood while convalescing, he realised he would sooner be a sculptor and artist than spend his days looking at shipyards in Belfast or Liverpool. Along the way he also acquired woodworking and furniture-making skills, which soon became more lucrative than sculpting. But it was a part-time job as a forester on an English estate that shaped his lifelong commitment to wood. “The old forester I worked with knew about an oak log that maybe we could recover and saw up. When we found it, all I could see was a pile of fungus on the forest floor. But the forester knew about its hidden treasure, and when we got it to the mill and opened it up – there was this beautiful wood inside. For me, that was the moment of transition between the forest, the outside world I loved and the furniture I wanted to make.” A circuitous sea voyage to the South Seas and a recession or two later, Trubridge is as far from being a bespoke traditional wooden furniture maker as he could be. He may use other materials for some designs, but he holds firmly to the belief that the day he found the old oak log and saw its inner beauty was the day he became ‘connected’ with wood.

“

This is a good opportunity to come up with some fresh ideas in a bit of a ‘back to furniture’ move. We have three pieces in mind, and almost certainly in American ash.

”

“The material is constantly renewable and, in a way, carries the thumbprint of nature into our homes. I know it and I understand it. Trees have grown out of the soil, just like we have. Wood has a life to it – and it is that quality that we relate to.”

The ash factor In a return to the company’s roots, Trubridge’s designers are working on a new range of wooden furniture pieces for top US art furniture dealer and Philadelphia gallery owner Lewis Wexler. “This is a good opportunity to come up with some fresh ideas in a bit of a ‘back to furniture’ move. We have three pieces in mind, and almost certainly in American ash. But they won’t be ‘sculptures or one-off pieces. That seems a waste of time to me.” He likes American ash because it suits the way he builds: minimal material for maximum effect. “It is part of our environmental thing – a design [ethos] that appeals to me: light and delicate; not overbearing. Ash makes that possible.” The Trubridge approach to furniture and lighting is to build thin skins that get their strength from compound curvature. Ply can normally only bend in one direction at a time, but with the company’s coral light for instance, the wood is cut so it can bend in different directions to build a sphere. “And we will do the same with the new furniture. It has always been a challenge to me to find a

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Nananu, part of a new series, features American ash and Australian hoop pine plywood PHOTO: ©David Trubridge

AMERICAN HARDWOOD SPECIAL way to create a structure strong enough to take weight using this [parametric] system. It must be thin enough to bend, but that generally means it will be too weak to take heavy weight. And if it is strong enough to take the weight, it won’t bend.” The answers for the Trubridge team will probably come from laminated, thin-section wood. “We need a long piece of very straight-grained, stable and clear timber like ash to accomplish this. There is probably no other like it and the way they grow it produces perfectly straight timber – strong, but supple for bending, and ideal for what we do.” A great believer in the power of wild places to initiate truly creative thought, Trubridge frequently ‘goes bush’ for inspiration. He returned from a spell in (treeless) Antarctica on a New Zealand arts fellowship convinced that design need not be about objects at all. “It is more about processes … redesigning the way we live! “In our cities and lifestyles we are assailed by stimuli that you can never quite get away from. For me, it is going somewhere to find the stillness so I can see deeper into myself … Not just catching the light off the surface, but getting down into the depths. “I find that in the mountains, in the forest and even in the frozen wastes of Antarctica. I need to go there to find the call; where the ideas come from. I’m not looking for shapes or forms – they come later. It is much more nebulous; more a direction, an idea, a feeling; something to put form around later. “It allows the superficial surface stuff to settle [so I can] get into the depth and, hopefully, find those new ideas and thoughts that lead to something. I find this when I am away from the crowds – initially anyway.” He wants to produce products that offer something extra – applying design thinking to make things people want, with less “stuff ”, energy and carbon. And he is not standing still. In Milan last year Trubridge revealed his ‘Dream Space Dome’ – adopting an architectural approach for the first time to build complex structures with minimal material use. The company is now marketing an American walnut version of the Gallery Bench series PHOTO ©David T rubridge

Intended as a breakout space for VIP receptions and small shopping spaces within larger areas, the 4.5 m x 2.5 m structure is made with 5-mm-thick, thermally modified, plantation-grown pine. It is heated for exterior durability, giving the wood the appearance of American walnut. Apart from some aluminium base strips, the entire structure was delivered to the show flat-packed in a suitcase. When you talk to David Trubridge it definitely is a case of ‘watch this space’.

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WHITE OAK HAS ‘THE LOOK’

Whichever way you look at it, American white oak is the major mover among solidwood flooring timbers in Australasia – even when it is not white! From commercial fit-outs to private homes, it seems white oak – natural or stained – simply outperforms everything else on price, appearance and durability. For a slightly different ‘down under’ perspective, we recently conducted separate interviews with two New Zealand wooden flooring specialists about current trends, product performance and caring for timber floors. When we spoke to Geoff Armitage of Armitage Wooden Floors in Auckland he was inspecting a freshly laid feature-grade American white oak floor in a new rural home. But most of his oak work is in prime grade.

This Auckland home features American hard maple – fine-sanded with three coats of moisture-cured low sheen polyurethane

“Currently, the American oak colours are what people want. Five years ago about 50 percent would have been kwila [merbau], or jarrah – the darker timbers. But clients have gone completely away from that … mostly for taste reasons, but people are also more sensitive about environmental issues,” he says in reference to negative publicity about links between kwila and illegal logging.

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AMERICAN HARDWOOD SPECIAL

And if it doesn’t – you can easily change it

New Zealand farmhouse floor in rustic white oak 200 mm x 19 mm boards with visible bandsaw marks, finished with Magic Oil

Prime white oak 150 mm x 19 mm, glued to plywood on concrete base

“The beauty of American oak is it accepts stain very well. People want variety in their colour schemes, and trying to stain most other darker timbers limits what can be done. It also sands beautifully, is hard-wearing, performs great in restaurants and cafes, and there is rarely an issue with it as far as durability goes.” Armitage has been in the business for 20 years and says ‘the oaks’ have only become really popular in New Zealand homes in the past five years. “A decade ago, the only people who could afford oak at all would invariably go to a French oak – it was the floor to have. But now it is almost all US oak … and in the feature grade it looks and performs as well as French oak, and as we speak, is probably a third cheaper.” Freedom Flooring director Phil Rowe has also been installing timber floors for 20 years, winning two New Zealand Master Builders’ house of the year awards along the way. His North Shore business is the country’s biggest solidwood installer and he recruits specialist tradespeople worldwide. “American oak – prime, feature or rustic grade – is far and away the most popular in our experience, and has been for a couple of years. It will stay that way until the price goes up, and then, unfortunately, it will be back to kwila and vitex, taun, and pilularis [blackbutt].”

“

The problem is getting clients to understand that it is a natural product – they are walking on a piece of a tree!

”

PHOTOGRAPHY: All images copyright and courtesy Freedom Flooring

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SECTION TITLE HERE

AMERICAN HARDWOOD SPECIAL

Prime American white oak (172 mm x 19 mm) finished with waterborne polyurethane

Rowe says there are three things influencing the current high demand for American oak: “The grain or high-end look, the price and the fact that it is a hard timber. White oak is the favourite but we also recommend red oak, particularly if a client has a big floor and plans to stain it. There is no sense in staining white oak – that would be tragic! “But 70 percent of people continue to specify white oak, then stain and change the natural colour of the wood – to a wood-wash white or grey, or a lime wash. So many people want it in different colours.” On the subject of coating and finishing, both experts were agree there are three sensible choices: oil, moisture-cured polyurethane, and water-based polyurethane – depending on the colour required. “You won’t get a really dark floor with a water-based finish, so you have to go with the old moisture-cured finish,” says Rowe. In the right conditions, his preference is oil, and he has been to Germany to train in the application of oil/wax products. “Oil lets the timber breathe, and so does polyurethane, which holds the wood together a little more.” Armitage recommends oil to clients with a strong environmental interest and willingness to maintain it: “Wash it with soap and diluted wax about every six months”. He also notes that oil doesn’t “lock up” the floor like polyurethane, which seals everything. “But nowadays, the American oaks especially, and virtually all the timbers we use, are so well dried and conditioned that we don’t have a problem.” He has had good results with a quality Danish oil – not just a tung oil or linseed. While the American oak look is expected to dominate for some time, Armitage says rustic French oak remains popular in New Zealand, followed by Tasmanian oak (wide board), some recycled native species, white maple and walnut. Rowe’s biggest issue with the solidwood floor has nothing to do with the product: “The problem is getting clients to understand that it is a natural product – they are walking on a piece of a tree! “We can only send out so much in our terms and conditions to make people understand. But at the end of the day, I still have clients who don’t realise that it is not from a ‘factory’. There will be dust elements because it is not finished in a dust-free environment.” But there is no contest, he says, between solid and engineered floors. “Something like a solid American oak floor will last 100 years, but if it is engineered in a factory, you might get a 25-year warranty if you are lucky.” And there are other performance “issues” he says, in a reference to bamboo. “I have been to so many bamboo floor showrooms in Australia where they are having a lot of problems, sustainability concerns and all sorts of other baggage. What’s it glued together with? It is definitely not sustainable.”

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“

But nowadays, the American oaks especially … are so well dried and conditioned that we don’t have a problem.

”

Keeping carbon out of the atmosphere. Naturally. American hardwood.

Each kilogram of U.S. hardwood product stores the equivalent of 1.835 kilograms of CO2 for as long as it remains in use. For more information visit: www.americanhardwood.org Follow us on Twitter ahec_europe www.timberdesignmag.com timber+Design AUSTRALASIA FIRST QUARTER 2012

AGAINST THE GRAIN

Australian sister act a style leader in solid oak

In brand as in life, they are ‘zusters’ – the Dutch word for sisters. And the quartet of Australian women is swimming strongly against the tide in the dangerous waters of the furniture designer-maker. Like so many other countries with once-proud domestic furniture manufacturing industries, Australia’s hangs on by its fingertips against lower-cost international producers and its bloated currency value. But from a surprisingly modest Richmond (Melbourne) factory, the Zuster brand of clean-lined, modern wooden furniture is achieving impressive and sustained sales growth at the upper-middle end of the market. And the sisters – Fleur Bouw (managing director), Wilhelmina McCarroll (designer), Katrina Myers and Meika Behrendorff – credit much of their success to the timber heritage and standards learned from their Dutch-born builder father, and their experience with American white oak. Demand for high quality, locally produced furniture is running hot, and Zuster’s sales jumped 16% in 2011 with another 22% rise expected in 2012. “We are performing against the grain because in hard economic times, we are seeing customers place greater value on quality and craftsmanship,” says Bouw. “There is a [return] to the quality and workmanship of yesteryear in each handmade Zuster piece. That gives us a huge competitive advantage in an age of mass production and flat packs. “We use the same ‘built to last’ philosophies our father Meyer Sibbel used in the homes he designed and built from the 1960s to the 90s.” But there is nothing accidental or fortuitous about this success story. “We have been in business for 15 years and decided quite early on that we didn’t want to be cabinetmakers, or just manufacture furniture,” says Bouw. “Unlike most producers here, we wanted to do the whole thing – from design through to marketing and distribution.” American white oak has been central to Zuster’s success. “We are proudly Australian and would like to source a suitable local species, but nothing we have tried comes close to American white oak. We think it is the premier timber choice for furniture and interior design – the combination of its attractive and superior grain quality, strength and consistency is not easily found in other timbers. “The open grain of the timber is enhanced when you rub white in, and it doesn’t come up pink! Also, with the solid American oak it doesn’t warp and we can do up to 3.6 m lengths for our big dining tables.” Head designer Wilhelmina McCarroll is credited with the company’s ‘light-bulb moment’ when she took

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Zuster Hooks in solid American oak are part of the company’s new handcrafted ‘Home’ collection PHOTO: ©Zuster

AMERICAN HARDWOOD SPECIAL

LEFT Zuster managing director Fleur Bouw (left) and head designer Wilhelmina McCarroll – half of a unique sister act at the top end of Australian furniture. Photo: ©Tony Neilson ABOVE Zuster’s elegant solid American oak Sabrina chair with leather seat and backrest PHOTO: ©Zuster

design skills learned at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) into her father’s cabinetmaking factory and produced a range of bedroom furniture in a contemporary Australian style. “I was sure there was a niche for freestanding modern furniture in Australia and my first pieces sold quite well. Then some designers saw and liked the modern and clean lines, which were so different to the colonial-style furniture of the time. Now we have Zuster!” she says with a proud giggle. Her signature 2005 Stella curved base table has been relaunched with two other styles, signalling a move into solid American oak and less veneer – limewashed and with unique, handcrafted and turned features. “Everything has been rather ‘square’ but we have now added a lot of circles and softer edges – plus a kind of old-meets-new with the European woodturning details,” says McCarroll. “Interiors are more eclectic now – people don’t want everything square. We needed to take the ‘structured’ look of the earlier designs and soften them.” Zuster furniture is sometimes described as “antiques of the future” and McCarroll believes that reflects the timelessness of the designs and the quality of manufacture. “Our style is definitely not minimalist, and retains warmth because we feature so much timber. But it is timeless, and in the factory we put a lot of effort into making extras – like solid timber inside the drawers, mitred joints and 19 mm backboards so the look is the same from front and back.” Selling mainly to architects and interior designers, but with a strong high-end retail presence, Zuster has indeed carved a niche across most Australian states with its semi-bespoke production model: a standard range with an infinite number of options and adaptations.

Stella round: Zuster’s classic Stella dining table in American white oak developed from the idea of a ‘star’ base Photo: ©Zuster

American white oak is a key element across the full range of contemporary furniture and accessories Photo: ©Zuster

A recent and very successful addition to the range is a series of five handturned solid white oak wall ‘hooks’ that double as three-dimensional art. “When designing, I think about how people live,” says McCarroll, “amd what we enjoy in our own homes – rather than following industry trends.” Bouw says the sisters have been successful because marketing and design were high priorities from the outset. “Cabinetmakers and furniture manufacturers often don’t have good designs and don’t know how to market themselves. We do, and we have everything in the one business model. Maybe that’s because we are female. “We go to important international furniture and design shows, and spend a lot on marketing and design. We also benefit from four people all contributing their ideas.” So what’s next for the zusters? Branded retail stores nationwide; then, all going well, the international market – with an overseas manufacturing base.

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LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT How American hardwood stacks up

Curved and wrapped American walnut ceiling soffit above GPAC stalls

The American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) is engaged in the largest Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of hardwood products, with particular emphasis on the importance of transport considerations when selecting timber. An important starting point for LCA in the wood sector is to assess the sustainability of harvesting at source. Forests act as carbon sinks, since trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis and store it as carbon. When the trees are harvested, much of the carbon remains stored in all the resulting products, thus mitigating climate change.

Mid-century style seating with local fabric and walnut backs

To credit wood products with this carbon storage effect, it is important that they come from a renewable source where growth exceeds harvest. For this reason, the AHEC project incorporates a detailed analysis of US Government forest inventory data gathered at regular intervals over the last 60 years. Data for walnut shows the US harvest averages around 1 million m3 annually, well below the annual growth rate of 3.6 million m3. s

By sea is better Raw material and finished product are moved internationally by sea freight, which has a lower environmental impact is far lower than rail and road transportation, according to the LCA study. The initial Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) data on US hardwood lumber exported to Europe confirms that forest extraction and the sawmilling process make up a small part of the overall impact, and that kiln drying of lumber, not transport, is the biggest factor in determining impacts such as global warming potential (GWP). Heavy dependence on biomass rather than fossil fuel energy during kilning is a particularly important factor in keeping the overall carbon footprint of American hardwoods low. And transporting them by ship 6000 km across the Atlantic requires little more energy than an overland journey of 500 km.

Case study: Playhouse Theatre The initial brief for architects Studio101 for the Playhouse Theatre at the Geelong Performing Arts Centre (GPAC) near Melbourne was to brighten the space, make it more welcoming and review its acoustic performance. The Geelong practice specialises in timber-based design solutions. Australian timber such as blackbutt or cypress might have been considered, but the architects say the choice was much more about “honesty of expression in materiality … Other Australian hardwoods can become quite lightish, and we certainly didn’t want bounced or reflected light. Whereas walnut, with its midcolour toning and warmth has none of those issues.”

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“

Such is the size and productivity of the US walnut resource that it takes no more than five minutes for the walnut used at the GPAC to be replaced by new growth in the forest.

”

AMERICAN HARDWOOD SPECIAL Although finishing and maintaining timber elements can require a little extra work, Studio101 says variability was a key factor in choosing walnut: “It is not too inconsistent and has a nice overall texture, plus each board has its own texture and colour toning.” The architects identified the following key benefits American walnut brought to the GPAC project: • select grade for visual consistency • the right durability and hardness for vertical linings and ceiling soffits (Janka rating 4.5) • rich, mid-range colour toning and tight, delicate grain • a wonderful tactile quality • harvested from sustainably managed hardwood forests Select-grade black walnut cladding on balcony boxes – washed by LED pelmet lighting

• readily available at the time of specification in veneer and shiplap cladding • excellent acoustic properties • “deemed to satisfy” fire hazard indices. Such is the size and productivity of the US walnut resource that it takes no more than five minutes for the walnut used at the GPAC to be replaced by new growth in the forest. The walnut will act as a carbon store for as long as it remains in the building, and may be extended considerably if the timber is reused or recycled. At the end of the building’s life, it could also be burnt as a renewable fuel generating up to 37,000 kWh of energy. As for the carbon footprint, the LCA study shows that the 15 m3 of walnut kiln-dried lumber used in the project stores the equivalent of 31 tonnes of carbon dioxide. This is well in excess of the carbon emissions – just under 18 tonnes – required to extract, process, and transport the walnut lumber from the US to Australia. In LCA terminology, the walnut used has a ‘global warming potential’ of minus 13 tonnes. The assumptions made here about transport distances are generous: the walnut travels 220 km by road before kilning, then another 1325 km by road before reaching the US port of export. It is then shipped from the US east coast via Suez to Singapore for trans-shipment to Melbourne (a grand total of 26,000 km). The wood came to Geelong via a local Melbourne importer, so the 200 km allowed for road transport in Australia also seems generous. Despite these huge distances, transport is not a significant factor in the overall carbon footprint. Efficiency of wood processing is at least as important in determining the overall impact.

GEELONG PROJECT INFORMATION PROJECT Interior refurbishment, The Playhouse, Geelong Performing Arts Centre, Australia ARCHITECTS Studio101 Architects WOOD PRODUCTS Solid American walnut cladding/capping (balustrades, balcony boxes, stalls soffits, door hoods); American walnut veneer (theatre seating: arms, backs and end panels; sound deflectors, doors); Atkar plywood acoustic lining. LCA DATA American Hardwood Export Council PHOTOGRAPHY Tony Neilson For more information on American hardwoods and their performance, visit: www.americanhardwood.org

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Auckland New Zealand 15 - 19 July 2012 World Conference on Timber Engineering

REGISTRATIONS NOW OPEN On behalf of the Australian and New Zealand conference steering committee we are delighted to announce the World Conference on Timber Engineering, 15 – 19 July 2012, Auckland, New Zealand

International keynote speakers

Programme Sunday, 15 July

Professor Hans Blass, a European research and

Welcome Function

consulting engineer who is the world leader in large

Monday, 16 July Timber engineering challenges and solutions

screw fastener technology for commercial construction.

Tuesday, 17 July Strength & serviceability - extreme events Wednesday, 18 July Architecture case studies

Engineering case studies

Thursday, 19 July The future of timber engineering

Robert Malczk, a Canadian design and construction engineer who is a leader in cross- laminated construction in seismic areas, this being a new material in the New Zealand market.

Additional events and activities

Peter Busby, an internationally recognized architect

• Technical tours

and Managing Director at Perkins+Will in Vancouver,

• Pre and post conference tours

Canada. Renowned for innovative commercial designs

• Partners day tours

with structural timber solutions and his role as an

• Meet and greet function

international leader in green building design.

• Welcome function

Wednesday 18 July is focused on architects and attracts

• Gala dinner

60 NZRAB CPD points”

REGISTRATIONS NOW OPEN For further information or a copy of the registration brochure please visit:

www.WCTE2012.com or contact the Conference Secretariat: Conference Innovators T: + 64 9 525 2464, Email: wendy@conference.co.nz WCTE 2012 proudly supported by

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Timbers of

Tasmania

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ECHOING THE

FORESTS Speaking of nature, history and place making Recent Tasmanian projects – the Saffire Freycinet resort and St Mary’s Cathedral Centre in Hobart – exemplify two key aspects of using timber in architectural design. Firstly, wood is an identifier of place that defies the internationalisation of modern technology. Secondly, design with wood improves with collaboration and experience. These aspects are in addition to timber’s more obvious characteristics in building of tactility, versatility, strength and workability. Hobart architects Circa Morris-Nunn lead the design teams on both buildings. Tasmanians believe their forests produce some of the best timber in the world, and for them the concept of ‘best’ includes more than simple technical measures.

Tasmanian timbers echo the forests from which they are drawn; the human activity and culture that have shaped the species and their woods into artefacts over generations. The design team at Circa Morris-Nunn recognised that timber in design can speak of nature, history and place making, and sought to incorporate them in their designs. The brief for Saffire Freycinet strove to establish an iconic resort, drawing strongly from the site’s locale and history. To achieve this, Circa drew naturally from the forms and materials that spoke of the place and human interaction with that place. The building’s curving main structure is modelled on the stingrays regularly seen in nearby Coles Bay, while echoing the mountains in the nearby Freycinet National Park. The interior material palette includes wood, stone and glass: Tasmanian timbers in many forms and stone from the local region provide many of the solid

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“

The building’s curving main structure is modelled on the stingrays regularly seen in nearby Coles Bay, while echoing the mountains in the nearby Freycinet National Park.

”

Timbers of Tasmania

FAR LEFT Celery-top pine lined ceilings enclose the major Saffire resort and apartment spaces ABOVE St Mary’s is a modern interpretation of the traditional octagonal chapter house LEFT The rich red-brown of myrtle veneer draws the eye around the St Mary’s dome’s spirals to the central oculus BOTTOM CENTRE Saffire is an iconic resort, drawing strongly from its location and history

surfaces while wide areas of glass open to the surrounding landscape. Celery-top pine lined ceilings enclose the major resort and apartment spaces. Thicknessed to bend to the required curve, these pale-yellow battens sweep from one tip of the ‘ray’s’ wing to the other – sheltering the viewer from the beautiful, yet challenging surrounds. Tasmanian oak, often stained and coated, is the mainstay in other joinery and applications – used in battens, screens, cladding and veneer work.

Cathedral Centre The Cathedral Centre at St Mary’s in Hobart is a modern interpretation of the traditional octagonal chapter house. Inside and around the steel and concrete frame, timber in many forms is used to soften facades, humanise spaces and welcome visitors. Celery-top pine, a favourite material in Circa’s designs, appears in vertical cladding

and as battening in the walkway connecting the original cathedral and the new centre, and in the ceiling of the centre’s ground floor foyer. Tasmanian oak is used in the door joinery, reveals and trims. The building’s key feature is a classic dome, sitting over the major performance and meeting space on the top floor. In traditional buildings of this type, a central column would support the roof above, but here, Circa used curved gluelaminated Tasmanian oak beams to support the intersecting spirals of the dome’s timber-lined ceiling. Springing out of a simple white plane, the rich red-brown of myrtle veneer draws the eye around the dome’s spirals to the central oculus. In this impressive space, subtle design points can also be seen. Some segments of the lining are perforated to refine the dome’s acoustic properties, and interestingly, the fine Tasmanian oak rib elements that delineate the spirals are often finger-jointed. Some Australian architects Continued page 41

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Timbers of Tasmania Continued from page 39

to Morris-Nunn, this commitment was evident in both projects and a critical factor in the quality of work that the builders delivered.

can be unhealthily obsessed with specifying long length select grade material but Circa understands that finger-jointing increases the recovery in a valuable renewable resource and must be used where it can.

He also observed that while these projects benefited from the timbers’ association of place and history, they also contributed to that

Experience, collaborative problem solving and craftsmanship are evident in the design and finish of both buildings. Circa’s principal Robert Morris-Nunn knows the textures and capabilities of Tasmanian species well, and has used them with clarity and inventiveness since his early practice. He also enjoys a longstanding collaboration with specialist structural engineer Jim Gandy. With their respective design teams, the pair has produced numerous award-winning, often timber-rich buildings. Specialist fabricator Chris Ward of Tasmanian Timber Engineering contributes regularly in the design process, providing and tempering ideas and assuring the production capacity necessary to realise the developed solutions. Even with this design experience, buildings of the quality evident in the Saffire Freycinet resort and St Mary’s Cathedral Centre can only be achieved with a skilled joinery and site workforce committed to craftsmanship and its expression in the completed project. According

PROJECT Saffire Freycinet, Coles Bay, Tasmania ARCHITECT Circa Morris-Nunn Walker Architects

PROJECT St Mary’s Cathedral Centre, Hobart, Tasmania

INTERIOR DESIGN Chada, with Circa Architecture

ARCHITECT Circa Morris-Nunn Architects STRUCTURAL/CIVIL ENGINEERS Gandy + Roberts

STRUCTURAL/CIVIL ENGINEERS Gandy + Roberts

ACOUSTIC ENGINEERS Marshall Day

BUILDER Fairbrother Construction

BUILDER Bennett Construction TIMBER FABRICATION Tasmanian Timber Engineering WOOD PRODUCTS Structural: curved glulam rafters, Tasmanian oak; solid timber, Tasmanian oak, radiata pine. Finishing: dome ceiling lining, myrtle veneer on MDF substrate with Tasmanian oak trims; joinery, myrtle veneer and paint on MDF substrate; ceiling and door battens, celery top pine; external cladding, celery top pine; glazed doors and surrounds, Tasmanian oak PHOTOGRAPHY Courtesy Morris-Nunn Architects

association – maintaining a long tradition of skill in design and assembly with well-known and loved timbers found in this state.

OTHER KEY CONTRACTORS Timber fabrication, Tasmanian Timber Engineering; Joinery – Fairbrother Joinery WOOD PRODUCTS Structural: curved glulam rafters, hybrid Tasmanian oak and radiata pine; structural pine ply, Tasmanian oak and radiata pine. Finishing: ceiling lining and handrails, celery top pine; battening and external cladding, Tasmanian oak; veneer, Tasmanian oak and varied special species PHOTOGRAPHY George Apostolidis, Peter Whyte and courtesy Morris-Nunn Walker Architects

The Chain of Custody system and operating rules guarantee that raw material and products supplied by Island Specialty Timbers sites are fine Tasmanian timbers, legally sourced from forests whose environmental management is certified to the Australian Forestry Standard. www.chainofcustody.com.au www.islandspecialtytimbers.com.au

We stock Tasmania’s special timbers as sawn, seasoned products for buildings, woodcraft, furniture and musical instruments. Logs, limb wood, stumps and burls for sale and milled to order. Timber and milling services at Geeveston, raw material at Smithton and Strahan.

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A MODERN

CLASSIC

“

All State Forest production is certified sustainable by the Australian Standard for Forest Management, and endorsed by PEFC

”

A contemporary blackwood finish – Victorian County Court

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Timbers of Tasmania

The deeply rich tones of Tasmanian blackwood are available in light and dark shades

Sustainable Tasmanian blackwood

Blackwood is a rich and unique chocolate brown timber, available in light and dark hues. It complements modern design approaches and colour schemes, and sits just as comfortably with classic interiors.

More information about the technical properties of blackwood and many other Tasmanian species is available from www.tastimber.tas.gov.au. By Petra Strich – Manager, Tasmanian Timber Promotion Board

It has been a regular feature in awardwinning Australian designs, from the recent Victorian County Court building to the Federal Parliament House. It is also one of Tasmania’s signature species – prominent in landmarks such as Forestry Tasmania’s ‘Dome’ and the Dismal Swamp visitor centre, and in modern and heritage furniture throughout the state. Tasmanian blackwood is available exclusively from family-owned and family-run sawmills – all with a long history in the state, and the backbone of many local communities. Mark and Elijah Britton were two of the first blackwood millers. In the 1900’s they emigrated to Australia from England where Elijah had his first taste of sawdust at the bottom of his father’s sawpit. Four generations later and beautiful timbers are still at the heart of this family business.

A versatile and hardwearing timber, suitable for the full range of joinery and finishing applications

Tasmanian blackwood is a versatile material available in volumes suitable for large and demanding projects. All State Forest production is certified sustainable by the Australian Standard for Forest Management, which is endorsed by the Program for Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes (PEFC).

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TASMANIAN BLACKWOOD Modern – Versatile – Warm – Natural

The ultimate sustainable flooring choice

Commercial and Residential

For more information visit: www.brittontimbers.com.au

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Tasmania:

(03) 6452 2522

Victoria:

(03) 8769 7111

QLD:

(07) 3881 2716

NSW, WA,SA:

(02) 8783 9900

PHOTO: ©woodforgood

CONFERENCE

SPOTLIGHT ON TIMBER ENGINEERING Prestigious international conference in Auckland

The World Conference on Timber Engineering (WCTE) in Auckland 15-19 July this year will be the biggest of its type ever held in the southern hemisphere. The event is being hosted by New Zealand and Australian timber engineers and follows similar high-profile conferences over the past 20 years in Italy, Japan, the US, Finland, Malaysia, Canada, Switzerland and the UK. With organisers expecting around 600 international delegates, and more than 450 abstracts and nearly 300 oral presentations already accepted, this is a timber engineering event on a scale not previously seen in Australia or New Zealand. The main body of the conference spans four days – each with its own theme. Monday 16 July is Practical engineering problems and solutions, and the keynote speaker is world-renowned Professor Hans Blass from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany. He will cover glulam beam reinforcement, optimised timber trusses and connections using adapted cross-laminated panel technology. For the second day, the theme is Design for Extreme Events and the keynote speaker is the Canadian structural timber engineer Robert Malczyk, from Vancouver. Co-founder of Equilibrium Consulting, he studied timber engineering under the late Professor Borg Madsen, inventor of the now widely used timber rivet.

Malczk has pioneered the use of state-ofthe-art timber technologies in Canada and helped raise the local industry’s awareness and sophistication through the execution of a string of innovative and architecturally notable timber structures. His presentation for Auckland is titled Post Disaster Serviceability Issues for Timber Buildings. Day three is ‘architects’ day’ and themed Creative Use of timber products. Keynote speaker is architect Peter Busby, managing director of Perkins+Will, one of the largest design firms in North America, and having successfully delivered an impressive range of international projects across all sectors. Busby’s role includes sustainable design leadership to the firm’s 23 offices, and he is founder and recent chair of the Canada Green Building Council.

Keynote presenters for July’s World Conference on Timber Engineering in Auckland (from top): Professor Hans Blass, Robert Malczyk and Peter Busby

He notes that, “Wood is a renewable building material made by the sun. Trees are a major vehicle on the globe to reduce carbon. They’re our ally in keeping the biosphere healthy.” The conference will close on 19 July with a Future of timber engineering theme. In between, another 294 will present on the full range of timber engineering topics. More information @: wcte2012.com

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AUSTRALIAN AWARDS SECTION TITLE HERE

THE BIRDCAGE Exceptional product diversity and exposure

The special complexity and texture of The Birdcage residence in Sydney’s east is achieved by presenting the building’s structure and materials as a kind of ‘exoskeleton’. The residence was conceived by architects Bureau SRH as two elements: a solid concrete base as the entry to the home, and a perforated brass and timber box, which contains the private areas. Between the two contrasting cool and warm elements is a negative space that forms an open living platform. What is exceptional is the diversity of products and how they have been use; left exposed, unfinished or sealed, and readily understood as a result. The build also expresses incredible warmth through the day, and night, when the first level box glows a golden yellow through the brass mesh. The floor joists exposed to the living platform are Douglas fir LVL – lightly sanded but unsealed and with the brand clearly visible. They span 6 m, and at one end hang from a steel truss spanning 15 m and cantilevering another 7 m. So the timber joists could practicably be exposed, a 100 mm thick layering of floor materials was designed to reduce noise transfer between floors. The architects say the choice of LVL for the stair and the structural floor, and ceiling joists reduced the need to log large hardwood natives. “This was a consideration in its selection, as were low formaldehyde products. Rather than using plasterboard, then skimming and painting, we chose to use plywood. And where possible, timber was left raw and unfinished ... and is suitable for reuse or recycling.” The internal walls and ceilings of the timber box are lined with hoop pine plywood, with expressed joints and countersunk screw fixings. Cabinetry is made with rotary cut hoop pine veneer on MDF and particleboard. Blackbutt, sourced from sustainable yield state forest, is used for the floorboards, which fold down to clad the lift core and stairs, where the treads are a composite blackbutt cladding and Douglas fir LVL. Uniquely edge-detailed blackbutt also overhangs the pool, providing a warm timber edge instead of tiles. Doors and windows are all western red cedar. The Birdcage is low-emission and the construction project was fully carbon offset. The site contains a 40,000 litre water tank (reuses an old swimming pool, which the architects buried and put a lid on]. A photovoltaic solar system is designed to produce more electricity than the home consumes and external screens to level one assist with climate control. There is no air conditioning. The steel, stainless steel and brass materials are all exposed, making cladding unnecessary.

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MAIN PICTURE The first level box glows a golden yellow through the brass mesh at night TOP A solid concrete base is the entry,

with LVL floor joists deliberately exposed

ABOVE LEFT Blackbutt floorboards also

fold down to clad lift core and stairs

ABOVE RIGHT Walls and ceilings are

lined with hoop pine plywood

LEFT An exceptional diversity of

products in a carbon-positive project

PROJECT

The Birdcage, East

Sydney Bureau SRH Plantation hoop pine ply and veneer (walls and ceilings), Douglas fir floor and ceiling joists, blackbutt flooring, lining and deck boards, cedar window and door joinery AWARDS Australian Timber Design Awards 2011, interior fitout residential and timber flooring PHOTOGRAPHY Jessica Maurer ARCHITECT

WOOD PRODUCTS

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COATING TITLE & FINISHING SECTION HERE

NEVER HAD IT SO GOOD

But the ‘Ferrari’ is still in the garage While timber is the building material of choice for most natural-product-oriented specifiers and consumers, it does come with some strictures – not least additional cost and its long-term maintenance – as regular contributor Leonard Lee reports. Cost aside, in simple terms there are three options once the decision has been made to use timber externally: let it weather to ‘old’ grey; stain it and keep sanding and staining it so it retains its original natural beauty (the preferred Australasian option); or simply paint it – as is common in Europe. And the good news according to Timothy Hill of Donovan Hill architects, Brisbane, is that: “In terms of available finishing and coating options, we’ve never had it so good. “The dream of maintaining the beauty of wood with a clear, durable, protective coating has become a reality; it’s pretty hard at the moment to see how it could be better,” he told timber+DESIGN. But he agrees that the cost of coating still influences his decision to specify wood. Karen Ognibene, an architect with Arkhefield, Brisbane, concurs: “The ongoing maintenance

costs and time taken to recoat wood certainly influence our decision to specify wood. “In residential applications, we ensure the client realises the maintenance implications of the beautiful oiled or clear-finished application before we specify timber. In commercial projects, we tend to use timber only in places that are easily accessible, or well protected from the elements.” Peter Woolard of Studio 101 Architects, Melbourne, says his company is generally unfazed by the additional cost of timber and its ongoing maintenance. “We love to incorporate timber into our projects – externally and internally. In most circumstances, we try to select our species wisely, detail carefully and leave the timber in a natural and honest state to weather and age gracefully.” Up at Total Project Group in Cairns, Roger

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Sunscreen, Queensland Gallery of Modern Art: accessibility is critical in maintaining and preserving timber finishes. Photo: Tony Neilson

“

The gap in the market is a miracle product that is easy to apply, cost-effective, durable and easy to recoat … but the Ferrari of timber

”

coatings … does not yet exist. Karen Ognibene

“

Award-winning Beach House @ Pt Lonsdale, Victoria: white cypress is used extensively, finished in many areas with a proprietary weathered cedar stain Photo: Mein Photo (courtesy studio101 architects

In terms of available finishing and coating options, we’ve never

“

”

had it so good. Timothy Hill

We usually specify an opaque finish with a timber colour pigment as a balance between protection and

”

expression ... Peter Woolard

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COATING TITLE & FINISHING SECTION HERE

involved recoat methods. “The process of deterioration and how this represents visually can also influence the finishing product choice. This aesthetic is of particular importance where the weathered or silvered finish to timber is desired. There are products that allow this finish whilst still preserving the timber. Most importantly, a weathered finish still needs to be maintained – just like any other,” says Rosevear. “Accessibility is the most critical aspect in maintaining and preserving timber finishes. A finish that requires sanding and recoating every 24 months would not be easy to maintain behind a patch-fitted glass balustrade, or on a high level timber batten screen.” Studio 101 recommends timber for cladding, decking, balustrades, screening, windows and doors, columns, beams, joists and purlins. “We usually specify an opaque finish with a timber colour pigment as a balance between protection and expression of the timber’s characteristics,” says Woolard. “We will usually coat both sides and all edges of the cladding and specify timber with a sawn finish that allows the coating to grip. Internally, we specify a hard-wearing, non-toxic, clear, matt finish for timber like flooring, ceilings and walls.” Tropics-based Mainwood says good detailing is fundamental in preserving timber finishes: “Without it you’re wasting your time.”

Mainwood says the ‘wood’ decision is usually influenced more by aesthetics than cost. “Yes, wood is certainly the preferred building material, but it’s the detailing and use of finish that are critical. Protected properly, wood can last indefinitely.”

Without good detailing you are wasting your time – (Beach House @ Pt Lonsdale) Photo: Mein Photo (courtesy studio101 architects)

Ognibene notes that the Queensland climate is harsh on clear-finished timber – oil or polyurethane. “Long exposure to harsh sunlight and humidity places great strain on any finish. The gap in the market is a miracle product that is easy to apply, cost-effective, durable and easy to recoat. There are products that may achieve two of those criteria, but the Ferrari of timber coatings suitable for Queensland does not yet exist.”

Best advice Architects approached for this story were asked for advice on the best finishing strategies for various environments and applications. According to Jemima Rosevear, another Arkhefield architect, the best finishing strategies depend on the required durability of the finish and how the client wishes to maintain it. “This is of particular importance in external applications where deterioration can be accelerated by orientation and exposure to the elements. In our experience, oils tend to have an easier recoat method than polyurethanes, but require more frequent application in certain areas. Polyurethanes tend to last longer than oils before reapplication but require more

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M IR O TO NE Leading the way in coating systems since 1938

Manufacturers of specialty wood coatings for interior applications, that protect and enhance the natural beauty of wood. Products include clear and pigmented lacquers, polyurethanes, oils, stains and water based and moisture cured polyurethanes for floors. For further information, please: Phone: 0800 FINISH (0800 34 64 74) E-mail: information@mirotone.co.nz Website: www.mirotone.com

istockphoto.com

GALLERY

PLYWOOD CHEATING CHECKS

NEW I-BEAM PROTECTION Global softwood giant Weyerhaeuser has launched a fire protection system for its TJI-joists. The new ‘Flak Jacket’ protection involves a specialty coating that turns the OSB web and part of the LVL flange a grey colour. It is intended to provide builders with a way to achieve one-hour floor/ceiling assemblies and comply with new northern hemisphere International Residential Code fire protection requirements. The company says builders can still cut and drill the joists as usual and use standard hangers.

Investigations in New Zealand and Australia into misrepresentation allegations about the stress grade of structural plywood from Chile are continuing. And in the UK, traders are urging more ‘shame’ tactics against mislabelled Chinese product.

Wespine plantation house frames. The renewable resource.

The Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia (EWPAA) says independent laboratory tests on imported structural flooring and roofing plywood branded with an F14 stress grade showed many samples were significantly below their stated F14 ratings. This has raised concerns that some imported structural ply could potentially fail New Zealand Building Code structural standards. The New Zealand Commerce Commission (NZCC) and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) are investigating. New Zealand and Australian structural plywood standards (specifically NZS 2269 — Plywood Structural) require structural plywood to meet strict performance and quality standards to ensure panels perform consistently to a set of known attributes such as panel strength, appearance and glue line durability.

He told the Plywood Club of London he would be adopting a tough stance on cheating. He says misdeclaring Chinese poplar core plywood cargo under the Coniferous Plywood Quota and other product misdescriptions was “fraudulent and blatant cheating”.

MF WPN1055

Meanwhile, in the UK, plywood traders who cheat by misdeclaring their Chinese cargo should be named and shamed, according to James Latham, the new chairman of the Timer Trade Federation’s national panel products division.

Tough timber frames. Gentle on the earth.

www.timberdesignmag.com timber+Design AUSTRALASIA FIRST QUARTER 2012

FURNITURE & JOINERY SHOWCASE SECTION TITLE HERE

“

It is delicate, yet powerful, and I decided to work with thin threads and try to create new forms in contrast to a rustic frame.

”

The alvisilkchair in oak and silk thread was inspired by the power and delicacy of the harp

NEW DIMENSIONS The chair of silk and oak

A signature large-scale and sensory artwork by internationally acclaimed US visual artist Ann Hamilton inspired this furniture by young Danish designer Åsa Kärner of Alvidesign. “For her ‘Lignium’ installation at a sculpture park in southern Sweden, Ann strung thin flaxen threads between the beams in a barn. It was striking how, using very simple means, she created new dimensions and special concepts,” says Kärner. In developing the design for her awardwinning alvisilkchair made by McIntosh Möbler, Kärner was also mindful of the harp: “It is delicate, yet powerful, and I decided to work

with thin threads and try to create new forms in contrast to a rustic frame.”

expression that allows the thread work to come through.

For the launch piece (100 cm x 65 cm x 80 cm) shown at the Stockholm Furniture Fair 2011, silk thread is tightened around an oak frame to create something between a lounge chair and a sculpture – with a strong environmental message. “The transparent expression is in focus, creating new forms and bringing forth a perception of weightlessness. And the light produces new shadow plays from the thread works.”

Kärner likes to work with wood “because it is strong, beautiful and renewable. I have worked with wood in almost all my design. Alvidesign was founded in 2007 when I launched my first product, the ‘alvihanger’ – a playful piece made of a block of wood for clothes, bags and towels.

An eco-friendly finishing soap gives the oak a light and slightly grey look – an elegant

“I love working with wood because it has so many possibilities and I would like to learn more about traditional ways of working with the material to see how to take it further and stretch the boundaries of what is possible.” LEFT Kärner was inspired by the sensory artwork of

visual artist Ann Hamilton’s ‘Lignium’

alvisilkchair Åsa Kärner, Alvidesign, Denmark MANUFACTURER McIntosh Möbler MATERIALS FSC-certified oak, silk thread, ecological soap finish PHOTOGRAPHY Kristin Montagu-Evans PRODUCT

DESIGNER

www.timberdesignmag.com timber+Design AUSTRALASIA FIRST QUARTER 2012

FURNITURE & JOINERY SHOWCASE

THE MANOLO LOUNGER Stunning body and great legs John Galvin – inspired by a high heels sketch

They say the talent of every cabinetmaker is ultimately judged on the quality of their chair design. And in the case of Scotland’s John Galvin, he hit the jackpot – but not without considerable anxiety. “ I first began thinking about the design of the Manolo Lounger around five years ago. I had never released a chair design before and did not feel one hundred percent confident I had honed the design until six months before release,” he says. His inspiration for the American walnut chair that won the outstanding craftsmanship award in the 2011 US Wood Awards came from two sources: “My absolute admiration for two of the greatest chair designers who ever lived – Hans J Wegner and Finn Juhl – and a beautiful high heel sketch I had seen by shoe designer Manolo Blahnik. The back legs of the chair are loosely based on that sketch, which led to the chair’s name.” Galvin’s lounger was the most challenging piece he had attempted. There are at least five different jointing techniques in the construction and not one 90-degree angle in the entire chair. The seat is bevelled in two directions, tapers from 12 mm at the front to 28 mm in the centre and the top backside of the chair is hand-carved to follow the splayed back legs. Its front two legs are mirror images of each other, with handcarved, twisted details, which are also slightly splayed. The brass pin detail, which passes through the arm into the back of the seat, gives the chair increased rigidity. The Manolo Lounger (600 x 550 x 750) was launched in the Saatchi Gallery, London as part of the Collect exhibition and later featured in the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Galvin’s American walnut Manolo Lounger challenges the cabinetmaker’s skills –from every angle

“

A high heel sketch by shoe designer Manolo Blahnik inspired the shape of the lounger’s back legs.

”

The Manolo Lounger John Galvin, Glasgow, Scotland WOOD PRODUCT American black walnut PHOTOGRAPHY Richard Crawford, Precious Productions PROJECT

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DESIGN TITLE HERE SECTION

HAPPINESS BY ABOVE Jan Gunneweg

rides the streets of Alkmaar on his classic solid oak ‘bough’ bike

Wooden bikes have been around since the invention of the bicycle itself – and the name for one decidedly ugly and impractical creation (a common failing of the genre), even gave rise to a saying for a fixation or favourite topic. Dutch industrial designer Jan Gunneweg could fairly be associated with the modern definition of the ‘hobby horse’, but certainly not with the original machine – the celerifere or velocifere, invented by Frenchman Comte Mede de Sivrac. The celerifere had a wooden frame and wheels, and no steering apparatus! It was manually propelled by the feet like a balance

www.timberdesignmag.com timber+Design AUSTRALASIA FIRST FIRSTQUARTER QUARTER2012 2012

bike and was dubbed the ‘hobby horse’ when introduced in Britain. But there is nothing hobbyist about Gunneweg’s rapidly growing reputation as an avant garde designer – due in large measure to his beautiful, handmade wooden bikes. He likes to work with natural products and believes the simplicity and functionality of his wood designs bring people and nature together. “Creating more harmony between man and nature makes people happier,” he told timber+DESIGN. His latest model – the human bike, released at the end of 2011 – is made with solid walnut

NATURE and weighs in around 15 kilos. But the really special features are the wooden spokes – creating the impression of a continuous line from the front wheel, through the frame and to the back wheel. “The inspiration for this bike is based on man: two wooden spokes symbolise the legs of man and create a striking effect during use,” says Gunneweg. “The wood used in this completely handmade bike absorbs the vibrations during cycling, which results in the ultimate relaxing cycling experience.” An earlier model – the bough – made of solid FSC-certified oak, and with a familiar ‘bike’ look, targets the wider public market. “Everyone has the opportunity to come closer to nature with this bike. We hope our customers buy their products with a green conscience. It would also be great if more companies encouraged their employees to come to work with a [bough] bike. Holland has the happiest people in the world, and research indicates the reason is our frequent use of the bicycle.”

The new walnut ‘human’ bike with its ‘legs of man’ spokes

“

Holland has the happiest people in the world, and research indicates the reason is our frequent use of the bicycle.

”

Gunneweg’s solid walnut wheelchair is handmade to order

DESIGNER Jan Gunneweg, Alkmaar, the Netherlands WOOD PRODUCTS Walnut and oak PHOTOGRAPHY Courtesy Jan Gunneweg CONTACT www.boughbikes.com).

www.timberdesignmag.com timber+Design AUSTRALASIA FIRST QUARTER 2012

gallery SECTION TITLE HERE

BANANA COULD ‘APPEAL’

FLOOD-PRONE BUILDING SOLUTION

A veneer made from banana plant fibre and promoted strongly on its environmental benefits made its UK debut at the Surfaces Design Show in London in February.

A three-bedroom, pre-built house on stilts costing less than $200,000 and possibly using engineered wood products has become a showcase solution for floodprone regions of Australia.

Thankfully, the fruit is not at risk

‘Beleaf’ is manufactured in Africa, but developed and marketed by Beleaf in Monaco. “It’s a very interesting product with very strong eco credentials that we believe will really appeal to the architect, designer and specifier market,” says one UK agent. “It has a textured, fabric look and we’re having a number of products made up in it especially for the show to highlight its versatility, including doors, panels. It has also been used for flooring on EO HDF and to veneer a guitar!” Beleaf is made from banana plant trunks, which are usually just left where they fall in the plantation. The veneer manufacturing process is a “closely guarded secret”, but apparently uses only the natural resins in the fibre. (Source: TTJ)

WOODMART: SOMETHING DIFFERENT Importers and wood product specifiers looking for something different should check out the Malaysian Timber Council’s second Global WoodMart (MGW) exhibition in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 4-6 October this year. The 2012 show will be double the inaugural event, promoting lumber, plywood and panel products, wooden flooring, wooden decking, doors and windows, mouldings and furniture components. The MGW was conceived as a one-stop selling, buying and networking platform for local and international timber suppliers and buyers. Significantly increased participation from Southeast Asian exhibitors is confirmed – along with a major push into the southern hemisphere by French Timber and the American Hardwood Export Council. Info: www.globalwoodmart.my or fairsconnection@gmail.com

Big push by northern hemisphere suppliers

The model home has been promoted to state governments and consumers as an “affordable and appropriate” form of construction above flood levels. It comes in the wake of the January 2011 Queensland floods and cyclone, which left the state with a $6.8 billion damage bill. (A subsequent report by the Australian Department of Climate Change says up to $63 billion worth of existing residential buildings are at risk of flooding this century.) Designed by Brisbane architect Dion Seminara, the house was the winning entry in the LJ Hooker Flood Home Design Competition, co-sponsored by LJ Hooker, industry think tank the Future Housing Task Force and Australian Institute of Architects subsidiary Archicentre. The design also features flood clearance 4.5 m above the first floor, allowing floodwater to flow through the building without placing pressure on the structure. The ground floor uses materials and finishes that can be hosed down without damage and is suitable for urban and bush environments. The dwelling can be built offsite and transported in two parts. “One of the main aims was to provide for easy clean-up after a flood, with a flexible multipurpose use of the ground level for vehicles or storage,” says Seminara. “The concept home is built on posts, making it suitable for any sloping site, and has the flexibility to be expanded through interlocking pavilion extensions.” The house will be built at flooddevastated Grantham in the Lockyer Valley about 100 km from Brisbane.

Organisers of the New Zealand timber design awards have responded to a survey of users and non-users with an announced “freshening up” for the 2012 competition.

Categories have also changed to sweep in a wider spectrum of projects and innovative uses of timber. For more about the awards, please email jason@nzwood.co.nz

56 56

www.timberdesignmag.com timber+Design AUSTRALASIA FIRST QUARTER 2012

BLOOD BOILED … BRIEFLY The ‘editorial’ in your last issue (4TH Quarter, 2011) made my blood boil! I was convinced I was being confronted with a load of rightwing balderdash, which seemed totally at odds with the values and qualities that your otherwise excellent journal seems to support. When you said, “What’s needed here is some good old, irresponsible muck raking...” I thought, well, at least you’re honest about being thoroughly crass and anti-democratic. Please grow up! I thought, and spare your readers such embarrassing attempts at playing the kind of puerile, divisive politics that Alan Jones uses to drag down our great country! But eventually the penny dropped. Then I was embarrassed to think that I could have taken such balderdash seriously – except that I know there are some sad souls out there who really believe that kind of stuff. So, with a sigh of relief, instead of castigating you, I would like to congratulate you on continuing to deliver such a well-produced and worthwhile magazine.

FRESH LOOK FOR NZ AWARDS

To encourage wider participation, particularly from smaller practices, the entry process will be in two stages: a short project summary and 3-6 images, with only shortlisted entrants submitting full information and boards for final judging.

LETTER

Paul F Downton Registered Architect & Urban Ecologist www.ecopolis.com.au Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia general manager Simon Dorries (left) with flood home design winner Dion Seminara and architect Claus Ejlertsen

(Editor: Phew – that was close. Thankfully, the satire shone through, albeit dimly.)

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