Timber Design & Technology Middle East - December 2019

Cork House is an innovative and thought-provoking response to pressing questions about the materials that we build with London’s top cultural leaders collaborate with influential designers to create a ‘legacy’ piece in American red oak Uenoa covers Japanese building with three-dimensional cross-laminated timber roof Kengo Kuma designed Odunpazari Modern Museum opens in Turkey Shigeru Ban completes one of the world’s largest timber structures for Swatch Headquarters Hello Wood creates ‘smart furniture’ for schools and universities

EDITOR’S NOTE Steampunk Pavillion © Peter Bennetts

December 2019 Issue 45 PUBLISHER Andy MacGregor publisher@citrusmediagroup.net +971 55 849 1574

MARKETING DIRECTOR Eric Hammond marketing@citrusmediagroup.net +971 4 455 8400 INTERNATIONAL SALES DIRECTOR James Hamilton james@timberdesignandtechnology.com EDITOR Tony Smith editor@timberdesignandtechnology.com

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Welcome to the final issue of this year. We kick things off by looking at the award-winning Cork House, an innovative and thought-provoking response to pressing questions about the materials that we build with.

Designed by Matthew Barnett Howland with Dido Milne (CSK Architects) and Oliver Wilton (UCL), the project seeks to answer questions pertaining to the origins of these materials, how are they fixed together to create a building, and where do these materials go when buildings die? The primary use of cork is complemented by the consistent use of timber for almost everything else. More importantly, the project embodies a strong whole life approach to sustainability, from resource through to end-of-life and it is this ‘whole-life approach’ to sustainability that sets it apart.

Timber was once again in the spotlight at this year’s London Design Festival. ‘A Second Life’ exhibition saw architects transform hundreds of wooden dowels used for the scenography of Matter of Stuff’s 2018 LDF exhibition into an array of experimental new works. By injecting new life into waste material to create varied and extraordinary sculptures for an iconic London venue, the designers wanted to make a statement that goes beyond the importance of sustainable design practices. Also at LDF, Legacy, a collaboration between the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) and some of London’s top cultural institutions conveyed the message of sustainability. By asking them to design a ‘legacy’ piece in American red oak, AHEC wanted to point out that in the face of global environmental challenges, any new objects we create should be designed with the intention to last and to be passed on through generations.

We also take an in-depth look at the Odunpazari Modern Museum (OMM) by Kengo Kuma and Associates, which opened in September of this year. With its stacked timber design, inspired by the surrounding streetscape of Odunpazari and its history as a timber trading market, the museum stands as a new landmark that reconnects the town with its heritage, and as a progressive cultural development for Eskişehir. For the opening, renowned Japanese bamboo artist Tanabe Chikunnsai IV created an intricate installation crafted entirely from Tiger Bamboo’ that is unique to one mountain in Kochi, Japan, that complements the striking timber building. In addition, the OMM INN, a new boutique hotel puts a contemporary twist on the Ottoman residential architecture that is synonymous with the town of Odunpazari and echoes the stacked timber structure of the museum.

With the holiday season approaching, I would like to wish all of you Happy Holidays and the best for 2020. As always, I would like to encourage you to log on to the website - www.timberdesignandtechnology.com - for the latest updates and please get in touch if you have any suggestions for subjects we should consider covering. In closing, I would like to thank our advertisers, our partners and our readers and look forward to the next year.

CONTENTS

12 SUSTAINABILITY

60 TECHNOLOGY

Cork House is an innovative and thought-provoking response to pressing questions about the materials that we build with

J-Shape Technology offers the best in softforming for every kind of profile

20 ANALYSIS

62 TECHNOLOGY

Renowned Japanese bamboo artist Tanabe Chikunnsai IV creates intricate installation crafted from woven bamboo for Odunpazari Modern Museum

CATAS opens state-of-theart furniture and wood laboratory

24 COMMENT

68 TECHNOLOGY

Uenoa covers Japanese building with threedimensional crosslaminated timber roof

Biesse’s B_CABINET FOUR offers a complete business solution aimed at ensuring ideas take form and shape

54 TALL TIMBER

70 WOOD WORKS

Shigeru Ban completes one of the world’s largest timber structures for Swatch Headquarters

Hello Wood creates ‘smart furniture’ for schools and universities

DESIGN & DECOR

36 OMM

40 OMM INN

52 Steampunk Pavilion

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Eight edition of Montreal Wood Convention taking place in March 2020 The eighth edition of the Montreal Wood Convention will be held at the Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth of Montreal from March 24 - 26, 2020.

Since its inception, the convention continues to excel reaching new heights each year. This is the largest commercial event of its kind in Canada. As such, over 1,000 wood industry professionals participated in the last edition. The 2020 edition is just as promising and will fully meet the expectations of participants.

Image ©Montreal Wood Convention

Approximately 113 Canadian exhibitors, producers of softwood and hardwood, structural components and systems dedicated to construction, technological equipment or specialized equipment will be brought together under one roof. Factory tours will also be specially organized to allow international visitors to better understand the operations of Canadian companies. The latter will open their doors to explain their practices, to promote the use of innovative and adapted technologies and to highlight their know-how.

Networking activities will also be scheduled to promote business-tobusiness exchanges. In addition to the presence of Canada and the United States, the Montreal Wood Convention attracts each year, no less than 12 countries from Europe, Asia and Africa, making it an event that is not to be missed.

Image © SCM

Image © SCM

SCM leads the way towards a new era in flexible edgebanding systems

The ‘On the Leading EDGEBanding’ event organized by SCM at its production site in Thiene (Vicenza) from November 7 - 9 closed on a high note with a significant turnout from all over the world (Europe, China, the Far East and South America) and key largescale furniture producers of international renown who came to see for themselves the new SCM ‘batch 1’ and Industry 4.0 flexible industrial edgebanding systems, which were the main attractions for the duration of the event.

the machine.

Flexibility, integration and automation: these are the cornerstones of the new ‘Stefani Cell’ range, designed and developed to fully interpret and meet the demands for efficiency, high production and customization from today's market. The edgebander or squaring edgebander machine is integrated into cells and plants fitted with rollers, panel return devices, automatic loading and unloading systems, assisted by robots and fitted with IoT sensors to guarantee immediate digital services in support of an optimal functioning of

"Today's edgebanding is a process which can make a genuine difference to the aesthetic value of an end product,” said Fabio Cernoia, Business Manager for SCM Edgebanding. “This is why we focus on always giving greater added value to our clients in the furniture industry with applications which not only guarantee high productivity and flexibility for a simple, rapid machining of increasingly smaller batches, but can also ensure that a quality finishing and a great look is achieved on all kinds of panels."

Industry visitors also showed considerable interest in the high innovative level of these new solutions. They appreciated the wider objective of this event: to offer a general overview of key furniture and design trends for which the industrial edgebanding process is increasingly more decisive, with demonstrations and detailed explanations.

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The Preservation Bench defies gravity at Downtown Design Dubai 2019

Known for its modern take on spindle furniture, the two designers reworked their signature style to celebrate the sapling growing from the forest floor, seeking the light and growing up towards the canopy. Three grounded benches in American white oak curve into one gravity-defying twisted form that seemingly disappears into the air. The bench is a visual representation of the furniture ‘coming out of the air’ and meant to suggest the form and function of a park tree with a bench offering some shade. The Preservation Bench is an expression of the fact that the material being used comes out of the air - it is carbon which has been absorbed out of the air by the living forest and converted into timber.

“Not only is the Preservation Bench a masterpiece in timber design and craftsmanship, it also has a minimal environmental footprint, which speaks to the inspiration behind it. We have calculated that all the white oak used to make the second bench would be replaced through natural regeneration in the U.S. hardwood forest in less than 1 second.

Additionally, while in use, it is estimated that the Preservation Bench will keep 733 kg of CO2 equivalent out of the atmosphere,” concluded Roderick Wiles, AHEC Regional Director.

Image ©AHEC

Image ©AHEC

For Downtown Design, Houtlander collaborated with AHEC to create a second version of their sensational, gravity-defying play on their contemporary folk style. The original piece in thermally-modified American red oak was awarded the 100% Design South Africa award for Best Furniture Design and is now part of the permanent collection of the Javett Art Center at the University of Pretoria. In order to bring their work to the UAE, Stephen Wilson and Phillip Hollander created a second version of the Preservation Bench in American white oak. The decision to change the material was taken, since the new piece is not intended to

remain outdoors.

Image ©AHEC

‘The Preservation Bench’, a collaborative installation in American white oak between Houtlander and the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC), the leading international trade association for the American hardwood industry, stole the show at Downtown Design Dubai, which ran from November 12 - 15, 2019. The piece, first presented at 100% Design South Africa earlier this year, has been recreated in American white oak for the fair. Houtlander also showcased part of their new range of outdoor tables and chairs in thermally-modified American red oak at Downtown Editions, Downtown Design’s dedicated showcase of bespoke and limited-edition design by established and emerging designers, collectives and individual studios from around the world.

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Image © interzum guangzhou Image © interzum guangzhou

Image © interzum guangzhou

interzum guangzhou 2020 to serve up a multitude of ‘Belt & Road’ opportunities for upstream furniture production industry

China’s Belt and Road Initiative could not have come at a better time for Asia’s largest and most comprehensive woodworking machinery, furniture production and interiors trade fair. The industry is booming, and manufacturers are hungry for a coveted booth space at the event every year. To be held in its namesake city from March 28 - 31, 2020, CIFM / interzum guangzhou is regarded by the industry as a key gateway for foreign furniture suppliers to enter the fast-growing China market and an ideal place to size up the competition. With Guangzhou being an important city for the Maritime Silk Road in the hinterland of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area as well as the center of South China’s furniture manufacturing powerhouse, a growing number of buyers from the region and beyond are expected to descend at the event in 2020.

Riding on the opportunities brought about by China’s Belt and Road Initiative, economies along the trade route are stepping up in expanding markets and at the same time importing high-quality resources, products and technologies. The world's leading producers of furniture raw and auxiliary materials are jumping onto the bandwagon by providing high-quality textiles, wood, woodworking machinery and furniture hardware for the global furniture manufacturing market. The Initiative has also given impetus to alleviate logistical issues - one of the bottlenecks restricting the development of the industry - with rapid progress driven by China to

establish better infrastructure and connectivity.

Spanning 5,000 square meters, the expanded Custom Furniture Suppliers zone in Hall 14.1 is dedicated to showcasing a host of products such as accessories for upholstered furniture, textiles, hardware components and panels. The move has come against the backdrop of stable growth rates of China's custom furniture market at above 20 percent over the past seven years. 2018 saw an increase of 20.2 percent over the previous year to about USD 41.4 billion. It is predicted that by 2020, the market size is expected to exceed USD 48.5 billion. At present, market penetration of custom furniture stands at a low 30 percent, compared with 60-70 percent in developed countries, like the U.S. and South Korea. As the concept matures among Chinese consumers, demand is expected to extend from the current custom cabinets and wardrobes to the entire house, paving the way for tremendous growth.

Yet another much-anticipated enhancement made to the 2020 edition is a newly segmented Hall 12.1 to center on machinery for upholstered furniture production. Some big names to be featured include Duerkopp, Adler, Mammut (Germany), Robatech (Switzerland) and Baomo. Data reveals that in 2018, China's sales of upholstered furniture reached USD 90 billion, with the country becoming the world's largest consumer of the product category. The boom has driven the upstream supply chain of raw and auxiliary materials such as leather, sponge, wood and pneumatic components to prosper.

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DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR launches the first Southeast Asian Business Hub

Keeping up with the trend, the 22nd edition of DOMOTEX asia/ CHINAFLOOR has announced the launch of the first Southeast Asian Business Hub - an exclusive area showcasing resilient and wood flooring exhibitors with production facilities in the Southeast Asian region.

The hub is located in N2 Hall of the Shanghai New International Expo Center and is ideally situated in the center of the hall, thus becoming a gateway for the first Southeast Asian representation. With more than 800 square meters of booth space and a distinguished area, the hub will undoubtedly attract the attention of industry professionals.

Royal Crystal - one of the leading Vietnamese flooring brands booked the space a few days after the announcement of the new area.

Domestic companies are also lining up for a booth in the Southeast Asian Business Hub. One of the first comers is Tianzhen Flooring.

Established in 2003 in Anji city, the company has a long history of export to the USA, Europe, Canada, Korea, Japan and Australia. Last year they decided to move a part of their production lines to Vietnam and since last month the factory is operational and producing LVT, WPC and SPC flooring.

“Tariffs have resulted in manufacturing being developed in countries in Southeast Asia, mostly though Asian manufacturers expanding into different countries,” said Thomas Baert, President of Firmfit and CFL Flooring. “Uncertainty will not disappear anytime soon, even if certain 301 tariffs have recently been rescinded. Our target is to be able to continue to provide flexible solutions that are above

geopolitical risks.”

For the 22nd edition of the show, each flooring sector will have a theme.

The highlighted product category in wood is solid wood for ground heating systems. The category is taking over the entire hall showing new technologies, new designs and new products in floor heating.

According to the China National Forest Products Industry Association, around 80 percent of China's wood flooring brands have developed the product. At the same time the market share is increasing by more than 30 percent annually. It is expected that by 2025, the market size of solid wood for ground heating systems will reach approximately USD 1.4 billion. International and local market leaders, such as Junckers, Foglie d’Oro, Edelholz, IBF, Teclic, Nature, Fudeli, Bloor, Jinyi, Licher, Nuogao and Moganshan have already confirmed their participation at the show.

The resilient flooring section will be spread out across 69,500 square meters and also features Stone Plastic Composite (SPC) flooring.

Among the resilient halls, there will be an ‘Inspiration Hall’, housing the InnovAction campaign and design forum, where famous interior designers will educate the audience on using resilient flooring in interior. The InnovAction will be upgraded by showcasing the new products within matching interior spaces. This new way of presenting InnovAction products is ideal for both manufacturers to share ideas and for visitors to keep up to date with market trends.

The carpet section will promote carpets as a driving force for interior design, with a dedicated hall being the epicenter of home and design carpets and the host hall for the Luxury Brands Carpet Show - a showcase of the most sought-after international high-end carpet design brands. After the successful first edition in 2019, the Chinese Original Carpet Design Show comes back to promote the works of young Chinese carpet designers. Country pavilions from Germany, Belgium, Iran and Turkey will also showcase their products among the carpet halls. Traditionally DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR has been focused on B2B, however due to the market changes, end users are more and more welcome to the show. In order to give oriental carpets and rugs the spotlight and follow the trends, Indian and Afghanistan pavilions will be creating a new area - ‘Treasure of Orient’.

Image © DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR

China has long been the country that comes to mind when importers hear the term ‘manufacturing hub’ and China does still hold some major competitive advantages over its smaller manufacturing counterparts.

However with the last few years of U.S. tariffs against China there has been a slowdown in the commercial relations between the two countries. Several Chinese producers have found a solution in moving part of their production lines to Southeast Asian countries. This move not only helps them control quality and keep prices as low as before, but it also enables business dealings with their U.S. counterparts. The most common countries chosen in the region are Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia and Vietnam.

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With sales of about RM 140 million, the Malaysian Timber Council (MTC) has added another feather to its illustrious cap with the debut of its Malaysian Wood Expo 2019, an international wood and woodworking machinery event. It was an all-round success for the MTC as it chalked up sales of about RM 140 million when it had only targeted RM 25 million at its inaugural exhibition.

Held at the Putra World Trade Centre from November 19 - 21, MWE was the first international wood and woodworking machinery event organized by MTC in partnership with Panels & Furniture Group. The three-day expo attracted 135 renowned exhibitors from 22 countries and over 3,000 visitors. The expo served as a pivotal convergence point for every segment of players from the timber industry.

Spanning across 8,000 square meters, exhibitors showcased a wide range of products such as tropical hardwoods, temperate softwoods, wooden flooring, sawntimber, wooden pallets, door and door frames, cutting tools, abrasives, adhesives, coatings, combined machines, dust collecting equipment, edgebanding materials and machines, handling equipment as well as timber, woodworking and furniture production software.

Most of the exhibitors were from Germany, Italy, Australia, France, Belgium, Gabon, China, Chile, New Zealand, Taiwan and Singapore while the trade visitors were from France, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Singapore and Maldives.

“We are extremely happy with the outcome of the Malaysian Wood Expo. It was a commercial success with brisk sales, literally. The expo was well-attended by a broad spectrum of visitors and buyers from day one.

And to our great surprise, our sales far exceeded the initial target of RM 25 million,” said Dato’ Low Kian Chuan, MTC Chairman.

To boost business at MWE, MTC organized two business matching sessions - the Overseas Suppliers-Malaysian Importers/Manufacturers Exchange Programme and the Incoming Buying Mission (IBM). MTC also offered special incentives for the purchase of machinery under its

Image © MTC

Image © MTC

Image © MTC

MTC hits high note with expo success

Financial Incentive for Purchase of Machinery Programme (FIPM) as well as importation of raw materials under its Import Assistance Programme (IAP).

The Overseas Suppliers-Malaysian Importers/Manufacturers Exchange Programme facilitated the augmentation of raw materials from nine countries - New Zealand, Chile, Gabon, France, Romania, Sweden, Ukraine, Canada and the United States. A total of 55 companies placed their orders worth of RM 6.10 million of raw materials under this programme. As for the IBM, which was conducted in collaboration with the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) and MTC’s regional offices, it generated estimated sales of RM 118.93 million.

MWE was officiated by the Minister of Primary Industries YB Pn Teresa Kok on November 19, 2019. Also present at the opening ceremony was the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Primary Industries Dato’ Dr Tan Yew Chong, MTC Chairman Dato’ Low Kian Chuan, MTC Board of Trustees and MTC CEO Mr Richard Yu. Among the dignitaries who also visited the expo was Deputy Minister of Primary Industries YB Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Hj Mohd Akin.

“I applaud MTC for organizing this expo as it is a holistic exhibition which showcases not only products made from tropical hardwoods but also what we can do with temperate hardwoods and softwoods. We can use these foreign timber species to produce furniture and other timberbased products which will increase the value of our exports. This will also reduce our reliance on local raw materials,” said Kok, adding that the exhibits at the woodworking machinery and tools sections were impressive.

MTC also organized a series of pocket talks where industry experts shared their insights to a full house on market trends, e-trade, timber products and timber grading rules, among others. The Council also launched its e-guidebook titled Schedule of Maintenance for Timber in Construction. The e-book is a manual on how to care and preserve timber-based materials used for construction purposes for both indoor and outdoor use.

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Cork House is an innovative and thoughtprovoking response to pressing questions about the materials that we build with

Image Š Magnus Dennis

Primary use of cork and timber ensured the project was assessed to be carbon negative upon completion

Image Š Magnus Dennis

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On a small island in the Thames, five silver-grey pyramids emerge from the surrounding trees and undergrowth, forming a linear structural rhythm that resonates with the Gothic silhouette of Eton College Chapel in the distance. At close quarters, standing in the outdoor anteroom underneath the first pyramid, the building starts to be understood as a unique construction - the walls are simply large interlocking blocks of solid cork, in which structure, insulation, external surface and internal finish are all one and the same thing.

Designed by Matthew Barnett Howland with Dido Milne (CSK Architects) and Oliver Wilton (UCL), the award-winning Cork House is an innovative and thought-provoking response to pressing questions about the materials that we build with what are the origins of these materials, how are they fixed together to create a building, and where do these materials go when buildings die? Designed with immense attention to

detail, the project is a structure of great ingenuity and beautifully reflects and respects the natural surroundings in form and construction.

The project is the latest development in an ongoing research project by Howland in collaboration with the Bartlett School of Architecture, the University of Bath, Amorim UK and Ty-Mawr. The team had been working on a sustainable construction system that depends almost entirely on cork - a renewable, resistant and insulating material that is sustainably harvested from the bark of the cork oak tree - since 2014. According to the designers, their work started with some questions about how we build today and wondering if it would be possible to develop an alternative with less complexity.

In particular, they were interested in an approach that took into account environmental sustainability principles at each stage of a building's lifecycle.

Rather than the typical complex,

layered building envelope incorporating an array of building materials, products and specialist sub-systems, the Cork House is an attempt to make solid walls and roof from a single bio-renewable material. The system relies on expanded cork blocks, which are made from cork granules heated to form a solid building material. These blocks are then cut with interlocking joints to form a ‘lego-like’ modular kit of parts that can be used to self-build solid walls. Supported by engineered timber, this system negates the need for mortar or glue, and simultaneously provides structure, insulation, external surface and internal finish making it an easily recyclable and reusable structure.

It is looking upwards into the corbelled cork roof above that the total integration of material, form and construction is most legible. The resultant architectural language of pure compression is new and

yet familiar - a progressive reimagining of the simple construction principles of ancient stone structures, such as Celtic beehive houses or even Mayan temples. The monolithic use of cork in place of stone adds warmth to the formal simplicity and geometric clarity.

Designed, tested and developed in partnership with The Bartlett School of Architecture UCL, the team have delivered a project that is truly the first of its kind.

Internally, the exposed solid cork blocks create an evocative sensory environment - walls are gentle to the touch and even smell good, the acoustic is soft and calm, and shadows are praised as much as the quality of light. The primary use of cork is complemented by the consistent use of timber for almost everything else: blackstained Accoya for structural beams, lintels, windows and doors; bespoke furniture in crosslaminated spruce; handmade stools from English pippy oak; and floorboards in cross-sawn

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Design research and innovation With a focus on what is solid, simple and sustainable, the project is an inventive response to the complexities and conventions of modern house construction.

Rather than the typical complex, layered building envelope

The house uses an evolved version of a self-build construction system developed by MPH Architects, The Bartlett School of Architecture UCL, University of Bath, Amorim UK and Ty-Mawr, with subcontractors including Arup and BRE. The research was part-funded by Innovate UK and EPSRC under the 2015 Building Whole Life Performance funding competition. The R&D process included in-depth laboratory tests for structural performance, rain penetration and fire, with two prototype structures used to establish the real-life performance

of the construction system.

Whole life sustainability The Cork House embodies a strong whole life approach to sustainability, from resource through to end-of-life and it is this ‘whole-life approach’ to sustainability that sets it apart. Expanded cork is a pure bio-material made with waste from cork forestry. The bark of the cork oak is harvested by hand every nine years without harming the tree or disturbing the forest. This gentle agro-industry sustains the Mediterranean cork oak landscapes, providing a rich biodiverse habitat that is widely recognized.

As sustainability becomes integral to all construction, this project pushes us further to look beyond the requirements and aspire to really integrate ourselves with nature. The compelling ecological origin of expanded cork is mirrored at the opposite end of the building’s lifecycle. The construction system is dry-jointed

and designed for disassembly, so that all 1,268 blocks of cork can be reclaimed at end-of-building-life for re-use, recycling, or returning to the biosphere. Designed for disassembly, with no mortar or glue in the joints between blocks, all cork blocks can be reclaimed at the building’s end-of-life and even the steel screw foundations are removeable.

Alongside this simple and sustainable lifecycle narrative, the Cork House exhibits outstanding performance in relation to carbon emissions. A Whole Life Carbon Asssessment by Sturgis Carbon Profiling (to BS EN 15978) indicated that Cork House has exceptionally low whole life carbon at 618KgCO2e/m2, the lowest for any building assessed by the consultant. The WLCA by SCP also indicated that Cork House is carbon-negative at completion at -18KgCO2e/m2, with exceptionally low whole life embodied carbon at 286KgCO2e/m2 (i.e. below the RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge Target).

Image © David Grandorge

Against the atmospheric setting created by the combination of expanded cork and timber, solid brass fittings and work surfaces create moments of richness, and copper sprinkler pipes gleam in the shade of the roof corbels.

Internally, biophilic elements such as the exposed cork and oak flooring captures the light and creates a wonderfully tranquil sensory experience. In summer the skylights open to bring a sense of lightness to the space and in winter the snug interiors emanate a sense of warmth and protection.

incorporating an array of building materials, products and specialist sub-systems, the Cork House is an attempt to make solid walls and roof from a single biorenewable material. Conceived as a kit-of-parts, blocks of expanded cork and engineered timber components are prefabricated off-site and assembled by hand on-site without mortar or glue - like a giant organic LEGO® system.

Image © David Grandorge

solid oak that are fixed with brass screws to allow for ease of disassembly.

Image © Peter Krejci

Image © Peter Krejci

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Image © Peter Krejci

Image © Peter Krejci

London’s top cultural leaders collaborate with influential designers to create a ‘legacy’ piece in American red oak ‘Legacy’ conveys AHEC’s message of sustainability at London Design Festival Legacy, a collaboration between the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) and some of London’s top cultural institutions conveyed the message of sustainability in multiple ways at the recently concluded London Design Festival (LDF), which ran from September 14 - 22, 2019.

According to AHEC, in the face of global environmental challenges, any new objects we create should be designed with the intention to last and to be passed on through generations - whether to family or to an institution. The project was spearheaded by David Venables, AHEC’s European Director, and Benchmark Furniture whose Berkshire workshop made all of the pieces over the summer.

In May of this year, Sir John Sorrell CBE, Chairman of London Design Festival, invited leaders of London’s cultural institutions to collaborate with some of Europe’s most exciting designers to create a ‘legacy’ piece of design - an object of personal or professional relevance that they would like to pass on to a family member or the institution they lead. The pieces ten in total - were all crafted using American red oak. Nine of these beautiful and thought-provoking collaborations were on show in the Sculpture Gallery of the Victoria & Albert Museum, with one piece on display outside the Natural History Museum on Exhibition Road, for the duration of LDF. “The pieces celebrate an abundant

species of hardwood, American red oak, which is an expanding resource in North America, and regenerates naturally in vast amounts. In fact, red oak makes up nearly one fifth of all hardwood volume in the American forest and even when harvesting is taken into account, the volume is increasing every year by over 21 million cubic meters - equivalent to five Wembley stadiums,” said Roderick Wiles, AHEC Regional Director. “Wood is renewable and easily recycled. It is low impact and a carbon store - each cubic meter of red oak keeps more than one tonne of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere for as long as the product is in use. Legacy aims to showcase what this timber is capable of and just how versatile and beautiful it can be.”

Designer Max Lamb was commissioned by Dr Maria Balshaw CBE, Director of Tate, to create a multi-functional dressing screen. Balshaw is regularly running between meetings and events, getting changed in the office, but without anywhere to store her clothes and make-up.

Unable to articulate what she needed, Balshaw asked Lamb to create ‘a hanging-mirror-screenstorage-help-me-get-change-unit’ and the idea of Valet was born.

Lamb wanted the piece to be freestanding with a natural and soft form and to incorporate color. He exploited the porosity of the red oak by pushing a teal blue dye into its surface. The components of

the dressing screen slot together, like a piece of flat-pack furniture, without the need for hinges or extra pieces.

Alex Beard CBE, Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House collaborated with designer Terence Woodgate to create two sofas, named Duo, which would feature in the room where Beard holds most of his meetings at the ROH. A CNC router was used to create the components of the sofa. The red oak was given a curved chamfer detail with hidden metal rods to ensure the sofa is robust despite its lightweight appearance.

Sir Ian Blatchford, Director and Chief Executive of the Science Museum Group, commissioned Marlène Huissoud to create a beehive to feature in a new permanent gallery on the future of agriculture in the Science Museum. Beehave was handcrafted to create the desired shape and the red oak was then blackened using a scorching technique. Huissoud and her team spent over 100 hours in Paris adding the tactile engraving details to the surface of the beehive using a pyrograph.

Iwona Blazwick OBE, Director of the Whitechapel Gallery, commissioned Yael Mer and Shay Alkalay of Raw Edges to create a bookstand. Books are of great importance to Blazwick, as well as to the Whitechapel gallery. The

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The postboxes have fluting detail on the exterior, created with a spindle moulder on individual pieces of red oak which were then glued together. The mouth was created from a CNC-cut block of red oak.

Designer Tomoko Azumi of TNA Design Studio was paired with commissioner Kwame KweiArmah OBE, Artistic Director of the Young Vic. Kwei-Armah wanted to create something for his garden that he could pass on to his grandson. Kwei-Armah also told Azumi that wood made him think of outdoor furniture in the Caribbean, of the slave ships that brought his ancestors from Africa to the Caribbean and the colonial ship that brought his parents to the UK. In response, Azumi created Au by using thin slats of American red oak, steambent into shape, to create a boat structure.

Designer Sebastian Cox was commissioned by Amanda Nevil CBE, CEO of the British Film Institute to create a pen holder, a desk and a chair. Nevil wanted a piece that represents her love of writing and storytelling, something that is important to her personally as well as to her work at the British Film Institute.

The angled curve of Writer’s Collection matches up with the perspective lines on the BFI mezzanine where this piece will reside. The chair is on the same line of projection. The discreet leather panels on the desktop can be removed to reveal a special compartment for the pen case and a paper scroll for the desk user to sign.

Hans Ulrich Obrist, Artistic Director of the Serpentine Galleries, was

paired with Jack Mama and Nina Tolstrup of Studiomama to create a large and a small iteration of a postbox for the Serpentine Gallery. Obrist believes in the important role postcards play in contemporary art and the revival of penmanship in the digital age.

Obrist often asks artists, poets and architects he meets to write or sketch something on a postcard.

He then posts it on his Instagram account, working to start a movement to save handwriting.

Image © Peter Krejci

Dr Tristram Hunt, Director of the Victoria and Albert Museum, was paired with the Jasper Morrison Studio. Hunt commissioned a set of two chairs and a table, the collection is called Fugu, for the Directorate Office at the Victoria and Albert Museum. The curves and shape of the chair are a result of addressing the need for a comfortable chair made from a hard material. The details of the pieces were shaped using a woodturner, CNC cut to create a curve and then finished by hand.

The large, untouched surface areas of the table-top and chairs showcase the strong grain of the red oak.

Image © Peter Krejci

bookshelf, named Wooden Hinge, will be used to award the gallery’s annual Richard Schlagman Art Book Awards and house new library catalogues. Blazwick also hopes the bookstand will invite young students and children who visit the gallery to explore the books on offer. The bookstand folds and has been machined with red oak hinges, rather than metal hinges.

Tamara Rojo CBE, Artistic Director of the English National Ballet, was paired with Martino Gamper.

Rojo wanted a piece that reflected her life-long love of music and, practically, would work as a space to house her extensive vinyl collection. Gamper used a combination of fumed red oak to create the horizontal shelves and a lighter veneer on the upright components to create an angled grain direction, a subtle detail which reflects the oblique design of the piece.

Sir John Sorrell CBE, Chairman of London Design Festival, commissioned Juliet Quintero of Dallas-Pierce-Quintero, to create a lookout seat for the garden of his country home. The seat is shaped like a bird’s nest and will be placed next to one of the ponds facing the sunset, creating a space for contemplation and reflection. The planks of red oak were thermally modified to make the piece more durable for outdoor use and the piece was structurally engineered

by Arup.

“Legacy has generated powerful messaging around the sustainability of the U.S. hardwood resource, and the aesthetic and manufacturing potential of red oak in particular. But there’s more to it than that. Legacy is a part, albeit a key one, of a wider, longer term programme. The aim is to demonstrate red oak’s technical performance through hard datagenerating testing and, backed by this, to flag up its creative and commercial possibilities.

Combined with studies and tools commissioned and developed

by AHEC, demonstrating the legality and wider environmental credentials of U.S. hardwoods, it creates a fund of specification information for red oak arguably unmatched in any hardwood species,” concluded Wiles.

Image © Peter Krejci

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Renowned Japanese bamboo artist Tanabe Chikunnsai IV creates intricate installation crafted from woven bamboo for Odunpazari Modern Museum Complementing the striking timber building by Kengo Kuma and Associates, the installation and building together reference the town’s history as a wood market

Image © Kemal Seçkin

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Image © Kemal Seçkin

Image © Kemal Seçkin

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Acclaimed Japanese bamboo ‘master’ artist Tanabe Chikuunsai IV created a new site-specific installation for Odunpazari Modern Museum (OMM), which opened on September 8, 2019 in Eskişehir, Turkey. The installation measuring 6x8 meters in size was crafted entirely from ‘Tiger Bamboo’ that is unique to one mountain in Kochi, Japan.

Tanabe’s creative process mirrors natural cycles of decay and regrowth; once an exhibition is finished, the materials are broken down and repurposed in

different forms elsewhere.

The new site-specific commission was installed for the opening of the Odunpazari Modern Museum and it includes recycled bamboos that are over seven years old. The installation was deeply inspired by the town of Odunpazari, the town where the museum is based;

by Tanabe’s response to the natural environment and to the respectful attitude of its inhabitants to their cultural history. Since his first visit to Turkey for this project, the artist

met and observed many local people as part of the creative process, in order to create an installation that captures a sense of place.

The installation takes the four elements (earth, water, air, fire) and entwines them with the human spirit of Odunpazari, filling the empty space with five interwoven strands that ascend towards the ceiling in a continuous interlocking dialogue. To this extent, Tanabe’s design reflects OMM’s progressive mission to

include the citizens of Odunpazari and, more broadly speaking, of Eskişehir, in a global exchange of culture and ideas.

Tanabe said of his installation: “I perceive the location of this installation as an ‘empty space’.

We fill the space with the elements and with ourselves, which are in a continual transformation and they travel upward. The fifth element in this case is the people I met in Eskişehir, my interactions with them and theirs with each other. I focused on this theme of

interaction and how it spreads through the city. Similarly, once OMM opens, I imagine that the spirit of the museum will spread all over the city.”

Tanabe’s installation will also interact with and complement the striking timber structure of the museum, designed by Kengo Kuma and Associates. The building itself draws inspiration from Odunpazari’s traditional Ottoman wooden cantilevered houses that are synonymous with the district, and pays homage to the town’s history as a thriving

wood market.

Idil Tabanca, Chairperson and Creative Director of OMM, said: “Through the architecture of the building, Kengo Kuma and Associates set out to create a link between people and art. Similarly, Tanabe Chikuunsai IV’s skillful installation beautifully illustrates that connection. Opening in 2019, the Year of Turkish Culture in Japan, OMM celebrates the cultural exchange shared between our two countries. This project with Tanabe is the first of many exciting collaborations to come.”

Image © Kemal Seçkin

Image © Kemal Seçkin

Image © Kemal Seçkin

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Odunpazarı is one of the oldest living areas in Eskişehir that is undergoing a constant process of renovation and preservation.

Similarly, Tanabe takes the ancient Japanese handicraft of bamboo and renovates it using new techniques while preserving its heritage. According to Tanabe, he wanted to create the piece for OMM by keeping his own traditions but also by walking towards the future, by having the future in his mind.

Tanabe was born into one of Japan's most prestigious

bamboo families, and this new work is the product of a 120-year history of working with bamboo, following in the tradition of his father and grandfather. Gaining the title of bamboo ‘master’ takes over ten years of mental and physical training, and Tanabe’s team consists of four apprentices that act as ‘one body’ to create the work collectively. The project for OMM is the latest in a long series of creative collaborations between Japanese creatives Tanabe Chikunnsai IV and Kengo Kuma and Associates.

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Matter Of Stuff exhibits ‘A Second Life’ showcasing a newly commissioned body of work made from a single raw material Architects transform hundreds of wooden dowels used for the scenography of Matter of Stuff’s 2018 LDF exhibition into an array of experimental new works

Image © markcocksedge

Image © markcocksedge

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Matter of Stuff, a leading design and manufacturing consultancy, presented ‘A Second Life exhibition’ at sketch for London Design Festival 2019, showcasing a newly commissioned body of work made from a single raw material. Hosted by sketch, the iconic artist-conceived food and drinks destination in London’s Mayfair, the exhibition ran until November 7, 2019.

PiM.studio Architects, Brodie Neill, Matteo Fogale + Emma Archer and Studio Furthermore transformed hundreds of wooden dowels used for the scenography of Matter of Stuff’s 2018 LDF exhibition into an array of experimental new works.

statement about the infinite possibilities of sustainable design, upcycling and waste avoidance. Proceeds from the sale of the design pieces will be donated to charities protecting the Amazon Rainforests.

Instead of recycling the dowels through mulching, the gallery asked the designers to reinterpret, explore and experiment with the material to create new designs while maintaining some of the structural integrity of the original installation. The result is a resolute and ongoing

Imagining a dynamic, new spatial experience within the sketch entrance, RIBA awardwinning architects PiM.studio Architects used pine dowels to create temporary walls. During Frieze London (October 3 - 6, 2019), artist Stephan Zimmerli gave the installation a playful new look by painting the dowels

“By injecting new life into waste material to create varied and extraordinary sculptures for an iconic London venue, we want to make a statement that goes beyond the importance of sustainable design practices,” said Simona Auteri, Co-founder, Matter of Stuff. “Through four different iterations of reuse, we seek to redefine waste as a legitimate raw material with enormous potential for creative renewal.”

The linear element of the dowels is repeated into a crisscrossing maze, creating

Furniture designer Matteo and stylist and costume designer Emma took inspiration from traditional tailoring techniques and couture details while using the wooden dowels as both the base structure and the interior of a screen. Using left-over fabrics donated by Kvadrat, the ‘Papillon’ screen featured an organic shape made from repeated segments.

Here, the dowels were used

Image © markcocksedge

Longstanding champion of upcycling waste into new material streams, Brodie Neill reused 422 dowels to create a sculptural bench - ‘Latitude'.

Handcrafted in Brodie’s East London studio, ‘Latitude’ incorporated a lattice-like technique reminiscent of traditional Japanese bamboo constructions where linear elements are bound together to create seemingly simple scaffolding-like structures.

a web of rectangular voids where each cell has a golden section. The undulation on the underside of the bench brings Brodie’s signature aesthetic of refined sculptural simplicity to a work of contemporary design using innovative processes to repurpose an existing material.

as structural elements hidden beneath the fabric while giving the material its pattern and shape.

Image © markcocksedge

with a graphic pattern, which revealed itself as visitors walked through the exhibition.

Image © Lakos Máté

Image © markcocksedge

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When tasked with reusing the wooden dowels to create new designs, Studio Furthermore noted that experimentations with sawing, routing and planing created waste. The more the designers explored what to do with the dowels, the more sawdust they produced. In creating their piece, they were inspired by the natural world where there is no waste - all matter breaks down into smaller matter before seamlessly reorganizing into another form.

Studio Furthermore applied this principle to their designs, creating light sculptures from

dowels dressed with a textured sawdust surface. The designers limited themselves to working only with leftover components and materials stored away in their studio from previous projects. In addition, a bespoke exhibition lighting design by SEAM complimented and enhanced the installation.

“For us, attention to detail and workmanship is the ethics of design,” added Sofia Steffenoni, Co-founder, Matter of Stuff. “Our mission is to decode the multiple narratives that exist between an object’s function and its feeling, its material and its craftsmanship, its empty and filled spaces, its physics and balance, its finish and its raw origins. We are interested in an object’s materiality.”

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Uenoa covers Japanese building with three-dimensional cross-laminated timber roof Dynamic frame of the large timber roof dictates both the exterior form of the building as well as the internal layout

Image © Uenoa

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Uenoa, a Tokyo-based architectural practice, has completed a new building for Synegic, a structural screws manufacturer in the Miyagi prefecture, north of Tokyo.

According to Uenoa, the client wanted to showcase newer possibilities of wooden construction, particularly in light of the fact that it provides the structural screws used to build wooden buildings. As such, the studio proposed a plan that incorporates a threedimensional, cross-laminated timber (CLT) roof with a large truss spanning 18 meters.

The three-dimensional roof shape is formed by connecting flat trusses made of laminated timber with triangular CLT panels. By adopting a CLT panel for fastening flat trusses, complicated processing of joints and joining by hardware are avoided. In addition, it enables a rational method of factory pre-cutting and on-site screw joining. In addition, the use of heavy CLT panels here, which are traditionally used for walls and floors, represents a new way of incorporating CLT in a roof.

The CLT structure is also used as a partition wall that bears a vertical load on the first floor. Not only did Uenoa thoroughly try to control the texture of the CLT surface just like marble, they also wanted to use screws factoring in design and workability rather than hardware commonly used to fix CLT walls. Through such an ambitious process, a large CLT wall that emphasizes the wood texture without modules has been realized in the atrium. The designers hope that their use of CLT for this building will encourage further experimentation in its application moving forward.

The CLT panels for this project were commissioned to be manufactured by factories in the prefecture, who co-operated in the selection of sapwood lamina from the design stage for the decorative panels used on the walls. The finished CLT panel was further checked for the texture of the adjacent panels so that the colors of the adjacent panels

Image Š Uenoa

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would match.

Image © Uenoa

The joint of the flat truss was a simple joint mainly consisting of tenon + screw shear joint.

Triangular CLT panels are used for members that connect flat trusses with different inclination angles so that stress transmission at the contact points can be performed rationally, avoiding complicated three-dimensional machining.

Once the ground plane truss was built on the temporary base under the central ridge, the CLT panel was inserted in a wedge shape and integrated.

Along with the construction of the new company building, a workshop called ‘Seed Picking Project’ was conducted in which the seeds of local native species were collected from the surrounding mountains and regenerated on the site of the new company building. In this area where development is progressing, Uenoa worked to restore the lost local identity and to connect that awareness to the future.

Image © Uenoa

Image © Uenoa

Seeds collected with the cooperation of employees and local people sprouted in the parking lot of the old office building during construction work, and all were transplanted to the new office building site in the spring after the building was completed. Over the long term, the hope is that a native forest will be created here, and that the intention of this attempt will be inherited not only by the company but also by the community.

Uenoa has developed the building to accommodate Synegic‘s various working styles - from standard desk work to experiments, and collaboration with external researchers - in a way that they can influence each other, creating a lively dialogue and a sense of solidarity. The office floor plan follows the dynamic frame of the large timber roof, which dictates also the exterior form of the building.

Spread across two levels and a mezzanine platform, the working area balances between the steepness of the space, reinforced by the large roof, and an intimate, warm atmosphere created by the use of wood.

Image © MTC

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COMMENT 33

High demand for Malaysia’s value-added timber products Export value for these products in 2018 was RM 9.8 billion, representing about 44 percent of Malaysia’s total export value of RM 22.3 billion for all timber products

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Richard Yu, CEO, Malaysian Timber Council (MTC), said: “Ever since Malaysian carpenters and builders began to shape and use wood, the furniture, mouldings and BJC industries have grown by leaps and bounds. Today, a wide range of quality value-added products such as wood-based furniture, cornices, wainscoting, dado rails, doors and frames, windows and frames, flooring, decking, picture frames and laminated beams are produced in Malaysia and exported worldwide.”

Furniture for all spaces

Malaysian wood-based furniture

is much sought-after by home, resort and property project owners around the world. The use of high-quality materials and timber species such as Rubberwood, Balau, Kembang Semangkok, Nyatoh, Dark Red Meranti, Acacia and imported species along with the application of hi-tech manufacturing methods and designs ensure the acceptance and admiration of Malaysian furniture in more than 160 countries worldwide.

By utilizing the latest advances in technology, the industry has expanded its capacity to cater for both small batch orders as well as high volume serial production. To enhance product value, manufacturers are moving towards originality of ideas and creative designs, which have further improved the marketability of Malaysian-made furniture.

Decorative mouldings

Malaysian timber mouldings have gained acclaim around the world, especially in Japan, Australia,

USA and Europe. Various items are made according to buyers’ specifications and produced from timber species such as Bintangor, Jelutong, Keruing, Meranti, Sepetir, Merbau, Nyatoh and Rubberwood.

Decorative mouldings such as architraves, cornices, base boards, aprons, dowels, jambs, louvers, wall claddings and skirtings are the premier choices of architects, interior designers and discerning artisans who appreciate uncompromising beauty and quality.

Image © MTC

Malaysia produces a wide range of value-added timber products such as furniture, mouldings, frames and Builders’ Joinery and Carpentry (BJC) products. The total export value for these products in 2018 was RM 9.8 billion, representing about 44 percent of Malaysia’s total export value of RM 22.3 billion for all timber products last year. Up to July 2019, RM 5.9 billion worth of these products have been exported.

Malaysian timber mouldings are machined to specifications using the latest technology to ensure superior finish and quality. Some manufacturers provide additional services such as veneer-wrapping and lamination, while others

have experienced craftsmen and qualified designers to help create customized designs.

Doors designed to your needs

Malaysian-made timber doors are available in a wide range of designs and a variety of materials. Available designs range from traditional solid timber doors, with or without glazing, to engineered doors.

Timber doors, common since antiquity, remain today’s preferred choice. A welldesigned timber door adds to the exquisiteness of a building or room.

Malaysian timber doors are made from a variety of species that cater to the taste of a broad spectrum of customers

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quality, making them much sought-after by discerning buyers. Timbers such as Balau, Belian, Giam, Chengal, Merbau and Dark Red Meranti are the best hardwoods for decking products because of their durability, strength and attractive grain.

Testament to this are the numerous world class holiday resorts throughout the world, such as in the Maldives, Seychelles, Mauritius and Malaysia where decking made of Malaysian tropical timbers add to their warmth and beauty.

Malaysian picture frame manufacturers, already adept at exporting high quality picture frames worldwide, are capable of meeting different needs including custom-designed picture frames in small or large batches. Stringent quality control is the norm, and raw materials are carefully selected from a variety of species such as Jelutong, Penarahan, Pulai,

Exported internationally including to the United States, China, Middle East and Europe, Malaysian picture frames are of the highest quality. They are manufactured with the latest technology at every stage of production.

Malaysia’s assurance

Buyers can be assured that the wooden furniture, mouldings and BJC products they import from Malaysia are backed by years of R&D, strict regulations and strong support from established government institutions like the Ministry of Primary Industries, MTC, Malaysian Timber Industry Board, Forestry Department and Forest Research Institute Malaysia. *For a list of Malaysian suppliers of timber and timber products, and to learn more about Malaysian timber species, please contact the Malaysian Timber Council (www.mtc.com.my)

Image © MTC

Image © MTC

Framed to perfection

Ramin, White Meranti and Mempisang for their stability.

from around the world. The doors are available in local timbers such as Dark Red Meranti, Nyatoh, Kembang Semangkok, Balau, Merpauh and Merbau.

Some doors are overlaid with popular foreign species such as Oak, Walnut, Cherry and Makore as well as reconstituted veneer. Using state-of-theart technology, Malaysian manufacturers are well-placed to serve customers globally, whether for small orders of custom-made doors or large orders of standard products.

Versatile and quality flooring

A wide range of Malaysian hardwood flooring is available for use in homes, offices,

showrooms, indoor sports arenas and restaurants, with a choice of colors and designs to suit individual specifications.

Species such as Kempas, Merbau, Rubberwood, Kekatong and Keranji are popular choices.

Malaysia’s well-established timber-based industry, coupled with excellent technology and quality assurance, guarantee buyers superior quality flooring.

Malaysian hardwood flooring is exported to highly discerning markets such as the EU, USA, Australia and Japan. Buyers may choose between conventional solid strip and parquet flooring, or engineered flooring.

Natural hardwood decking Malaysian hardwoods have established a reputation for

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Kengo Kuma designed Odunpazari Modern Museum opens in Turkey Museum’s stacked timber design is inspired by the surrounding streetscape of Odunpazari and its history as a timber trading market

Image © NAARO

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OMM’s innovative design, by the acclaimed Japanese architects behind the new V&A Dundee in the UK, provides a bright and spacious new home for the 1,000-piece collection of modern and contemporary art housed inside the museum. With its stacked timber design, inspired by the surrounding streetscape of Odunpazari and its history as a timber trading market, the museum stands as a new landmark that reconnects the town with its heritage, and as a progressive cultural development for Eskişehir and the Central Anatolia region at large.

“Today’s opening marks the culmination of a visionary process for everyone involved. We are delighted to reveal this unique

building, the collection and our exciting inaugural presentations to the community here in my hometown of Eskişehir and to visitors from around the world,” said Erol Tabanca, Founder of OMM. “We want to bring the international art world here, and we want to bring young artists from the region together with international artists.”

Odunpazari, which means firewood market in Turkish, used to be a center for timber trading and Kengo Kuma and Associates took this history as the basis for the design. The region and its famed timber trading market inspired the stacked timber design of the museum. Blending in the surrounding context of traditional Ottoman wooden houses, and reconnecting with the heritage of Odunpazari, the OMM generates a bridge for cultural exchange and development in the Central Anatolia region.

Kengo Kuma, Principle of Kengo Kuma and Associates, and Yuki Ikeguchi, the partner leading the project, said: "The idea for OMM was to use architecture to create a link between people and art. We were deeply inspired by the history, culture, people and streetscape of Odunpazari, and we wanted

Image © NAARO

Founded by art collector and businessman Erol Tabanca, the Odunpazari Modern Museum (OMM), a major new museum and distinctive architectural landmark

by Kengo Kuma and Associates, opened in September of this year.

Situated in Eskişehir, a university city and Anatolia’s capital of culture, the 4,500 square meter landmark introduces an innovative design and a dynamic lineup of multidisciplinary exhibitions and diverse public programming.

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Image © Kengo Kuma and Associates

the building to resonate on many levels. We hope that the museum will breathe new life into Eskişehir and become a central and inviting meeting point for the city.”

"Timber is really important to the town's heritage," said Yuki Ikeguchi, the partner leading the project at Kengo Kuma and Associates. "Ensuring that the building spoke to the history and memory of its setting was always front and center in our minds. It has been always our practice's keen interest to build with timber that gives comfort and warmth to the space and is kind to the environment."

The building consists of a group of square-shaped blocks that are surrounded by laminated-timber beams stacked on top of each other. These have been arranged to continue the streetscape of the surrounding Ottoman houses.

The museum opens out onto a large plaza with steps that run up alongside the building, which connects an area of older housing with a new development. The idea for OMM was to use architecture to create a link between people and art.

The stacked and interlocked boxes are designed in various sizes to create diverse scales of exhibition space inside, with opportunities for large scale artworks and installations on the ground floor.

At upper levels, the boxes tend to get smaller generating more intimate spaces and exhibitions.

It also contains a cafe and a shop.

At the center of the building, where four of the stacked blocks meet, there is a skylit atrium that stretches the full height of the three-storey building. This timberlined square skylight twists gently as it rises through the building.

At the museum’s opening ceremony, Japanese 'master' bamboo artist Tanabe Chikuunsai IV put the final touches to his largest ever installation, standing at over 6x8 meters. The new

Image © Gökhan Polat

Image © NAARO

"Cantilevers and rotation makes the streetscape and walkthrough

experience very special and unexpected," explained Ikeguchi.

"It was my intention to make a link to the unique character of the Ottoman houses adjacent to the site by stacking and rotating the boxes that offer the opportunity to house exhibitions and activities in various scales. Not just in the formalist manner, but to continue the streetscape and recreate the non-linear journey of visiting the inside of the museum."

Image © NAARO

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Eskişehir gains its first private modern art museum; Erol Tabanca fulfills his dream of sharing his collection with the public, and the collection - much of which has been behind closed doors for years - is showcased in its entirety for the first time.

Image © NAARO

commission, which is the most recent piece to join OMM’s evolving collection of modern and contemporary art, was deeply inspired by Odunpazari and its inhabitants, who are represented as one of five interwoven strands along with the four elements: earth, water, air, fire. Renovating an ancient Japanese craft, the work was made entirely from recycled ‘Tiger Bamboo’ that's unique to one mountain in Kochi, Japan.

OMM’s ambitious exhibition programme opened with ‘Vuslat’, curated by Turkish curator Haldun Dostoğlu, which features a selection of over 100 works by 60 leading artists predominantly from Turkey. ‘Vuslat’ , which loosely translates as ‘The Union’, was inspired by three scenes of union:

Image © NAARO

Idil Tabanca, Chairperson and Creative Director of OMM, said: “The opening of OMM marks the beginning of a new era of collaboration and innovation in the university city of Eskişehir. We are opening up the doors of the iconic new building to create an institution that will be a stepping stone for young artists. I don’t see OMM as a museum - it’s a platform, a bridge, for young creatives to have their voices heard.”

Split over three floors, the new museum has a variety of exhibition spaces that will house the permanent collection and host a programme of multidisciplinary exhibitions - many of which will be produced in collaboration with leading curators and creatives.

The exhibition programme will be complemented by a dynamic public programme, offering seminars, artist talks and workshops.

"We were deeply inspired by the history, culture, people and streetscape of Odunpazari, and we wanted the building to resonate on many levels. We hope that the museum will breathe new life into Eskişehir and become a central and inviting meeting point for the city. I hope visitors will feel excited and comfortable and that the museum will be a more than just a place to enjoy the art. I hope they will sense the connection to the history and the memory of the place that links to the future," concluded Ikeguchi.

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Image © Kemal Seçkin

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OMM INN: new boutique hotel now open in Eskişehir Hotel’s design echoes the stacked timber structure of the Odunpazari Modern Museum

Image © Kemal Seçkin

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OMM INN, a new boutique hotel on the site of a major new art museum, the Odunpazari Modern Museum (OMM), has opened for business.

Located in Odunpazari, the historic heart of the Eskişehir district in northwest Turkey, the hotel and new museum together form an attractive cultural destination for art and design lovers. Created to help financially support the museum, the traditional building has been renovated with interiors designed by Polimeks Holding, a major construction and architectural firm.

Image © Kemal Seçkin

The hotel’s design puts a contemporary twist on the Ottoman residential architecture that is synonymous

with the town of Odunpazari and echoes the stacked timber structure of the adjoining museum designed by worldrenowned architects Kengo Kuma and Associates. Built partly inside an Ottoman-era Odunpazari home, sophisticated simplicity and attention to detail are at the core of OMM INN, with 12 custom designed rooms and an open courtyard boasting a range of eateries offering curated menus for hotel guests and museum visitors.

Stay The rooms combine a sleek aesthetic with world-renowned Turkish hospitality, with modernist details and natural materials providing chic and sustainable comfort. With the

atmosphere of an airy studio apartment, each of the 12 individual suites comes with a flat-screen TV, high-speed wi-fi, coffee and a carefully curated selection of books. The cosy, lifestyle-oriented layout is designed to make guests feel instantly at home.

Drink & Dine Arranged around a beautiful inner courtyard, the hotel offers a smorgasbord of dining experiences showcasing the new generation of Turkish cuisine. OMM INN Restaurant functions as a brick oven pizzeria during the day and turns into a Mediterranean meze restaurant by night, serving classic cocktails, a selection of Turkish wine and traditional raki. For a

contemporary alternative, the Vegetarian Kitchen is the first of its kind in the city, catering to museum visitors with adventurous flavours and fresh ingredients.

For casual eats throughout the day, a range of street food stations serve up local tastes of kumpir (baked and

Image © Kemal Seçkin

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stuffed potatoes), meatballs and homemade mac & cheese.

Perfect for a tea-break, OMM INN Cafe offers classic refreshments in a quirky design space, with flaky pastries and high-quality Turkish coffee from independent suppliers served in copper pots. The cafe is also home to a small library that carries design books, magazines

and graphic fiction.

Explore

OMM INN is the perfect base from which to explore the striking new museum, home to a 1,000-piece collection of modern and contemporary art, and the surrounding town of Odunpazari with its well-preserved Ottoman

architecture, narrow meandering streets and an array of artisan shops and local restaurants.

Odunpazari, which was nominated to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites Tentative List, is widely considered the historic heart of Eskişehir, a vibrant university city. Situated

on the high-speed train line between Istanbul and Ankara, Eskişehir is popular with tourists and day-trippers from Istanbul thanks to its numerous museums spanning archaeology to aviation, two city parks, vibrant student population and the scenic Porsuk river that has earned it the name ‘the Venice of Turkey’.

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Steampunk pavilion combines traditional timber construction techniques with the precision of intelligent holographic guides

Image Š �Hanjun Kim

Experimental approach allows designers the freedom to adapt the structure on the spot in response to their materials

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Steampunk is a pavilion constructed from steam-bent hardwood using primitive hand tools augmented with the precision of intelligent holographic guides. Designed

by Gwyllim Jahn, Cameron Newnham (Fologram), SoomeenHahm Design and Igor Pantic with Format Engineers, the installation was built for the fifth edition of the Tallinn Architecture Biennale (TAB 2019) in Estonia, and will remain in place until the Biennale’s next edition in 2021.

Image © Cameron and Hanjun

Fologram, provides architects with applications that use Microsoft HoloLens, while SoomeenHahm Design is a London-based design studio founded by Soomeen Hahm and Igor Pantic is a teaching fellow at the Bartlett and runs his own practice. The spectacular artwork uses the laborious process of steam

bending timber by hand, rather than by robotic production, to call attention to the merits of traditional craftsmanship absent in machine building.

“As the designers of Steampunk, we have not produced drawings or lines of CNC code from which parts of our design might be cut, printed or assembled and instead have developed an experimental approach to materializing architecture that serves as a deliberate polemic in the context of robotic production and automation,” said Soomeen Hahm, Founder of SoomeenHahm Design.

“While computer aided manufacturing and robotics have given architects unprecedented control over the materialization of their designs, the nuance and subtlety commonly found in traditional craft practices is absent

from the artefacts of robotic production because the intuition and understanding of the qualitative aspects of a project as well as the quantitative is difficult to describe in the deterministic and explicit language of these machines,” added Hahm.

The plan of the pavilion is a cross that divides the grassy mound of the Biennial site into four distinct spaces that frame views towards the old city of Tallinn and the Architecture Museum.

The variable surface effects in the pavilion are a product of expediency, as bending three

dimensional curves from straight 100x10mm boards forces the timber profile to twist along its length. This attempt to produce an architecture from standardized lengths of material is more akin to weaving than assembling; twisting timber sections contribute stiffness and compression strength to a composite timber and steel shell.

Tracing the lines of the woven timber leads from conventional orthogonal surfaces to the complete breakdown of familiar topology, toying with the ambiguity of the form of the knot, inside and outside, surface

Image © Peter Bennetts

Image © Peter Bennetts

Image © Cameron and Hanjun

Image © Peter Bennetts

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and volume. In order to create a strong enough shell structure from lightweight materials, the pavilion also plays with positive and negative space, defining an intimate interior from a massive poche.

The timber elements in the structure are fabricated following the somewhat arcane and notoriously difficult process of steam bending. Each strip is bagged, steamed, and bent over an adaptable, moldless formwork using a holographic model as a reference to the desired result. This fabrication process utilizes two forms of feedback:

holographic models provide fabricators with clear visual feedback on the accuracy of the forming process and allow them to intuitively adapt fabrication techniques or formwork positions until parts match digital models within accepted tolerances.

Physical parts can also be digitized and fed back into the digital model, allowing the design to accommodate and adapt where necessary. In each case the feedback is a direct collaboration between designer and maker, between expected behavior and observed results. The beauty of the project lies in this tension, in

deciding when to give and take, when to adhere to preconceived design intent and when to abandon precision and begin to react.

“We are interested in approaches to making that hybridize analogue construction with the precision and flexibility of digital models. By rendering digital models as holographic overlays directly within construction environments, fabricators can use their own expertise and inventiveness to produce highly intricate and complex objects entirely by following these holographic guides using

relatively primitive analogue tools,” said Hahm.

“This approach removes the necessity of anticipating every aspect of material behavior in digital models and in so doing leaves open a certain degree of indeterminacy as material affects are discovered, desired and amplified during construction.

It is this liberation of digital expression from the constraints of digital fabrication, together with the opportunity for nuance and material affects derived from material craft, that drive the architectural effects of the pavilion,” concluded Hahm.

Image © HPP Architekten Image © Timothy Hursley

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Adohi Hall: America’s largest mass timber building and the first large-scale, CLT living learning setting Design collaborative led by Leers Weinzapfel Associates, Modus Studio, Mackey Mitchell Architects, and OLIN completes project at University of Arkansas

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An emphasis on nature resonates throughout the project. Connected by a groundlevel passage, a serpentine band of student rooms define three distinctive courtyard spaces that create a dynamic environment for student collaboration and interactive learning in architecture, design, and the arts. The name Adohi (a-doe-hee) is a Cherokee word meaning ‘woods’. It honors tribe members who passed near the hall’s site while following the Trail of Tears (1837-1839). It also recognizes the enduring importance of wood and sustainable forestry to the region.

“In all our work, we look for the synergy between place, purpose, and means. These came together in an extraordinary way at Adohi Hall,” said Andrea P. Leers, FAIA, Principal, Leers Weinzapfel Associates. “We drew inspiration from the regional context of the Ozarks,

The ‘front porch’ in the

Image © Timothy Hursley

Occupying a linear, sloping, 4-acre site at the base of Fayetteville’s McIlroy Hill on the southern end of campus, the project provides a new university gateway that marks the start of a larger living learning district.

Bound on the north by 1960s residence halls, on the east by Stadium Drive, and on the west and south by a large arena and related athletic facilities, the hall is nestled within a generous protective buffer of trees and plantings.

creating a living/learning environment powerful enough to be a destination remote from the center of campus, and the wood-based construction system we developed forges a bond between setting, human comfort, and sustainability.”

Image © Timothy Hursley

A design collaborative led by Leers Weinzapfel Associates (Boston), Modus Studio (Fayetteville, AR), Mackey Mitchell Architects (St. Louis), and OLIN (Philadelphia), has completed Adohi Hall, a USD 79 million, 202,027 square-foot, 708-bed facility at the University of Arkansas. Now in use, the pioneering project is the nation’s largest mass timber building and the first large-scale CLT residence hall and living learning setting. A bold demonstration of sustainability, the five-storey hall also signifies potential economic development for the burgeoning timber industry in Arkansas.

northernmost building is the key entry point for the complex; the ‘cabin’ at the ground-level, central passage’s midpoint is the main gathering space, comprising a community kitchen, lounges, a quiet hearth, and a rooftop terrace; and the 'workshops' of the lower courtyard house a dynamic live/

learn program of performance spaces, music and recording studios, and maker spaces that enhance the campus-wide arts program.

Four-storey residential floors are arranged above the communal spaces. The main stair and elevator for each open onto a

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Image © Timothy Hursley

Image © Timothy Hursley

commitment to an innovative, sustainably designed campus for its next generation of students and facilities.”

The warmth of the project’s exposed structural wood ceilings is apparent in student rooms, study rooms, floor lounges, and ground floor common spaces, and wood columns bring the beauty of the material within reach for all.

The ‘cabin’ also includes a wood ceiling and trusses that span the full width of its lounge spaces.

Exteriors feature a light metal jacket of zinc-toned panels with accents of textured copper-tone and white that creates a floating band of living space above the natural landscape below.

The project creates a new residential college with emphasis on a creative live learn environment within a relaxed, informal, tree-lined landscape that re-conceptualizes university housing. Integrated into the topography of its site, the new housing complex features a cascading series of outdoor spaces that provide students and visitors with a variety of opportunities to engage and gather. Sinuous pathways are intricately woven through existing stands of mature oak trees, providing much needed shade for the new residents to enjoy warmer months outdoors.

Undulating landforms, local sandstone seating areas, and drifts of native planting recall the geological and ecological vernacular of the Ozark Plateau while simultaneously creating comfortable places for people.

Stormwater infiltration is carefully integrated into the grading strategy, which captures runoff from both paved areas and buildings.

series of double-height lounges and kitchen spaces, joining upper and lower floors and inviting community interaction. Each floor contains semi-suites for two students with private baths, and pods of six to eight double rooms with a shared bath and common room. Large study rooms with generous windows at the end

of each wing create a series of ‘lanterns’ along Stadium Drive.

The project is part of a larger precinct Master Plan, also envisioned by Leers Weinzapfel, which looks at this entire southeastern boundary of the campus as a potential site for future housing, parking, and a

network of pedestrian campus pathways to accommodate future growth of the university.

Speaking at the launch, Peter MacKeith, Dean and Professor of Architecture, Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design, said: "The completion of Adohi Hall signals the University of Arkansas’

“The recognition of the creative abilities of Adohi’s students is matched by the employment of innovative mass timber design and construction techniques and the sensitive treatment of the immediate landscape. Adohi advances each individual student’s identity and opportunities as it also addresses U of A sustainability goals and design ambitions,” concluded MacKeith.

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Shigeru Ban completes one of the world’s largest timber structures for Swatch Headquarters 7,700 timber pieces forming the grid-shell roof of the building were engineered with a precision of 0.1 millimeters

Image © Didier Boy de la Tour

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The shimmering, curved silhouette of the new Swatch building extends over a total

Image © Didier Boy de la Tour

In 2011, his design won the Swatch Group’s architectural competition for the construction of the new Swatch Headquarters, the new Omega Manufacture, and the Cité du Temps, particularly convincing with its original yet pragmatic

The buildings share a design language, material palette, and environmental ethos, reflecting the unified brands of Swatch and Omega while expressing each building’s individuality through contrasting structural forms. The Swatch Headquarters is playful, innovative, and provocative. In contrast, the Omega Factory is a strict, precise, and rigid rectilinear building. Its clean-room construction is unprecedented for a timber building. Cité du Temps acts as an interface between Swatch and Omega both figuratively and physically: the building intersects with the Swatch Headquarters’ canopy.

Image © Didier Boy de la Tour

Born in 1957 in Tokyo and winner of the 2014 Pritzker Prize, Shigeru Ban is known for his delicate structures and unconventional methods as well as his decisive contribution to innovation and humanity in architecture. Swatch Group collaborated with the architect for the first time on the Nicolas G. Hayek Center in Tokyo that opened in 2007.

concept as well as the ability to respect the brand-specific spirit for each of these buildings.

Moreover, Shigeru Ban had taken the existing landscape and buildings into account and integrated them into the overall project.

Image © Didier Boy de la Tour

After a construction period of almost five years, Swatch has inaugurated its new headquarters in Biel, which features one of the world’s largest timber structures, designed by the Japanese starchitect - Shigeru Ban. Heralding a new chapter in the history of the brand, this building defies current conventions, just like the watches that are created there.

length of 240 meters and a width of 35 meters. At its highest point, the façade measures 27 meters.

The unusual design breaks with the conventions of classic office building architecture and blends harmoniously into the urban environment. The building’s forms awaken the imagination - like a work of art, the interpretation lies in the eye of the beholder.

The vaulted façade with an area of over 11,000m2 rises gently towards

the entrance and transitions to the Cité du Temps. Both the exterior and interior of the building are interspersed with a variety of leitmotifs, with curved shapes, colors and transparency, as well as with the unusual use of classic materials and building elements.

A timber framework (grid shell) construction forms the basic structure of the largearea façade. The material was chosen for its ecological and

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According to the architecture studio, the watchmaker's campus centers on a 240-metre-long timber vault - one of the largest wooden structures in Europe and the overall design is "playful, innovative and provocative" and demonstrates the capabilities of timber construction at a large scale.

While the wooden structure was still being erected, the installation of around 2,800 honeycomb elements (timber grid shell), which make up most of the façade, began. Each element was meticulously tailored from up to 50 individual parts and adapted to its individual function and position. Three basic types of honeycomb can be distinguished: the opaque, the translucent and the transparent element.

The translucent cushion element, on the other hand, is inflated with air and fitted with translucent polycarbonate sheets in the middle for thermal insulation.

The cushions, which are also able to withstand the weight of snow or ice, are constantly lightly ventilated so that they are permanently under tension.

The transparent element is made of glass. A total of four glass panes were used for thermal insulation, between which a white roller blind is embedded.

These elements are always lightly ventilated to prevent condensation from forming.

A total of nine balconies ranging in size from 10m2 to 20m2 provide views over several floors.

Tiny white dots on the glass façades serve as sun protection.

In addition, 124 wooden Swiss crosses on the ceiling improve the acoustics in the offices thanks to

Image © Didier Boy de la Tour

Image © Didier Boy de la Tour

The regular opaque element represents the majority of the combs. It is a closed element with an extremely weather-resistant and opaque outer film, which serves primarily as sun protection.

Some of these elements can be

opened for smoke extraction, while others are equipped with photovoltaic cells.

sustainable properties. Wood can also be processed flexibly and cut to extremely precise sizes - important properties for a construction where every millimeter is important. During the planning phase, modern 3D technology helped to define the exact shape and positioning of the approximately 4,600 beams of the timber grid shell.

Using a sophisticated plug-in principle, the individual beams

were fitted to each other perfectly. Since the timber grid shell of the Swatch building serves as a large office façade, it also had to meet various technical requirements. A complex network of cables is discreetly integrated into its structure.

The 7,700 timber pieces forming the grid-shell roof of the Swatch building were engineered with a precision of 0.1 millimeters.

their fine perforations.

Inside the building, 25,000m2 of floor space is spread over five floors for all departments of Swatch International and Swatch Switzerland, offering enough room for up to 400 modern co-working spaces. The surface area of the four upper floors decreases successively from floor to floor, while galleries with glass balustrades provide a view of the lower floors.

In addition to the regular workplaces, various common areas are distributed throughout the building: a cafeteria on the ground floor, which is open to all Swatch employees and their visitors; small rest areas at various locations in the building. For moments when privacy is necessary, separate ‘Alcove

Image © Didier Boy de la Tour

Image © Didier Boy de la Tour

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Cabins’ accommodate up to six employees for telephone calls or work requiring particular concentration.

An especially unusual installation is located at the very rear of the second floor: a staircase that leads to nowhere - the so-called ‘Reading Stairs’ - whose steps and views encourage brainstorming among colleagues during creative breaks. Five black olive trees extend up to two storeys in height.

The evergreen Bucida buceras feels very comfortable at room temperature and keeps its fine leaves all year round.

The basement extends under the entire length of the building. In addition to the technical rooms, ventilation center and archive, it also houses the underground car park, with 170 car parking spaces and 182 bicycle parking spaces.

Clever use of groundwater to

heat and cool the building and solar power from the photovoltaic system make a significant contribution to an optimum C02 balance.

Looking out onto Nicolas G. Hayek Street, the entirely glazed entrance area features generous dimensions as well as a sense of transparency, openness and lightness. While its zigzag shape stems from the timber grid frame of the façade, it also plays a role in the building physics, for example in relation to wind loads. This zigzag glazing begins at a height of 5.5 meters and extends to a height of 22 meters.

Below the glazing, glass shutters - known best for their industrial applications - open and close automatically: in fact, they are glass ‘blinds’ that have to be able to withstand wind and rain and be adequately insulated. Two glass

elevators take employees and visitors to the upper floors and to the glass pedestrian bridge on the third floor, which connects the Swatch building to the Cité du Temps. Galleries on three floors offer views of the entrance area.

In addition to the ecological benefits of wood, the Swatch and Omega Campus has numerous other environmentally-conscious strategies. To achieve low energy consumption and a better working environment, state-of-the-art technologies such as radiative cooling and heating with activated ceiling panels are employed, as well as water pipes cast into concrete slabs, which allows for draft-free air conditioning.

Groundwater is used as a heat source in order to achieve a significant reduction of both heating and cooling power. The roofs of all three buildings are

Image © Didier Boy de la Tour

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equipped with photovoltaic panels. Each technological strategy introduced into the project is intended to reduce the building’s impact on the planet, and also serve as a benchmark for all buildings in the future.

From Velospot bicycle sharing and charging stations to intelligent blackouts and glazing; from LED lighting and highly efficient ventilation systems to thermal component activation and paperless offices, thanks to stateof-the-art technology and knowhow, the new Swatch building demonstrates that modern construction and modern ways of working can be in harmony with nature.

Only timber from Swiss forests mainly spruce - was used in the construction. A total of just under 1,997 cubic meters of this was needed, a quantity that regrows

in the Swiss forest in less than two hours. The energy concept is based on solar technology and groundwater use and allows building functions such as ventilation, cooling, heating and basic lighting to operate autonomously for both the Swatch Headquarters and the Cité du Temps.

structure of the façade. With 1,770m2 of installed photovoltaics, around 212.3 MWh of electricity are generated per year, which corresponds to the average annual consumption of 61 Swiss households.

The groundwater utilization concept ensures the heating and cooling of the new Swatch building. Swatch shares the resources with neighboring Cité du Temps and the new Omega factory, which went into operation in 2017. Nine underground wells are distributed over the entire area, as well as two former oil tanks which have been converted into water reservoirs.

Also designed by Shigeru Ban, the Cité du Temps, measuring 80 x 17 x 28 meters, forms an independent architectural unit that perfectly complements the Swatch building.

Each of its 14 arcades has a span of 15 meters and is 5 meters wide.

The Cité du Temps hosts both the Omega Museum, located on the first floor, as well as PLANET SWATCH on the second floor.

The Nicolas G. Hayek Conference Hall on the fourth floor, which is reserved for Swatch Group, stands out with its elliptical shape.

442 individually manufactured, curved solar elements were inserted into the honeycomb

At 46,778m2, this project is the largest and most exuberant hybrid mass timber project by Shigeru

Ban Architects to date, and one of the largest hybrid mass timber projects in the world. Through his disaster relief work, Shigeru Ban has experienced firsthand the direct impact of climate change and natural disasters causing adverse effects on both people and the planet.

Climate change is a reality that must be addressed both in how we live and how we build: our individual decisions to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions can change the world.

However, building construction in its current state does not responsibly consider the future and well-being of our planet. To this end, Shigeru Ban Architects promotes building in wood as a model for environmental consciousness. Although timber is one of the oldest building materials, it is also one that holds much promise for the future.

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J-Shape Technology offers the best in softforming for every kind of profile

Image © SCM

SCM stands out as a genuine specialist in the supply of technologies that are simple to use and produce results of the highest quality

The design and furnishing sectors are continually evolving.

Modularity is increasingly a diktat, machining work is on the rise, new shapes and possibilities are being added, which need to be moulded and shaped with ease and rapidity while still guaranteeing a good quality finishing. New market trends, including more complicated shapes, frame profiles which become handles, the pursuit of absolute minimalism, boxes created from elements with 45 degree profiles - to name but a few - have lead SCM, a world leader in technologies for secondary wood processing, to develop a softforming edgebanding solution, which is the result of the know-how, excellence and solidity of a large Group, and exclusive highly

reliable partner to state of the art companies around the world.

In particular, on the subject of softforming and J-Shape, SCM stands out as a genuine specialist in the supply of technologies that are simple to use, but which produce results of the highest quality and which start by paying close attention to market demands.

J- side: Edgebanding with a new vision for design

The new ‘J-side’ kit is a clear example of how much SCM technologies for softforming manage to greatly optimize and simplify production processes in panel shape edgebanding.

It is, in fact, a technological evolution designed by SCM to solve the problem of complex

profiles because it allows for the automatic and intensive processing of those components, which also require softforming edgebanding of the transverse sides, thus completing 100 percent of the processing and finishing of the component directly on the machine.

The ‘J-side’ kit is a head for the ‘2M100’ corner rounding unit developed with a specific feeler and tool. It permits profiling with CNC interpolation on concave panel profiles and with internal radii starting from 4.7mm. It is perfectly integrated into the machine and allows for quick adaptation of the profile to be machined from HMI; manual or automatic management of different edge thicknesses (including those with protective

film); and the best possible management of the finishing continuity as best as possible (chamfered or radius) on the whole panel perimeter.

The new kit also allows the user to achieve results sooner than expected, which is essential in terms of finishing and productivity. The important novelty is the possibility to create J-Shape profiles so that the straight edge is exactly in line with the shaped edge, without gaps or projections. With the new ‘J-side’ kit that can be fitted onto a standard edgebander, there is no longer any need to carry out this work manually or with an additional stage: everything becomes much simpler, more rapid and better performing because all the stages can be

Image © SCM

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business potential.

SCM edgebanders for the J-shape

stefani s: this model can be ‘custom’ prepared and in line with the qualitative and performance requirements of the specific requesting company, both for traditional machining of straight panels as well as softforming. It can be used inside the edgebanding cell with automations for the return of the panel to the operator, devices for manual or semi-automatic feeding of the panel and devices for automatic loading. It can also be inserted in line with other machines.

The stefani s model also guarantees maximum machining quality thanks to the best technology available in each area of the machine. AirFusion+, SLIM LINE, SGP glue pot, ZERO LOCK,

NESTING LOCK are just some of the exclusive technologies that guarantee a top-quality finished product. stefani one: this is a high-end single-sided edgebander destined for use in large industry and designed for extra intensive usage. Modular lengths up to 16 meters allow for complete and customized processes to be set up for the edgebanding of softforming components, J-Shape, doors and tops with the use of state-of-the-art materials and finishings.

J-Shape components, doors, post-formed tops, straight or tilting drawers, film covered/ delicate/shaped doors can always be produced with high production standards and always with maximum productivity per shift, thanks to the machine's supporting structure and the nondeformable transport chain with

bearings that guarantee rapid, steady movements under any condition. Furthermore, the choice in the quality of edge/panel joint can be changed with maximum flexibility and with a minimum amount of time required for retooling. stefani sb: representing the strength of an industrialized project with high performances that has been growing for 60 years, the stefani sb can easily and rapidly be customized in flexibility and productivity, to meet customer demands. Panel squaring and edge application quality ensure a certifiable production and one that complies with all the standards. An advancing chain with 13 cogs with sintered links, motorized steel presser, iron column with specific design and vibration-free bases characterize this machine, making it suitable for heavy-duty and all other scenarios.

Components are finally produced in continuous flow, with the panel always moving. Production volumes of up to 10,000 panels per shift can be generated (depending on the machine model/equipment used). This represents a considerable step forward to extend the creative potential of softforming to an increasing number of companies because no other operators are needed besides the edgebander operator, no further space is required, and no further logistics are necessary. It is also a highly effective solution with any kind of edge and with different thicknesses. Overall, the technology represents a single investment for a vastly expanded

Image © SCM

carried out for a complete J-Shape edgebanding.

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CATAS opens state-of-theart furniture and wood laboratory Institute undertakes more than 50,000 tests every year for 2,000 customers from all over the world

Image © CATAS

According to Bernardino Ceccarelli, the fire could have brought the institute to its knees. Instead, they faced the situation together, forming a stronger team and

continuing to work, to carry out tests, and to respond to the needs of their customers while the new laboratory grew up day by day. The new laboratory was built in less than two years with an investment of 4 million euros, entirely covered by CATAS. The new laboratory is a twofloor building comprising over 4,000 square meters. On the ground floor is a 2,300 square meter laboratory, with controlled temperature and humidity, a fiber optic data transmission system and more than hundred machines and equipment for networkconnected tests according to the rules of ‘Industry 4.0’. In the basement, a warehouse of 2,000 square meters with space for meetings and training courses; and on the roof, a 320 kW photovoltaic system to produce

energy from the sun.

With the opening of the facility, a new chapter opens in the history of CATAS, which today has 54 employees and carries out over 50,000 tests every year for 2,000 customers all over the world.

The new laboratory is expected to significantly enhance the institute's productivity, which from January 2020 will also be equipped with 30 new test machines for the analysis of formaldehyde and VOC (volatile organic compounds) emissions, a subject of growing importance in the furniture world.

The five departments (materials, surfaces, finished products, chemical-biological, and fire) carry out a wide range of tests and research both on raw materials and finished products. For each single material or product, CATAS

Image © CATAS

CATAS, the largest Italian and European institute in the field of wood and furniture, opened its new state-of-the-art furniture laboratory, earlier in October of this year. The modern facility, which was simply marked as ‘Building C’, arose from the ashes of a fire that took place at its headquarters in San Giovanni al Natisone, Italy, on December 20, 2016. The ribbon cutting that actually celebrated the new laboratory was the most significant event in the long history of CATAS, which also celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of its foundation this year.

There is also a technical office that is able to perform virtual simulation of mechanical tests.

With these instruments, the safety and performance of a new product can be evaluated even before its realization, through modelling and simulations carried out thanks to the computer aid and the use of special dedicated software programmes. These systems also allow to simulate possible modification of the product to improve it, thus having a well-founded confidence that the finished product - at the end of the ideation, design and implementation process - will succeed the tests required by the market Tests are carried out according to national standards (UNI, DIN, BS,

NF, ASTM, ANSI, etc.), European standards (EN) and international standards (ISO). On top of these, tests can be designed according to the specific requirements of a client. The research center is supported by a highly qualified team of experts including graduates in chemistry, physics, engineering and mathematics.

In addition to the accreditation granted by Accredia, CATAS has also several recognitions from government agencies (for example the Italian Home Office for fire reaction tests or the American CARB and EPA for the formaldehyde emission), associations (the Bifma, which brings together the US manufacturers of office furniture) and large private groups, including Ikea and Intertek. CATAS is also included in the list Cpsc (Consumer Products Safety Commission) for the analysis of lead in finishes for the American market.

Image Š CATAS

can assess the conformity to the requirements of standards or to those defined by the customer itself, by carrying out different tests on safety, performance and durability.

Image Š CATAS

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Southern Yellow Pine America’s favourite softwood

SYP has a distinctive colour and grain, its sapwood ranging from white to yellowish and heartwood from yellow to reddish-brown. It combines good looks, strength, and extreme ease of preservative treatment with the highest nail-holding ability.

Request your copy of our Guide to American Softwood Species by e-mailing your address to: mail@sfpa.org Left-hand image shows high grade vertical grain SYP flooring.

Main uses Appearance and impact resistance make it suitable for a wide range of decorative uses, such as windows, doors, floors and mouldings. Ease of preservative treatment makes it good for decking and outdoor use.

Physical and mechanical properties Weight ranges from 537 to 626 kg per cubic metre. High density gives it natural strength, weight, and impact and wearing resistance.

It has a higher specific gravity than Scots pine and, although easy to work with, stands up well to rough treatment.

People you can do business with www.AmericanSoftwoods.com

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Biesse’s B_CABINET FOUR offers a complete business solution aimed at ensuring ideas take form and shape The factory of the future is a reality where man’s creative mind meets the infinite capabilities of the machine

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Image © Biesse

The factory of the future is a reality where man’s creative mind meets the infinite capabilities of the machine: the winning partnership that is taking shape between the two offers a host of opportunities and advantages connected to robotization and the digital factory. Thanks to this alliance and Biesse's passion, production has become interconnected and completely automated: all this is AutomAction. This concept guides the creation of the digitized factory in large industrialized plants

and represents the key to strengthening and increasing the production performance for large industry.

SmartAction was conceived alongside the concept of AutomAction and it’s a new technological trend within the reach of every production reality, even small ones. The new SmartAction concept differs from AutomAction in that it is aimed at companies intending to look at digitalization for the first time: it makes it possible to create a compact, connected and accessible factory, offering this opportunity to small and medium-sized companies that want to become more competitive in the market.

Through the application of all the opportunities offered by Industry 4.0, the machines are connected in real time and guarantee fast and optimized production.

These concepts are Biesse’s answer to the digital revolution

Image © Biesse

At the autumn edition of ‘Inside Biesse’, an event that confirms and strengthens Biesse’s commitment to providing innovative solutions to automate and revolutionize production methods, held in the company’s headquarters in Italy, Biesse introduced its new concept of SmartAction, a specific adaptation of the AutomAction trend launched at Ligna trade show.

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Image © Biesse

In order to control the complexity of use and programming of machines as far as possible by interpreting and making the concepts of Factory 4.0 their own, in recent years Biesse has invested heavily in the world of software, its main aim being to make machines human. By working with a dedicated team, it has developed software solutions, which are conceived through close observation of the customer's

everyday work, with simple interfaces designed to guarantee the practical daily use of the machine.

The software, which specializes in furniture design, allows users to develop designs for a given space, and quickly identify the individual elements in it. It provides a virtual environment that replicates the actual space, where the user can design individual pieces of furniture or complete furnishing solutions with the greatest ease. The switch from design to production mode then requires just a few clicks, which means significant cost savings.

B_CABINET is a software

Image © Biesse

One of these solutions is B_ CABINET FOUR, a new module that supplements the tried and tested B_CABINET software, which can guarantee total control and maximum optimization of furniture design and production to achieve a maximum level of efficiency. This is a unique solution for managing furniture production from the 3D design phase to production flow monitoring.

Image © Biesse

that has brought about a massive change based on technological innovation that involves production systems, companies, the market and the relationship between them and man. In this industrial context, software is interconnected, and the key word is ‘digitalization’. Software and management processes are integrated in real time, new digital programs are interfaced and integrated, and with the arrival of new technologies, company competitiveness increasingly depends on rapid, flexible production. IT systems are behind this revolution/transformation and guarantee optimization, monitoring of operations, data tracking and correct management of the stages of production.

application that can be purchased separately from the machine software (bSuite) and can also be used to operate competitors' machines in the production process. Also designed for designers and architects, B_CABINET can be used for fully customizable, quick and flexible designing of each item of furniture, panel programming for machining centers, cutting lists for panel saws, edgebanding sequences, assembly diagrams, requirement reports as well as offering a powerful photo rendering engine.

the production process to each workstation.

B_CABINET, in line with the principles of Industry 4.0 and through the development of services that have helped to achieve complete data digitalization, is complemented by a new supplementary module called B_CABINET FOUR. This makes it easy to manage all the machining phases (cutting, milling, boring, edgebanding, assembly, packaging) with just one click. By controlling the materials, hardware, machining technology and data routing, B_CABINET FOUR can be used to quickly and efficiently send information which is useful to

This solution is available worldwide. Here in the Middle East, Biesse is ready to help customers to optimize their production processes. At the Biesse Dubai Campus, customers can find out how to create a smart factory in a small production company, exploiting the power and effectiveness of highly integrated solutions, for standardized processes without sacrificing customization. With Biesse’s technologies, tailormade furniture is now produced in continuous cycle production in narrow workspaces and with limited labor.

B_CABINET FOUR also includes an environment dedicated to real time monitoring of the production process. This means complete control of the order status, step by step, thanks to charts and 3D images. Each workstation receives the job order, the production sequence, additional information on each assembled part or project, the machining and cutting lists, and the PDF assembly diagram.

With B_CABINET FOUR, ideas take form and shape.

INTEGRATION SOFTWARE B_CABINET IS A UNIQUE SOLUTION FOR MANAGING FURNITURE PRODUCTION FROM THE 3D DESIGN PHASE TO PRODUCTION FLOW MONITORING

MIDDLEEAST@BIESSE.COM +97148878533

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Hello Wood creates ‘smart furniture’ for schools and universities Fluid Cube and City Snake re-introduce modular public structures in a contemporary and sustainable way Architecture and design studio Hello Wood has created a line of unconventional outdoor furniture with smart functions for schools and universities.

The sleek pieces of solid wood furniture have been installed at four educational institutions, where they also serve as a community space.

The outdoor furniture designs, commissioned by MVM Hungarian Electricity Private Limited Company (MVM), reimagine the genre of public sculpture by including smart functions powered by renewable energy.

Image © Hello Wood

The two furniture pieces Fluid Cube and City Snake - re-introduce modular public structures in a contemporary and sustainable way. City Snake is a 7.5m long outdoor smart bench with integrated solar panels that enable students to charge their phones through built-in USB outlets. Fluid Cube, on the other hand, is a 9m3 cube structure that has the same technical attributes, but also can serve as a safe place during rain thanks to its roofing.

The City Snake is a modular structure; its elements are variable and can fit any given site. The Fluid Cube is a fixed unit with solar cells

swimming between the layers of its tempered glass top. This transparent roof blocks rain, but more importantly lets the sunlight through. Users can stretch out along the shape of the City Snake, while the openings of the Fluid Cube are designed so more than one unit can be lined up side-by-side.

According to Dávid Ráday, Co-founder of Hello Wood, the purpose of exciting and innovative design is to turn articles of everyday use into loveable objects. In order to decide which schools got the pieces, MVM decided on the distribution of the pieces by way of a tender open to educational institutions. The call received more than 1,200 applications.

In consideration of their outdoor placement and desired lifecycle, the structures were built of larch, a highly durable wood type that takes on a natural grey patina with time.

According to András Huszár, Co-founder, Hello Wood, the cool lines of the Fluid Cube and the City Snake were cut from sawn blocks of wood using CNC technology, which allowed them to minimize waste.

The expansion joints that prevent the cracking of the

Image © Hello Wood

wood play a role in shaping the character of each piece of furniture. They house the mood lighting, which slices up the solid shapes with strips of light using solar power. The integrated USB sockets, WiFi hotspot, and lighting are all

Image © Hello Wood

Image © Hello Wood

72

powered by the shock resistant solar panels developed by the Hungarian brand Platio.

The four pieces of outdoor furniture (two of each design) were distributed via a tender

by MVM. The jury selected the

winners based on a complex system of criteria, including the characteristics of the site, the number and means of students, and the creativity of the individual bids. The winners of the Fluid Cube were Semmelweis Egyetem - EOK (university),

Budapest and I. Béla Gimnázium (high school), Szekszárd whilst City Snake was awarded to Kölcsey Ferenc Gimnázium (high school), Zalaegerszeg and Rózsahegyi Kálmán Imre Általános Iskola (elementary school), Gyomaendrőd.

74

Cairo WoodShow

MEM Industrial

Furniture Asia

Acetech

Acetech

Nepal Wood International Expo

DOMOTEX Hannover

WOODEX 2020

imm Cologne

ZOW

December 5 - 8 Cairo International Convention & Exhibition Center Cairo, Egypt www.cairowoodshow.com ...........................................................................................

December 14 - 16 Karachi Expo Center Karachi, Pakistan www.furnitureasia.com.pk .............................................................................................

December 19 - 22 Pragati Maidan Delhi, India www.etacetech.com/index.html .............................................................................................

January 10 - 13, 2020 Hannover Exhibition Center Hannover, Germany www.domotex.de/en .............................................................................................

January 13 - 19, 2020 Koelnmesse GmbH Cologne, Germany www.imm-cologne.com/imm/index-2.php .............................................................................................

January 22 - 24, 2020 Centro Citibanamex Mexico City, Mexico www.hfmexico.mx/MEMIndustrial/en .............................................................................................

January 24 - 26, 2020 HITEX Exhibition Center Hyderabad, India www.etacetech.com/index.html .............................................................................................

January 31 - February 2, 2020 Bhrikuti Mandap Kathmandu, Nepal www.nepalwood.com.np .............................................................................................

February 2 - 5, 2020 Tehran International Permanent Fairground Tehran, Iran http://en.miladgroup.net .............................................................................................

February 4 - 6, 2020 Exhibition Centre Bad Salzuflen Bad Salzuflen, Germany http://english.zow.de/ZOW/index-2.php .............................................................................................

FORMEX

EUROBOIS 2020

Maison et Objet Paris

Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair

January Furniture Show

Furnex & the Home

Istanbul Furniture Fair

INDIAWOOD

January 14 - 17, 2020 Stockholm International Fairs and Congress Center Stockholm, Sweden www.formex.se ............................................................................................

January 17 - 21, 2020 Parc des expositions de Paris - Nord Villepinte Paris, France www.maison-objet.com/en/pais .............................................................................................

January 19 - 22, 2020 NEC Birmingham Birmingham, UK www.januaryfurnitureshow.com .............................................................................................

January 21 - 26, 2020 CNR EXPO Istanbul Expo Center Istanbul, Turkey www.cnrimob.com/index.aspx .............................................................................................

February 4 - 7, 2020 Eurexpo Lyon, France http://eurobois.net/en .............................................................................................

February 4 - 8, 2020 Stockholm International Fairs and Congress Center Stockholm, Sweden www.stockholmfurniturelightfair.se/?sc_lang=en .............................................................................................

February 20 - 24, 2020 Egypt International Convention Center Cairo, Egypt www.furnexthehome.com .............................................................................................

February 27 - March 2, 2020 Bangalore International Exhibition Center Bengaluru, India www.indiawood.com/home .............................................................................................

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