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MIDDLE EAST
June 2016 | Issue
26
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American red & white oak add to Cocktail Kitchen’s refined material palette Architecten en Bouwmeesters design the most sustainable office in the world based in the Netherlands Felder Group: Proven tradition and consistent innovation for perfection in woodworking Anders Berensson Architects propose wooden skyscraper with decorative facade for Stockholm Southern Yellow Pine industry serves world markets
ANALYSIS
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INTERVIEWS
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DESIGN
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June 2016 www.timberdesignandtechnology.com SUSTAINABILITY | TECHNOLOGY
Farlin group of companies are vertically integrated with an established presence worldwide in timber logs, sawn timber, plywood, panel products and coal for energy sectors.
T: +971 4 8809889 F: +971 4 8809779
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Hollow | Image © Max McClure
June 2016 Issue 26 DIRECTOR Andy MacGregor publisher@citrusmediagroup.net +971 55 849 1574 MARKETING DIRECTOR Eric Hammond marketing@citrusmediagroup.net +971 4 455 8400 INTERNATIONAL SALES DIRECTOR James Hamilton james@timberdesignandtechnology.com EDITOR Tony Smith editor@timberdesignandtechnology.com INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT Eamonn Ennis eamonn@timberdesignandtechnology.com +91 98676 54952 INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATIVES Rabia Alga AntExpo Org. | Turkey +90 216 541 0390 rabia@antexpo.net ELIAS AGGELOPOULOS Med Expo | Greece +30 210 2931011 info@epipleon.gr Timber Design & Technology is published 6 times a year
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EDITOR’S NOTE If the 19th century was the age of steel, and the 20th of concrete; this century is the new age of timber. New types of engineered timber that are considerably stronger and more stable than regular wood are allowing architects to build bigger and higher, with timber skyscrapers now a real prospect. Leading this revolution is cross-laminated timber (CLT), which has been widely heralded as the system to build tall timber towers with. The London Design Festival 2016 have announced four Landmark Projects and two - The Smile and Baboushka Boxes - will be made from CLT. As the world re-embraces timber as a building material, it is hoped that they will become recognized more for the possibilities they can offer in all aspects of design and construction. In his article for this issue, Neil Summers, AHEC Technical Consultant, points out that whilst the wide range of American hardwood species offer the architect and designer a wonderful palette of colors, textures and grains from which to make furniture and design interiors; what they do not offer is a very durable wood species that can be considered for outdoor applications such as cladding or decking. Meanwhile, their use in structural applications has been somewhat limited by a lack of know-how. However, this is now changing through the application of new, and relatively simple, technology coupled with a readiness to explore timber as a material for a wider range of construction solutions. Through AHEC’s vision, sustainable American hardwoods are now beginning to enter new and exciting commercial markets. The new head office of dryer and cooler manufacturer Geelen Counterflow in Haelen, the Netherlands, is the most sustainable office in the world, receiving a 99.94 percent score in the BREEAM certification system. Designed by Architecten en Bouwmeesters, the office building’s main bearing construction consists of a solid wooden bearing construction, which was made by German company - NUR-HOLZ. In addition, the designers also decided to use Accoya, manufactured by Accsys Technologies, to produce key elements of the build in order to support their client’s desire to produce a new office with unrivalled green credentials. As such, the building for 50 office employees generates 50 percent more solar energy than it needs for heating, air conditioning, lighting and computers. Here in the UAE, the newly opened Cocktail Kitchen and Bar, designed by UAE based practice Anarchitect, continues to delight returning cocktail and food connoisseurs and challenges design expectations of Dubai for both local and international audiences. Using American white oak and American red oak, architects Jonathan Ashmore and Tarik Zaharna have created a sequence of spaces over 500 sqm that maximize social interaction as part of the overall experience. We take a closer look at the project, which features a refined material palette made up of three core elements; stone, metal and wood. Each in itself respectively represents solidity, precision and nature and when combined they create a superlative refinement and playfulness in the project. 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.
Image © Max McClure
CONTENTS
06 NEWS
34 COMMENT
The latest industry news from within the region and around the world
Southern Yellow Pine industry serves world markets
10 SUSTAINABILITY
44 THE SOURCE
Architecten en Bouwmeesters design the most sustainable office in the world based in the Netherlands
Quebec Wood Export Bureau: Your gateway to wood products from Quebec, Canada
16 MARKET REPORT
48 WOOD WORKS
First MENA Design Education Outlook reveals need for nine-fold increase in design graduates to ensure sustainable growth of MENA design sector
10,000 trees span the history of the planet in new public artwork by Katie Paterson and Zeller & Moye
20 ANALYSIS
56 INTERVIEW
Reinventing American hardwoods
FMC China 2016: A 22-year legend of the furniture industry
PROFILE
DESIGN & DÉCOR
TALL TIMBER
TALL TIMBER
24 Felder Group
28 Cocktail Kitchen
38 Timber Tower
41 Trätoppen
Felder Group: Proven tradition and consistent innovation for perfection in woodworking
American red & white oak add to Cocktail Kitchen’s refined material palette
Timber tower could transform London’s skyline
Anders Berensson Architects propose wooden skyscraper with decorative facade for Stockholm
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NEWS
Image © Scm Group
ACCORD 50 FX: LARGER MACHINING VOLUME, MORE OPPORTUNITIES OF USE
Launched at Holz-Handwerk in March earlier this year, the Accord 50 FX is the new Scm machining center that allows users to perform routing and drilling of work pieces up to 500 mm in height. In recent years, the development of the machining centers affected mainly the 5-axis technology, an area in which the Scm Group has always been a champion: from the first applications born over twenty years ago to today’s widespread use. Today, the business sectors for a 5-axis machining center are multiple: panels, curved plywood, traditional elements in solid wood, design objects in wood, plastic, composites, resins, light alloys, prototyping, modeling and molds. In order to meet the needs of the new 5-axis applications, it was necessary to increase the maximum machining capacity and allow the tool to move freely around complex-shaped work pieces, which has led to the design of Accord 50 FX.
Thanks to the exclusive Pro-Speed safety system, the machine detects the operator’s presence, allowing maximum access during work piece loading/ unloading and giving high travel speed.
Smart programming: Thanks to the Xilog Maestro software suite developed by Scm, the Accord 50 FX programming is easy, intuitive and effective. The software suite includes the Maestro 3D integrated module for 5-axis machining of 3D surfaces; and the Maestro Pro View simulator for visualizing in advance the machining operations to be carried out on the machine on a PC in the office.
With a machining capacity of more than 6 cubic meters, the Accord 50 FX has all its tools available on the machining head, and is able to maintain precision and finish quality at the highest level. The machining head is equipped with an electrospindle developing an output of 17 kW from 12000 up to 24000 RPM, ensuring maximum performance supported by a sturdy aluminum structure, integrated with powerful drive units setting the rotary axes.
Unlimited possibilities:
Image © Scm Group
Great finish quality:
Tool stores positioned on the machining head, the mobile gantry and to the worktable side, make available up to 72 tools, reducing downtime.
The aluminum multi-function worktable ensures a perfect lasting planarity, despite changes in ambient factors such as temperature and humidity. A directly integrated vacuum system and specially designed T-shaped grooves also allows an optimum locking of the work pieces and the positioning of any type of mechanical locking equipment. The machine is available also with bars worktable, equipped with suction cups and pneumatic clamps with manual or automatic positioning, for easy and quick set-up.
Ergonomics and safety: Ergonomic use and high productivity of the machine are a perfect match. www.timberdesignandtechnology.com
June 2016
Image © Scm Group
Reliable technology:
ACCORD 50 FX
THE FREEDOM OF THE 5-AXIS TECHNOLOGY 5-Axis machining centre designed for innovative and multiple applications. The freedom to perform routing and boring operations without limits of shapes and materials: - Work pieces up to 500 mm in height - Plastics, composites, resins, light alloys and solid wood. The powerful machining head with 17 kW output and 24000 rpm maximum rotation speed together with 72 tools always available ensure perfect finish quality and high productivity.
www.scmgroup.com
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NEWS
Image © C.F. Møller
C.F. MØLLER AIMS TO CREATE A ‘NEW IMPULSE IN THE CITY’ THROUGH ITS TIMBER TOWN PROPOSAL
With its ‘Örnsro Trästad’ (Örnsro Timber Town) proposal, C.F. Møller Architects and C.F. Møller Landscape, in cooperation with Slättö Förvaltning, has won the task of designing a visionary residential quarter in central Örebro. The competition was held by the Örebro Municipality together with the Swedish Association of Architects with the aim of creating an extraordinary urban quarter, as a ‘new impulse in the city’. Örnsro Trästad will be a destination and a vibrant quarter of Örebro, with a clear idea of how to enrich the city’s social networks by integrating nature into the urban landscape. The residential buildings interact with an urban city park including a variety of activities and plazas for social meetings and recreation. The buildings in the district will be created with solid timber frame structures, and will contribute positively to the overall lifecycle perspective of the
project. The new urban quarter comprises several apartment buildings of varying heights. The activity route, or thoroughfare, through the area interconnects the existing promenade sections along Svartån creek with the surrounding quarter. Ängen, a generous public city park, gives the area an unexpected meeting between city and wild nature. “We wish to create an including urban quarter in which the city’s urban and social qualities interact with the park’s organic structures. The proposal illustrates a vision with the objective to create an exciting place in Örebro, of unique value, with innovative architecture,” says Ola Jonsson, Project Architect at C.F. Møller. “For us, it is an obvious choice to choose solid wood for the structure as well as façades of wood. In addition to contributing positively to the environment, wood gives us new opportunities to create innovative and value-creating architecture.”
Windows and solar panels in the future could be made from one of the best - and cheapest - construction materials known: wood. Researchers at Stockholm’s KTH Royal Institute of Technology have developed a new transparent wood material that’s suitable for mass production. Lars Berglund, a professor at Wallenberg Wood Science Center at KTH, says that while optically transparent wood has been developed for microscopic samples in the study of wood anatomy, the KTH project introduces a way to use the material on a large scale. “Transparent wood is a good material for solar cells, since it’s a low-cost, readily available and renewable resource,” says Berglund. “This becomes particularly important in covering large surfaces with solar cells.” Berglund says transparent wood panels can also be used for windows, and semitransparent facades, when the idea is to let light in but maintain privacy. The optically transparent wood is a type of wood veneer in which the lignin, a component of the cell walls, is removed chemically. “When the lignin is removed, the wood becomes beautifully white. But because wood isn’t not naturally transparent, we achieve that effect with some nanoscale tailoring,” he says. “The white porous veneer substrate is impregnated with a transparent polymer and the optical properties of the two are then matched.” “No one has previously considered the possibility of creating larger transparent structures for use as solar cells and in buildings,” adds Berglund. “Among the work to be done next is enhancing the transparency of the material and scaling up the manufacturing process. We also intend to work www.timberdesignandtechnology.com
June 2016
Image © KTH Royal Institute of Technology
RESEARCHERS DEVELOP A NEW ‘TRANSPARENT’ WOOD MATERIAL SUITABLE FOR MASS PRODUCTION
further with different types of wood.” “Wood is by far the most used bio-based material in buildings. It’s attractive that the material comes from renewable sources. It also offers excellent mechanical properties, including strength, toughness, low density and low thermal conductivity,” says Berglund.
NEWS
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Image © London Design Festival
Image © London Design Festival
LONDON DESIGN FESTIVAL 2016 TO FEATURE INSTALLATIONS MADE FROM CROSS-LAMINATED TIMBER
Running across the capital from September 17 - 25, this year’s London Design Festival brings together architects, designers and artists for over 400 events spread across the capital. Since 2007 the festival has commissioned some the world’s most influential designers, architects, and pioneering new talents to create something extraordinary for the festival’s Landmark Projects, which are site specific and have appeared in some of London’s most prominent and covetable spaces. For the 2016 edition there will be four Landmark Projects: Visionary Crazy Golf, The Smile, Baboushka Boxes, and Mini Living. The Festival has worked closely with the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) for several years on creative projects, resulting in successful collaborations such as Timber Wave, Endless Stair and The Wish List, all exhibiting the versatility and potential of sustainable timbers. This year AHEC, award-winning firm Alison Brooks Architects, Arup, Merk and the London Design Festival collaborate to create a new installation - The Smile. Alison Brooks has designed an urban installation that showcases the structural and spatial potential of cross-laminated hardwood, using American tulipwood. The Smile is a structure that can be inhabited and explored, and which offers a new way of looking at the city.
Using construction sized panels of hardwood CLT for the first time, Alison Brooks’ concept is of a 3.5m high and 36m long curved rectangular tube - a very pure and efficient structural form, and the first ever mega-tube made of timber. The timber tube is curved into a long upside down arc - hence its name - which, like a wheel, only touches the ground at one point. The, curved form allows The Smile to cantilever out from its center point to reach out into space. The cantilevers hover above the ground, creating sheltered outdoor spaces. Each end of the tube is open to the air; cinematic apertures that offer balcony views to the landscape. At night these apertures will project light from each end, creating an endless smile. The curved floor, curved ceiling and curved walls create a dynamic and unfamiliar internal space. It is an undulating environment, something between a landscape, an adventure playground, a bridge and a diving board. Arup’s engineering team are working to derive the most efficient structural form, using only 80 cubic meters of wood to create a 180 square meter space. The forces of tension and compression working in the timber CLT walls will be expressed by perforations in its elevations. These will generate patterns of light across the Smile’s interior spaces during the day, to become an urban lantern at night. Housing has never been a more topical issue, especially in our urban centers, and it is one that Shelter and Legal & General seek to address through an experiential installation designed by dRMM. The interactive exhibition will feature a series of box- like structures made from crosslaminated timber. dRMM’s pioneering use of CLT since 2006 includes the Endless Stair, a Landmark Project for the 2013 London Design Festival featuring the invention of cross laminated tulipwood. Legal & General will take CLT technology to the next level with new UK mass production facilities making thousands of modern, energy efficient homes. For Baboushka Boxes, CLT is reduced to its purest form; the carefully made, well-proportioned box. “Baboushka Boxes is a conceptual piece; a mini manifesto for change. Change in the design, procurement, construction and user experience of housing. Housing is here represented as a prefabricated, strong, adaptable timber family of boxes, nested for transport. Construction that is socially, ecologically and economically sustainable. Just add insulation and glass,” says Alex de Rijke from dRMM. “Stacked like an inhabited sculpture, these living boxes can be re-arranged to suit individual or communal needs. The interiors are furnished, colored or projected onto. Spaces between boxes form external rooms and routes. The main idea of the installation is to use our most modern material, engineered timber, to speculate on the nature and needs of current society and future living.” June 2016
www.timberdesignandtechnology.com
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Architecten en Bouwmeesters design the most sustainable office in the world based in the Netherlands Timber structure and cladding help project achieve 99.94 percent score in the BREAM certification system
The new head office of dryer and cooler manufacturer Geelen Counterflow in Haelen, the Netherlands, is the most sustainable office in the world, receiving a 99.94 percent score in the BREEAM certification system. The building for 50 office employees generates 50 percent more solar energy than it needs for
heating, air conditioning, lighting and computers. The extra energy is used in the factory for laser cutting of stainless steel and recharging of electric forklift trucks. Where possible, the building materials are ‘Cradle to Cradle’ certified, which means that they do no harm to the environment and that they can be re-used at the end of their lifetime.
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June 2016
The building is constructed out of wood, which is considered to have the lowest CO2 footprint of any construction material. The design is optimized for employee health and productivity through control of daylight infiltration, air quality and indoor lighting, and by using healthy materials. Around the office a natural garden has been created
using a variety of native plants and flowers. The landscaping also includes nesting sites for birds, bugs, bats and amphibians. Sander Geelen, Managing Director of Geelen Counterflow, said: “In our never ending quest to build the best dryers and coolers for food and feed we apply the laws of nature around gravity, aerodynamics
SUSTAINABILITY
Image Š John Sondeyker
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and thermodynamics. So when we build a new office it only makes sense to respect these laws and the limits of nature too. This office is another step on our journey to phase out fossil fuels. The next step is to develop a new generation of dryers that will use renewable energy only.� The office was designed by
Architecten en Bouwmeesters, who had to design the new facility with a view towards expected growth of the workforce over the coming 10 years. According to the client brief, the new building had to accommodate 50 office workplaces and also include facilities for 90 workers in the production workshops. In view of the close
relationship between production and engineering, the workplaces are located near each other. According to the design team, the new office building had to facilitate the work processes with interaction between employees remaining an essential element. To ensure a pleasant work environment, the new building had to offer sufficient June 2016
daylight, a pleasant view and acoustic comfort. Additionally, to stimulate interaction between office and production personnel, the distinction between office and workshop had to be limited to a minimum in the design. All personnel and visitors were meant to access the building via its main entrance. www.timberdesignandtechnology.com
Image © John Sondeyker
Image © John Sondeyker
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In addition to office spaces for 50 employees, the new building also includes supporting office functions like a reception area, meeting rooms, interview rooms, print rooms and toilets. It also includes a large cafeteria for all personnel. An outdoor space in the form of a covered patio is accessible via this cafeteria. The new building includes a washing and changing room for the workshop personnel as well.
Timber structure The office building’s main bearing construction consists of a solid wooden bearing construction, which was made by NUR-HOLZ. This is a recently developed solid wooden construction system, made of untreated wood. The layers are connected to each other with beech
screws. The screws are pre-dried to make them shrink. They are then screwed into the panels and absorb residual moisture from the wood. This causes them to swell and creates a firm connection. The beech screws are screwed into the panel on the non-visible side until the middle part of the last panel. The visible part is smooth and no screws are visible. The solid wooden elements are constructed without using adhesives. This means that no harmful substances are emitted. The NUR-HOLZ system consists of a wall, floor and roof elements. The system’s walls consist of a main, structural core of approximately 6-8 cm against which layers of wood are placed in a horizontal, diagonal and vertical direction, until the desired
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June 2016
wall thickness of up to a maximum of 35 cm is realized. The floor and roof elements are supported by structural, wooden beams. All elements are prefabricated in the factory. They are fitted with openings for window frames, for example, and facilities for the different installations. At the construction location, the elements are assembled as a complete hull. This construction method offers all the benefits of Industrial, Flexible and Demountable (IFD) Building Technology. This has a positive effect on the costs and the quality, and will make the final demolition easier. Where NUR-HOLZ is used as an external wall, the wood is protected against weather influences by means of cladding. The wooden
walls and columns inside the building are unfinished. The components are protected against the influence of UV radiation by applying linseed oil paint. To ensure extra protection, wall tiling is fitted in sanitary areas and the kitchen. The 35 cm thick wall construction has a high thermal insulation value (Rc=4.0 m2 K/W). This prevents the need for additional wall insulation. Further, extra insulation has been installed in the roof. The building’s basement is made of a concrete construction. The basement is also (partly) prefabricated via a hollow-wall system. This is made of 100 percent recycled granules. The division between the support and builtin elements was an important aspect. To ensure flexibility, the
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solid wooden construction contains as few system components as possible. Installation shafts are included on each grid at the external wall, and two main shafts are included in the building’s central zone. Cable ducts are placed in between the lowered ceilings and the solid wooden floors. All nonstructural elements like interior walls and fronts are assembled separately from the main bearing construction.
Timber cladding The design team behind the project decided to use Accoya, manufactured by Accsys Technologies, to produce key elements of the build in order to support their client’s desire to produce a new office with unrivalled
green credentials. As a C2C Gold and BREEAM certified product, Accoya helped to support the build to achieve five-star accreditation from BREEAM-NL. The new two storey property is an architecturally
Image © John Sondeyker
Image © John Sondeyker
Image © John Sondeyker
SUSTAINABILITY
windows are tilt and turn, with lock fittings hidden to provide a more streamlined look. Accoya was the most appropriate product to use to construct the building’s impressive windows and doors as the wood’s
The building is constructed out of wood, which is considered to have the lowest CO2 footprint of any construction material striking building and mixes glazed Accoya windows and Accoya cladding to help the office blend in with its surrounding environment. Constructed by joinery firm Helwig, the amount of glass used in the development allows for an abundance of natural light to enter the building. The majority of
dimensional stability ensures that they don’t expand and warp when faced with changeable weather. The mix of light and natural construction products provides a comfortable internal environment which supports passive-house guidelines. These guidelines assist designers and builders in the June 2016
construction of properties which require minimal energy input. Internally 1,200 m3 of light colored solid wood sourced from Germany’s Black Forest was used, which was provided by the German company NUR-HOLZ. The light colored wood blends with doors crafted from Accoya to create an airy and minimalist feel. Accoya cladding measuring 40x40mm was used for the build, which was prefabricated and fixed from complete segments. This approach made it possible to complete the wall cladding in just a few days. All Accoya was coated with Drywood Woodstain VV in a semi translucent color. Accoya is one of the most advanced wood products on the market and has achieved a range of accreditations and commendations. www.timberdesignandtechnology.com
Image © John Sondeyker
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In addition to C2C and BREEAM certification, Accoya has also been granted the Dutch ecolabels Dubokeur and Greenlabel. Jos Wagemans of Wagemans Bouwadvies, who worked as construction and financial manager for the development said: “A critical factor in this build was the importance of producing one of the most environmentally friendly properties around. The decision to use Accoya was very easy; the product has sound environmental benefits as well as being durable, long lasting and stable. With a performance which is second to none, using Accoya was an easy choice.” Laura Ladd, Head of Marketing at Accsys Technologies said: “From a performance perspective, Accoya is one of the most reliable wood products available and has been developed to offer optimal performance for a variety of uses both externally and internally. Accoya requires minimal maintenance and retains its aesthetic qualities over time, and I know that Geelen Counterflow’s team will be able enjoy sustainable, durable and naturally beautiful
The conviction to build based on the idea of a circular economy forced us to seek innovative solutions Accoya wood for at least the next 50 years as they settle into their new office.”
Cost-benefit analysis A cost-benefit analysis was carried out for various relevant building components. The estimated costs of certain choices are weighed against the benefits. These costs include construction, maintenance and energy costs. The benefits include indirect effects, for example, on sickness absence. In order to make the best possible decisions, the main bearing construction, installations, cladding and various finishing materials were evaluated on the basis on a life-cycle cost analysis.
Sustainability measures The ambitions for the new office building’s sustainability aspects were very high. On an annual basis, the building functions as an EnergyPLUS office and has
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June 2016
a sustainable design. The first structural measures that were taken in order to achieve these ambitions include high thermal insulation values in combination with an airtight construction. The design includes large and high window openings, which allow daylight to reach deep into the building. Further, three skylights in the roof provide sufficient daylight at the center of the building, which results in a lower energy demand. Overall, energy production is completely sustainable as no fossils fuels are used and all energy is generated on site via geothermal and solar energy. Additionally - to the extent that this was possible - the use of construction materials is based on the ‘Cradle to Cradle’ principle. The solid wooden bearing construction proved to be the decisive factor in terms of sustainability performance. Wood stores CO2 and also retains it once it has been
converted into NUR-HOLZ panels. Given that the wood was cut in the Black Forest in Germany and did not need to be transported over a long distance, the production is an energy-low process. NUR-HOLZ is 100 percent recyclable, both in the biological and technological cycle. By using both NUR-HOLZ and Accoya, it was possible to achieve a truly sustainable construction. The system scores high values in terms of energy savings, CO2 reduction, raw material usage, recyclability, lifespan and health. Wood stores heat slowly and gradually emits it again; this results in an even indoor temperature. According to the design team, because of its natural look, people tend to feel more comfortable when wood is used in the construction. Wood breathes and creates a natural moisture balance in the building. “The conviction to build based on the idea of a circular economy forced us to seek innovative solutions. If we want to reduce ever-higher CO2 emissions, we will need to focus on different solutions,” concludes Rob Wolfs, Architect at Architecten en Bouwmeesters.
16 MARKET REPORT
First MENA Design Education Outlook reveals need for ninefold increase in design graduates to ensure sustainable growth of MENA design sector More than 30,000 design students required in the Middle East by 2019 design markets in the region - the UAE, Qatar, Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan and Kuwait. The report highlights the growth of the design sector and subsequently, the need for at least 30,000 design graduates by 2019, representing the need for a ninefold increase in young designers to achieve sustainable growth of the design sector in the region.
According to the report, design is a key driver of innovation. Today, the design industry plays an essential and integral role in achieving Dubai’s ambitious Innovation Strategy, acting as a catalyst to the Emirate’s transformation into a Smart City, in accordance with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin
Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The MENA Design Education Outlook, commissioned by DDFC and supported by d3, identifies the opportunities and trends that are considered key to develop the design sector in alignment with these key strategic initiatives.
Image © DDFC
The Dubai Design and Fashion Council (DDFC), in partnership with Dubai Design District (d3) recently revealed the ‘MENA Design Education Outlook’ study, a groundbreaking report which is the first of its kind in the Arab region, and provides insight into the design education landscape across the MENA region and focuses on six key
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June 2016
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Image Š DDFC
MARKET REPORT
According to the MENA Design Outlook Study, published last year by DDFC, the design industry in the region is estimated to grow at an annual rate of 6 percent over the next 5 years, twice the pace of the global design sector, and is expected to contribute 5.2 percent of the overall design sector in 2019. The creative industry is viewed as a promising sector globally, while fashion is the largest contributor to the industry representing 69 percent of market value in MENA. Fashion is expected to continue growing at 6.1 percent until 2017 and subsequently at 7.5 percent until 2019 and is core to Dubai’s tourism and retail sectors. The total value of the MENA design industry will reach USD 55 billion by 2019. Given this overall positive outlook, organizations anticipate at least a 20 percent annual increase in their designer headcount, especially in fresh graduates, over the next two to three years. Estimated increase in headcount at junior levels is the highest in the Fashion and Interior Design segments. With reference to these results, the MENA Design Education Outlook has identified the barriers that could potentially hinder
this growth, such as the lack of dedicated design education facilities and design education offerings, and the low awareness of design courses currently available. The report also identified the need for a blueprint for educators and policymakers to shape design education offerings in a manner which is more aligned with industry needs, and the need to create fabrication labs to equip designers with hands-on skills throughout their education.
standardized view of design as a distinct sector of the economy. The MENA Design Outlook projected that the design industry in the region will grow at a compound annual rate of at least 6 percent over the next five years to reach USD 55 billion by 2019. These growth rates are strongly underpinned by the need to develop design education as a positive lever for sustainable growth of the industry. The lack of educational facilities and the lack of regional
Regional economies would need to focus their attention on creating additional pathways into the design sector According to the report, the linkages between design and the education sector are less firmly established. The design sector has been a subject of growing importance globally as governments and organizations across numerous cities, regions and countries are realizing the value and potential of design within their local economies. While design industries themselves have been drivers of wealth and jobs for centuries, there has not been a universal and
talents are intertwined, together receiving the greatest consensus as the major barriers to the growth of the design industry. Based on an analysis with other mature design economies, the region would need close to 30,000 design graduates across key streams such as Architecture and Interior Design, Fashion Design and other design segments to achieve the growth ambition in an indigenous manner. This would suggest the need for a nine-fold June 2016
increase in the number of design graduates currently being produced in order to make the growth ambition self-sustainable. A large part of this talent is currently imported, however regional economies would need to focus their attention on creating additional pathways into the design sector, such as strengthening vocational education to create diversity in the graduate marketplace. It must be noted that the Creative Industries in the region lag behind more developed markets in terms of contribution to GDP, accounting for roughly 1.5 percent of GDP contribution compared to 5 - 6 percent in more developed markets. As a result, harnessing the true potential of design should be firmly on the agenda of governments across the MENA region. The report also indicates the need for Governments across the region to identify the importance of the design industry and design education as a proactive tool for economy growth. Moreover, diversification of design education resources reflects not only a strategic imperative, but is also vital in order to drive innovation and preserve the growth of the design www.timberdesignandtechnology.com
18 MARKET REPORT industry in the region. Commenting on the importance of this report, Dr. Amina Al Rustamani, Chairperson of DDFC said: “The MENA Design Education Outlook, developed in collaboration with students and professionals in the design field, provides insights into the state of design education today across various segments such as architecture, visual arts, interior design, fashion design, product design and many more. The
The report also looks at international best practice of key design education hubs such as the USA, U.K., Singapore and The Netherlands and identifies numerous opportunities for the region to adopt the practices to build a strong global reputation for design education. These include recognizing the importance of education planning and early learning experiences, providing a structured career path and aligning
The design industry is playing an important role and is considered a vital catalyst of innovation, economic growth and job opportunities education skills with the needs of the economy. Arab countries need to unify their efforts and craft paths into the design sector, such as establishing design education institutes to create diversity in the marketplace. Nez Gebreel, CEO of DDFC, said: “As demonstrated in the MENA Design Outlook study, commissioned by DDFC last year, the design industry is playing an important role and is considered a vital catalyst of innovation, economic growth and job opportunities. Investing in design education will help us to develop the design sector further, empower our breadth of local talent as well as equip designers with the knowledge and skills necessary to flourish in this dynamic industry.” Mohammad Saeed Al Shehhi, Chief Operations Officer of d3,
Creative industries have always played a prominent role in the cultural and economic development of the
MENA region.
6%
years represents both a challenge and an opportunity for educators to adopt long-term policies aimed at enhancing the relevance of design education to the design industry, and increasing the number and diversity of design graduates from the region. This will in turn ensure that growth will be sustainable and limits the need to import talent from outside the region. Furthermore, broadening the mix of
The MENA Design Education Outlook complements d3’s vision to become a global design hub
The region’s design industry will grow at 6%
Image © DDFC
over the next 5 years, significantly outpacing global growth.
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Image © DDFC
report also highlights opportunities and challenges that lie ahead, and will be a key reference while drafting strategies and plans to enhance the design ecosystem in the region. Ultimately, we hope that the study will help educators and policymakers alike to identify industry trends and support them in developing curriculums, courses and policies to nurture the talent pool in the region.”
June 2016
said: “Dubai Design District (d3) was established to provide Dubai and the region with a creative community that educates, inspires and nurtures emerging talent. The MENA Design Education Outlook complements d3’s vision to become a global design hub, and provide designers with insights which will help them to flourish further.” The report concludes by pointing out that the anticipated growth in the design sector over the next few
skills within teams and individuals represents a strategic imperative for innovation. * This article contains text from the MENA Design Education Outlook. For more information or to download the report, please visit: http:// dubaidesignandfashioncouncil. ae/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/ MENA-Design-Education-OutlookStudy-English.pdf
19
Sustainable Softwoods America’s forests produce over 80 million cubic metres of sawn timber a year, making America the largest timber producer in the world.
Modern forest management ensures that felled trees are replaced and that every year more wood is grown in US forests than is harvested. 1.6 billion seedlings are planted in the US every year, equal to 4.4 million trees every single day of the year. As a result, the US has more trees today than 70 years ago.
People you can do business with info@americansoftwoods.com
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20 ANALYSIS
Reinventing American hardwoods Neil Summers explores new possibilities for exterior and structural applications
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The wide range of American hardwood species offer the architect and designer a wonderful palette of colors, textures and grains from which to make furniture and design interiors. What they do not offer is a very durable wood species that can be considered for outdoor applications such as cladding or decking. Meanwhile, their use in structural applications has been somewhat limited by a lack of know-how. However, this is now changing through the application of a new, and relatively simple, technology coupled with a readiness to explore timber as a material for a wider range of construction solutions. The growing outdoor cladding and decking market uses significant
volumes of timber, which at present uses very little American hardwoods and, therefore, it provides major scope for growth. In the hardwood forests of the United States, there are a few naturallyoccurring very durable species, such as black locust, but they are not available in commercial quantities. American white oak has been used successfully in Europe on some large projects, but allowance has to be made for sapwood and preservative treatment may be necessary. However, the application of 10,000 square meters of white oak exterior cladding on the EU Veterinary Center in the harsh climate of Ireland back in 2002, shows that this species can be used for this purpose if handled and installed
ANALYSIS correctly. Ever since I was tasked by the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) nearly five years ago to investigate the subject of exterior markets for hardwoods, it became evident that wood modification was going to play a very significant role. Applying wood modification processes enables non-durable species to be used externally. Thermal modification of timber is one such generic process and it is adaptable to a range of different timber species. The modern commercial method of thermal modification that we know today was developed in
21
modified timber. These kilns range in size from a 5 cubic meter capacity up to the bigger operations using kilns capable of treating loads of up to 40 cubic meters at a time. AHEC has used thermallymodified timber (now known generically as TMT) to showcase its potential for outdoor application in a number of their recent design collaborations. The first project was the Infinity Bench designed by Martino Gamper for the 2012 London Design Festival. In his unique design, he used five different thermally-modified American hardwood species; tulipwood, ash, soft maple, red oak and yellow birch.
Scandinavia some thirty years ago, enabling the plentiful local softwood resource to be made durable without the application of chemicals. It soon became apparent that certain temperate American hardwood species could also lend themselves very well to the thermal modification process. The leading species are ash, tulipwood, soft maple, yellow birch and red oak. Some lesser-known species such as hackberry, sapgum and basswood also modify very well. Europe is still at the heart of the thermal modification industry with now just over one hundred kiln facilities producing commercial volumes of
The range of species used allowed for an exciting contrast in colours, grains and textures. Other bench design collaborations in thermally-modified American hardwoods include Emirati designer Khalid Shafar’s CITY’s Bench in Dubai and Australian Ben Percy’s design for Sydney Indesign 2013. One further interesting project using thermally-modified tulipwood was Adam Khan’s Octopus, designed for Wallpaper* magazine’s ‘office of the future’ exhibition at Howick Place in London in 2013. This installation featured both natural and thermally-modified American tulipwood in color-contrasting
Image © AHEC
Image © Gabrielle Voinot
What they do not offer is a very durable wood species that can be considered for outdoor applications such as cladding or decking
June 2016
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Image © AHEC
22 ANALYSIS
Thermal modification of timber is one such generic process and it is adaptable to a range of different timber species
Image © AHEC
juxtaposition. Recent commercial uses of TMT include a large decking project at the ITN building at 200 Gray’s Inn Road in London. Here the architect, IMA, selected thermally-modified American ash as the choice of timber to deliver a specification with Durability Class 1, outstanding dimensional stability and deriving from a source with proven environmental credentials. Another project, the recentlyopened and prestigious Disney store in Shanghai, makes extensive use of TM American ash in the façade cladding. American ash is the most popular species for TMT decking and cladding applications because of its open grain. However, thermallymodified American tulipwood offers an attractive alternative for cladding, due to its smooth finish and lower raw material cost. In construction there is no other material that comes anywhere near wood in its potential to offer environmental benefits. Recent developments in construction timber products such as crosslaminated timber (CLT) and glued-laminated (glulam) beams have meant that structural design in timber for buildings has been raised to another level. There are significant advantages to building in wood too; including lower foundation costs, as timber structures are invariably lighter; and
an overall shorter construction time. Two recent London projects using timber structurally really stand out and these are the new BskyB offices in Osterly and Canary Wharf Crossrail station. Although these projects are constructed from softwood, American hardwoods can play an increasingly significant role in future developments in timber construction. Looking back to 2000, Hopkins Architects used American
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June 2016
white oak for the Arup-designed grid-shell roof structure over the courtyard of Portcullis House in Westminster. Initial strength testing showed American white oak to have a strength class of D50, roughly twice the strength of high grade softwood. This meant that more slender timber members could be used, allowing for structural performance along with aesthetic design.
The use of white oak in Portcullis House prompted AHEC to test four commercially-important species for their strength values, so that these could be incorporated into the Eurocodes and design standards. White oak, red oak, ash and tulipwood were tested to EN338. This standard defines a range of strength classes based on values for bending strength, stiffness and density. All of these values were published in AHEC’s technical guide Structural Design in American Hardwoods, which is available on the AHEC website (www.americanhardwood.org). Interestingly, American tulipwood, although meeting the D40 strength and stiffness requirements, did not have the necessary density in order to permit it to be classified. AHEC’s long-standing partnership with the London Design Festival has enabled it to showcase a number of ground-breaking structural collaborations using American hardwoods in iconic London locations. The first of these was in 2008, with David Adjaye’s Sclera pavilion, which used laminated and engineered American tulipwood. Perhaps even more intricate was the 12.5 meter high American red oak Timber Wave, erected outside the entrance to the Victoria & Albert Museum in 2011. Designed by Amanda Levete of AL_A with Arup, this pushed structural design
ANALYSIS 23 construction. Better strength and stiffness mean that thinner CLT panels can be made when using tulipwood and another benefit of CLT is that it utilizes the lower grades of sawn timber, where defects are not an issue. As a direct result of this project, the first commercial use of American tulipwood CLT will be seen in the UK later this year.
AHEC was lucky to be involved in a wonderfully uplifting project that was completed at a school in East London towards the end of 2015. Embracing what is probably the first use of thermally-modified timber in a structural application for a permanent structure, the project was Room on a Hill, designed by Asif Khan. The school wanted to enhance and upgrade their
Image © Petr Krejci
AHEC has used thermally-modified timber to showcase its potential for outdoor application in a number of their recent design collaborations
playground and also incorporate something that could be used as an outdoor learning center. When AHEC saw the design, they immediately wanted to be involved in the project and saw it as an opportunity to showcase the warmth of TMT in this environment. The elevated structure is made from thermally-modified American tulipwood slatted panels in a galvanized steel frame, with a thermally-modified American ash deck supported on thermallymodified American ash joists. One of the really great things about project was that the school children were consulted on the design of the space and were asked to incorporate what they wanted. The finished structure will help the children to learn about sustainability and aesthetics in design and that using timber has environmental benefits. Through AHEC’s vision, sustainable American hardwoods are now beginning to enter new and exciting commercial markets. As the world re-embraces timber as a building material, it is hoped that they will become recognized more for the possibilities they can offer in all aspects of design and construction. *This article has been written by Neil Summers, Technical Consultant, AHEC.
Image © AHEC
in timber to its very limits. Here, curved chords made from 7mm lamellas were glued together to form wavy laminated beams and the whole was held together with a series of cross-ties. Cross-laminated timber is quickly becoming established as an important construction material. Made from low-cost softwood, it is essentially a thicker version of plywood that is ideal for making structural wall panels and floor cassettes. So the next structural collaborative project for AHEC at the London Design Festival set out to show that American hardwoods could also be considered as the raw material for structural CLT. The result was the innovative Endless Stair, designed by Alex de Rijke of dRMM. This complex, free-standing structure explored the first use of hardwood CLT, using American tulipwood in this Escher-inspired series of staircases. While in situ, the Endless Stair allowed for many fine views over London and the Thames from its location outside the Tate Modern Gallery. American tulipwood is an amazingly versatile and abundant hardwood species. It has a very high strength to weight ratio and it is three times stronger and stiffer than softwood in rolling shear, a mechanical property that is extremely important in CLT
June 2016
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Image © Felder Group
24 PROFILE
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June 2016
PROFILE 25
Felder Group: Proven tradition and consistent innovation for perfection in woodworking Numerous international awards, such as the Bavarian state award, the IF-Design Award and the Adolf Loos Prize, testify the passion and support of the company’s commitment to building the best woodworking machinery. Through the brands of Felder, Format-4 and Hammer, the Felder Group manages to fulfill the highest individual uncompromised requirements of business, trade and industry. Stefan Kern, Area Sales Manager, Felder Middle East shares his thoughts
Image © Felder Group
Image © Felder Group
ensure that the Felder Group has the development edge. The quality of the product defines the success for the customer - for this reason the Felder Group is always looking to work together and get feedback from woodworkers in workshops, business and industry. This close cooperation makes it possible for the company to take into consideration the requirements of end users when developing new machine concepts, ensuring the competitiveness of its customers.
Image © Felder Group
carry this vision under the principle - Everything from a single supplier. Despite growing global challenges, the Felder group continues to focus on quality and precision from Austria. Modern production technology and strict production standards guarantee excellent precision and best processing quality. The in-house research and development department, countless international patents and groundbreaking innovations
Image © Felder Group
The Felder Group with its company headquarters in Hall in Tirol, Austria is one of the world’s leading suppliers of woodworking machines for the artisan, commercial companies and industry. With passion, conviction and courage to innovate, the family company with a 400-year tradition of smithery has maintained a simple philosophy since 1956: offer the customers exactly what they need. Employees in 72 countries and more than 200 sales and service centers worldwide
June 2016
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on the company’s prospects in the Middle East.
01. How long has Felder been operating in the Middle East? The Felder Group has been actively selling machines to all Middle East countries through a large dealer network since 2009.
02. What are the primary activities of the company in the UAE and wider MENA region? Please give us an idea of your operations across the region. As one of the leading global woodworking manufacturers, our main goal is to understand the requirements of our customers and offer them the right woodworking solution. As such, our large product range, which comprises small to large industrial machines combined with the 60 years of experience in this field, is one of our biggest strengths. However, it is not only our aim to provide machines to the end users but also to give them the support and training so that they can use the full potential of
our machines and stay competitive. With this in mind, we have a strong focus on providing good after sales service and are constantly training our people on our latest developments.
03. How important is the Middle East as a market for Felder? What was the revenue of the company in 2015? What growth do you anticipate this year? As a worldwide operating manufacturer all markets are important for the Felder Group. The Middle East represents a big potential market, especially for our industrial brand FORMAT-4 where we offer a full range from large classical machines up to 5 Axis CNC machine centers. This gives us the possibility to process full turnkey projects. Given that expectations for the Felder Group are always high, we are glad to see that we have been able to reach our targets. More importantly, we have seen constant growth for all three brands - HAMMER, FELDER and FORMAT-4 - over the last couple of years. Thanks to our partners all over the
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June 2016
Image © Felder Group
Image © Felder Group
Image © Felder Group
26 PROFILE
Middle East, we are looking forward to more successful years ahead and are confident that we will also reach our targets for 2016.
04. Could you please give us a brief overview of the market in the region? What are some of the challenges facing the regional industry? The Middle East is a demanding and competitive market. In addition to the extreme working conditions, one of the biggest challenges we face is to try and provide the highest quality at the best possible price. However due to our state of the art production plant at our headquarters in Hall in Tirol, Austria, we are able to manufacture market specific products, which allow us to stay competitive in the market.
05. What in your opinion is the future outlook for the industry and for Felder in the region? The Industry 4.0 revolution automated manufacturing is becoming more and more important
especially in the Middle East but not only for the large industry. As such, we are focusing on providing automated solutions at a fair price for the 2-3 man shop as well. The diversity of our large product range and the ability to adapt to a rapidly changing market economy is one of our biggest strengths.
06. What are your plans for expansion in the region? Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years in this market? The Middle East represents a big potential for us in the future and we are investing a lot in the market to further strengthen our name in the region. By increasing our sales and service network, we hope to maintain an even closer relationship with our customers. We also plan to maintain an active presence in key exhibitions across the region. With more innovative and market specific products in the future, we want to further adapt ourselves to the individual customer requirements and further establish Felder as a major player in cutting edge technology.
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28 DESIGN & DÉCOR
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DESIGN & DÉCOR 29
Image © Anarchitect
American red & white oak add to Cocktail Kitchen’s refined material palette
June 2016
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30 DESIGN & DÉCOR Cocktail Kitchen is a specialist cocktail bar that focuses in equal measure on the craft of mixology and the culinary skills of the Head Chef. The customer’s experience of preparing fresh ingredients and making both cocktails and dishes was important to the client. Designed by UAE based practice Anarchitect, architects Jonathan
environment. Situated in Dubai’s lesser known neighbourhood of Jumeirah Lakes Towers, the unexpected arrival of the unique, home-grown and design conscious Cocktail Kitchen has instigated a new going-out scene of up-and-coming stylish and social venues. Cocktail Kitchen stands out from the typical
An enclosed ‘outdoor’ dining area is created by use of 2.8m high natural American red oak slats to create a boundary wall glamorous Dubai scene because it is a destination that really puts ‘social experience’ at the heart of its design, layout and its hospitality. Cocktail Kitchen at its essence has always been playful, individual, social and entertaining. But behind all of this lies a passion to create something that will last and to seed a social culture where
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Image © Sandra Tinari
Image © Anarchitect
Image © Sandra Tinari
Ashmore and Tarik Zaharna created a sequence of spaces over 500 sqm that maximize social interaction as part of the overall experience. According to the designers, it was important to create a journey and narrative embedded in the project that continually intrigues and invites guests back to engage and enjoy these experiences in a relaxed and beautifully crafted
DESIGN & DÉCOR regulars, visitors, new and old faces come to enjoy the environment that has been created and which continues to organically evolve. As such, the attention to detail in Cocktail Kitchen extends beyond the attention to craft and material details. According to Ashmore, the refined material palette is made
31
long white quartz bar, sits the Martini Bar. A feature piece in itself, this area offers a social experience where the mixologist is able to showcase their craft while engaging an audience who are looking to engage their environment while experimenting with cocktails on offer. The Martini Bar area is also a second landing
up of three core elements; stone, metal and wood. Each in itself respectively represents solidity, precision and nature and when combined they create a superlative refinement and playfulness in the project. The continuity of these core material elements throughout the spaces is intrinsic to the projects subtlety and character. On one side of the 15m
space into Cocktail Kitchen for those who are in-the-know and have accessed the venue from the second, discrete entrance. While the social buzz is encouraged throughout, a more ‘domestic’ side to Cocktail Kitchen is discovered on the opposite side of the main bar. Here, the waiter station is intentionally designed as a domestic kitchen area.
Image © Anarchitect
Image © Anarchitect
Cocktail Kitchen is steadily becoming a catalyst that is raising awareness and shifting people’s attitudes to what is considered the ‘norm’
June 2016
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32 DESIGN & DÉCOR While maintaining functionality, customers will feel as though they are in their own kitchen as they walk past this area, which looks into the main cooking kitchen. As such, the waiter station is the perfect transition between the public dining area, and the quieter Backroom. “The sequence of spaces and multiple entry points take people on different journeys through the project. These journeys are intrinsically linked to the social narratives we anticipated, meaning that Cocktail Kitchen has been designed as a multilayered experience to tailor to each individual experience,” says Zaharna. An enclosed ‘outdoor’ dining area is created by use of 2.8m high natural American red oak slats to create a boundary wall. A 500 mm gap between the soffit and the red oak slats allows for natural light to enter deep into the interior dining space. While offering privacy, and
obstructing visibility from outside the venue, the red oak interlock slats recreate the feeling of being outdoors. The natural more reddish color of the red oak brightens the ‘outdoor’ dining area. Users will need to look closely to notice that this outdoor area is in fact closed indoor and temperature cooled. While American white oak is
externally and back lit on the red oak slats. During the day, the venue logo as well as the timber slats almost match in color, while at night the logo stands out and an interesting backdrop is provided due to the red oak slats. “It is important to be relevant in architecture. To critically interpret the brief and anticipate how people
It is itself a beacon in the city which represents attention to detail in its architecture as well as operations used internally, American red oak was used on the outdoor counter tops as well as the boundary wall to provide a more natural light glow and to also provide a focal point while standing inside the venue. Externally, the red oak boundary wall will receive most visibility and therefore needed to stand out from its context. The letters ‘Cocktail Kitchen’ in copper are mounted
will respond and interact with spaces and programs whilst the project is still only an idea. The client brief required us to induce the notion of feeling ‘at home’ by allowing for different levels of privacy and program to occur. To achieve this through design, the process had to be openly collaborative between client, contractor, consultant and supplier.
Each equally important and each was able to significantly contribute to the original vision of the project to realize the space and its potential,” concludes Zaharna. Opened in February 2016, the bar continues to delight returning cocktail and food connoisseurs and challenges design expectations of Dubai for both local and international audiences. As such, Cocktail Kitchen is steadily becoming a catalyst that is raising awareness and shifting people’s attitudes to what is considered the ‘norm’. The attention to detail in Cocktail Kitchen extends beyond the attention to craft and material details. While prioritizing these aspects as well as spatial configuration, the architects have created a destination point in an unlikely location. More so than becoming a venue for regulars to meet, it is itself a beacon in the city which represents attention to detail in its architecture as well as operations.
Project Details Project Name
Cocktail Kitchen & Bar
Completed
February 2016
Architects
Jonathan Ashmore (Anarchitect) & Tarik Al Zaharna (T.ZED Architects)
MEP
Taka Solutions (Charles Blaschke, Christos, Sakizlis)
Contractor
AMBB (Rohit Barreto & Russ Wright)
Area
500 sqm
Location
Armada Blue Bay Hotel, Cluster P, JLT, Dubai UAE
Wood Species Image © Sandra Tinari
American red oak & American white oak
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Photography
Anarchitect and Sandra Tinari www.mohken.com
Image © AMSO
34 COMMENT
Southern Yellow Pine industry serves world markets
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June 2016
Image © AMSO Image © AMSO
Image © AMSO
Image © AMSO
Image © AMSO
Image © AMSO
Global exports of Southern Yellow Pine from the U.S. reach a record volume of just over USD 375 million in 2015
COMMENT 35 by approximately 40 percent in comparison to 2014 figures. This reduction can however be explained by two factors; a stronger dollar and political instability in the region, particularly in the significant Egyptian market. Despite an overall decline in softwood exports to the region,
AMSO is optimistic that the situation will improve. “In the past five years, global exports of Southern Yellow Pine have more than doubled. The latest design values have confirmed that Southern Yellow Pine remains comparable with other American softwood species
Image © AMSO
Southern Yellow Pine is the predominant species accounting for almost 80 percent of sales throughout the MENA region
used for structural applications. Further, its density remains unmatched, providing superior fastener-holding ability,” said Charles Trevor, Consultant to American Softwoods. “As is the case across the globe, Southern Yellow Pine is the predominant species accounting for almost 80 percent of sales throughout the MENA region. The leading market is Egypt, where sales have held up relatively well despite restrictions on the availability of foreign exchange, followed by the United Arab Emirates.” Pakistan has also established itself on the Indian sub-continent as a major market with sales of just over USD 30 million. Owing to the large number of small saw mills located in many Indian towns, there is a vast appetite for logs in India. This has been exacerbated by the ban on log sales from Myanmar, which came into force in April 2014. As such, sales of Southern Yellow Pine logs to India totaled USD 11.41 million in 2015 which was significantly lower than the 2014 figure of almost USD 28.88 million. Overall, sales of U.S. softwood timber amounted to almost USD 11.55 million with Southern Yellow
Image © AMSO
Markets around the globe continue to demand strong, high-quality lumber, particularly Southern Yellow Pine from the United States, which suits a wide variety of applications, according to American Softwoods (AMSO), the promotional partnership formed by three major U.S. softwood trade associations. Global exports of Southern Yellow Pine from the U.S. reached a record volume of just over USD 375 million in 2015, which represented a jump of seven percent over the 2014 figures. The top three destinations for Southern Yellow Pine exports remain unchanged from the previous year with Mexico (USD 163 million) up 2 percent; China (USD 130 million) down 26 percent; and the Dominican Republic (USD 48 million) up 17 percent. A closer look at export figures reveal that the Middle East and North Africa remain key destinations for American softwoods amidst the increasing demand from the region’s booming construction and housing markets. According to AMSO, total exports of U.S. softwood lumber to the MENA region reached a value of USD 20 million in 2015, declining
June 2016
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Image © AMSO
Image © AMSO
36 COMMENT
India has great potential as a consumer of softwood thanks to its growing and aspirational middle class will also identify new markets and opportunities to increase U.S. softwood sales,” added Trevor. Beyond residential construction, Southern Yellow Pine timber is increasingly being used in schools, churches, office buildings and retail stores. Beyond the perimeter of large cities, agricultural structures incorporate post-frame construction techniques, calling for both treated lumber and large dimension Southern Yellow Pine timber to build barns, stables and equipment storage facilities.
In addition, interior decorators and designers worldwide have discovered the appeal of using wood indoors. Southern Yellow Pine patterns feature a distinctive grain and excellent finishing properties that make it the ideal choice for flooring, panelling and ceilings. Accents such as wainscoting added to bathrooms and kitchens add texture and warmth to a space. “Out of the many environmental benefits of American softwoods, there is one particular statistic that should make many users and
specifiers of building materials sit up and take notice. The forests of the southern United States remain some of the most productive in the world with over a million trees planted annually. Amidst growing calls for proof of sustainability and the increasing need for certified Southern Yellow Pine shipments, manufacturers are responding by procuring wood from certified forests. In addition to the aesthetic quality and performance in application of American softwoods, it is crucial then that we ensure their environmental credentials are properly understood and fully represented in the face of increasing green building legislation,” concludes Trevor.
Image © AMSO
Pine as the leading species. “India has great potential as a consumer of softwood thanks to its growing and aspirational middle class. However, a substantial amount of education will be needed to overcome the tendency among Indian timber buyers to seek out the least expensive and lowest grades available. To this end, the Virginia Department of Agriculture is organizing a buyers’ mission to the U.S. this summer. As well as visits to softwood and hardwood mills, the mission members will also visit the International Woodworking Fair in Atlanta. Further, an Emerging Markets Program study of Pakistan and India during 2016
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38 TALL TIMBER
Timber tower could transform London’s skyline
Image Š PLP Architecture
Use of timber will ensure reduced costs and improved construction timescales, increased fire resistance, and significant reduction in the overall weight of building
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Image © PLP Architecture
TALL TIMBER 39
London’s first timber skyscraper could be a step closer to reality after researchers presented Mayor of London Boris Johnson with conceptual plans for an 80 storey, 300m high wooden building integrated within the Barbican in May of this year. Researchers from Cambridge University’s Department of Architecture are working with PLP Architecture and engineers Smith and Wallwork to develop research on the future development of tall timber buildings in central London. The use of timber as a structural material in tall buildings is an area of emerging interest for its variety of potential benefits; the most obvious being that it is a renewable resource, unlike prevailing construction methods which use concrete and steel. The research is also investigating other potential benefits, such as reduced costs and improved construction timescales,
increased fire resistance, and significant reduction in the overall weight of buildings. The conceptual proposals currently being developed would create over 1,000 new residential units in a 1 million square foot mixed-use tower and mid-rise terraces in central London, integrated within the Barbican. At
of Cambridge’s Center for Natural Material Innovation, said: “The Barbican was designed in the middle of the last century to bring residential living into the city of London - and it was successful. We’ve put our proposals on the Barbican as a way to imagine what the future of construction could look like in the 21st century. If
We believe people have a greater affinity for taller buildings in natural materials rather than steel and concrete towers present, the world’s tallest timber building is a 14-storey apartment block in Bergen, Norway. The proposals presented to Johnson included concepts for a timber tower nearly 300m high, which would make it the second tallest building in London after The Shard. Dr. Michael Ramage, Director
London is going to survive it needs to increasingly densify. One way is taller buildings. We believe people have a greater affinity for taller buildings in natural materials rather than steel and concrete towers. The fundamental premise is that timber and other natural materials are vastly underused and we don’t give June 2016
them nearly enough credit. Nearly every historic building, from King’s College Chapel to Westminster Hall, has made extensive use of timber.” The design of the building would entail the use of over 65,000 m3 of timber, primarily structural softwood from PEFC or FSC certified forests, during construction. Overall, 50,000 tonnes of CO2 would be locked into the building timber frame, which is equivalent to the annual CO2 emissions of 5,000 Londoners. Not only would timber displace more CO2 intensive materials such as steel or concrete, creating additional CO2 savings, but the timber structure would be four times lighter than its concrete equivalent. In addition, the building would be quicker and quieter to build when compared to conventional construction. A timber structure reduces construction traffic given that one timber lorry delivers the equivalent of five www.timberdesignandtechnology.com
40 TALL TIMBER Just as major innovations in steel, glass, concrete revolutionized buildings in the 19th and 20th centuries, creating new typologies such as Joseph Paxton’s Crystal Palace and the Parisian arcades described by Walter Benjamin, innovations in timber construction could lead to entirely new experiences of the city in the 21st century. The type of wood these new buildings would use is regarded as a ‘crop’. The amount of crop forest in the world is currently expanding. Canada alone could produce more than 15 billion cubic meters of crop forest in the next 70
years, enough to house around a billion people. Simon Smith of Smith and Wallwork engineers said: “Timber is our only renewable construction material and in its modern engineered form it can work alongside steel and concrete to extend and regenerate our cities. It is only a matter of time until the first timber skyscraper is built”. Dr Ramage added: “We’ve designed the architecture and engineering and demonstrated it will stand, but this is at a scale no one has attempted to build before. We are developing a
new understanding of primary challenges in structure and construction. There is a lot of work ahead, but we are confident of meeting all the challenges before us.” Perhaps the most obvious concern for potential residents of homes built primarily from timber is fire risk. However, the team involved in the project said the proposed building would eventually meet or exceed every existing fire regulation currently in place for steel and concrete buildings. Recent research has also shown that timber buildings can have positive effects on their user and occupant’s health. Some recent studies have also shown that children taught in schools with timber structures may perform better than in those made of concrete. The designs for the Barbican is the first in a series of timber skyscrapers developed by Cambridge University in association with globally renowned architects and structural engineers with funding from the UK’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.
Image © PLP Architecture
concrete lorries. Kevin Flanagan, Partner at PLP Architecture said: “We now live predominantly in cities and so the proposals have been designed to improve our well-being in an urban context. Timber buildings have the potential architecturally to create a more pleasing, relaxed, sociable and creative urban experience. Our firm is currently designing many of London’s tall buildings, and the use of timber could transform the way we build in this city. We are excited to be working with the University and with Smith and Wallwork on this ground breaking design and engineering-based research.” The tall timber buildings research also looks towards creating new design potentials with timber buildings, rather than simply copying the forms of steel and concrete construction. The transition to timber construction may have a wider positive impact on urban environments and built form, and offers opportunities not only to rethink the aesthetics of buildings, but also the structural methodologies informing their design as well.
www.timberdesignandtechnology.com
June 2016
Image Š Anders Berensson Architechts
TALL TIMBER 41
Anders Berensson Architects propose wooden skyscraper with decorative facade for Stockholm
Image Š Anders Berensson Architechts
40 storey tower to be built out of cross laminated timber
June 2016
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Image © Anders Berensson Architechts
42 TALL TIMBER
Anders Berensson Architects have unveiled conceptual plans for Stockholm’s tallest building - a 133m wooden skyscraper covered in numbers, which would be erected on top of a 1960s car park in the city center. The local studio was commissioned to design the 40 storey skyscraper by Stockholm’s liberal Center Party, to help cater for the city’s rapidly growing population. The slender skyscraper named Trätoppen - Swedish for treetop - is designed to stand on top of the Parkaden car park, designed by Swedish architect Hans Asplund in the 1960s. “If we want to reduce the amount of cars in the city center of Stockholm and at the same time make space for more housing
CLT has great capacity when it comes to building high-rises both in terms of strength but also actually when it comes to fire without building on green areas, then replacing car parks with housing, shops and restaurants feels obvious. If the car park is as centrally located as the one on Regeringsgatan 47, it also makes sense to build a high building that can fit a lot of people, shops and restaurants,” said Anders Berensson, CEO, Anders Berensson Architects. Parkaden is perhaps Sweden’s most famous car park, with its most characteristic feature being a pattern with numbers on the façade, which shows what floor you are on.
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June 2016
Given that this distinctive numbercovered facade helps drivers orient themselves within the building, Berensson intends to continue this on to the facades of the skyscraper. Another thing that distinguishes this car park is the early use of a system of sloped floors. Retaining the sloping floor is hard due to the buildings low ceiling height, however it is possible to maintain the facade if the new building doesn’t use the whole footprint of the existing car park. Trätoppen is retracted six meters
from the façade of the existing car park in order not to interfere too much with the expression of the car park. The timber skyscraper is considerably smaller in footprint than the car park, which enables space for a large public terrace on the seventh floor. This retraction also makes it possible to use the existing building at the lower floors after an extensive reconstruction. The building will be 40 storeys high and built out of cross laminated timber (CLT). In fact, Trätoppen is the latest in series of recent timber skyscraper proposals, which are becoming a more realistic prospect thanks to the advent of cross-laminated timber. Berensson proposes that the 40 storey structure could be made from cross-laminated timber (CLT),
TALL TIMBER 43 existing car park, would be converted into shops and restaurants, with a public terrace wrapped around the base of the skyscraper on its uppermost level. Levels 8 to 39 would host 250 apartments behind the perforated timber screen, and a further terrace would be located on the 40th floor. “From the outside, one can count
the floors by reading the facade and from the inside you will be reminded what floor you are on just like in the parking garage,” said Berensson. “This is a useful feature given that the skyscraper will be the highest in the city center of Stockholm. The facade also has some practical benefits and acts like a sun screen, which keeps the building cool and
Image © Anders Berensson Architechts
The material is considerably stronger and more stable than regular timber, allowing architects to propose bigger and taller wooden structures than ever before
energy efficient.” While there are no immediate plans to realize the project, Berensson has his fingers crossed for the next election, when the Center Party may commission the building in one form or another if they are voted into government. At the very least though, the concept provides further evidence of architects viewing the use of timber as an increasingly promising and viable construction material, with more than 17 tall wood buildings of seven storeys or more having been built around the world over the past five years.
Image © Anders Berensson Architechts
a type of engineered wood made from sections of laminated wood. The material is considerably stronger and more stable than regular timber, allowing architects to propose bigger and taller wooden structures than ever before. “CLT has great capacity when it comes to building high-rises both in terms of strength but also actually when it comes to fire,” said Berensson. “Today in Sweden, CLT is a rather new technique and is mostly used for low buildings but we wanted to show its potential especially since Sweden has a big wood industry.” The first seven floors, inside the
June 2016
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44 THE SOURCE
Quebec Wood Export Bureau: Your gateway to wood products from Quebec, Canada
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June 2016
THE SOURCE 45
Wood products from Quebec
90 percent of Quebec’s production are members of QWEB. Quebec wood pellets meet the highest quality standards and represent a competitive green energy.
Hardwood lumber and valueadded hardwoods and wood flooring In total, 12 member companies offer a broad range of hardwood lumber and components in a wide variety of species such as sugar maple, yellow birch, red oak, ash or beech. On the export markets, these companies are present especially in Europe and Asia. Eight member companies manufacture wood flooring. The main export markets targeted by them are located in the United States and Europe. Some companies also deal in Japan. Solid wood strips occupy the highest percentage of production, however, engineered flooring continues to grow in importance.
An association close to its members
Wooden building products Thirteen member companies produce wood frame buildings or structural products such as roof trusses, wall panels, beams, gluedlaminated and cross-laminated timber. The advantages of wood buildings are many: competitive cost, energy efficient, quick to install, green and healthy, sustainable and flexible. Wood pellets The five major wood pellet member producers in Quebec whose production represents more than
QWEB notably aims to consolidate existing markets by increasing the international reach of its members and the confidence of foreign customers regarding the commitment of the wood products manufacturers from Quebec to ensure reliability, continuity and the quality of exported products. It also helps to identify and quantify new markets for wood products from Quebec and raise its members awareness in this matter. In addition, it provides information on overseas markets to help its members to direct their production towards the needs of these markets. For QWEB, it is essential that Quebec wood product companies continue their efforts to develop and diversify markets. Supporting market development initiatives and maintaining market access for wood products from Quebec are at the heart of the QWEB mission, but they also carry on its vision of the future for wood products from Quebec, in a world where, we are convinced, this material will occupy a more prominent place. Indeed, while environmental protection remains an important
Image © QWEB
Softwood lumber and value-added softwood About 80 member companies, including some 30 companies considered as active exporters, offer softwood lumber mainly spruce, pine and fir species. These manufacturers produce among other things, structural lumber, boards, sheeting and form lumber, kiln dried and heat treated in various standard or export sizes upon request. Some companies also offer quality wood shavings for breeders, siding, shingles and cedar furniture. In 2015-2016, these companies were particularly targeting markets in India, the Middle East and Mexico. It is however important to note that for many years, QWEB and several softwood and hardwood lumber companies have
been present at the annual Dubai WoodShow.
Image © QWEB
The Quebec Wood Export Bureau (QWEB) is a non-profit organization created in 1996 whose initial mission was to develop overseas markets for Quebec wood products as well as ensuring the access of these products to the markets. Today, it has more than 125 exporting companies in the sectors of softwood lumber and value-added softwood products, hardwood lumber and value-added hardwoods products, wood flooring, materials and wood building products and wood pellets.
June 2016
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Image © QWEB
46 THE SOURCE
Overseas Presence To achieve its market access and development goals, QWEB has specialized directors in four overseas offices: the United Kingdom, France, China and Japan. The organization is also working on several market access topics such as trade barriers and phytosanitary issues. The directors of the overseas offices are QWEB’s antennas abroad. They are well placed to collaborate with the competent authorities so that Quebec wood products meet the requirements of the concerned countries on codes, standards and certification. They
inventory, characterize and quantify potential markets for different wood products from Quebec and help members to focus their production on meeting the needs of potential customers in these markets. The overseas directors also provide personalized services to members for market development, including the identification of contacts and support during meetings between members and buyers. QWEB also has the support of trade commissioners in Canadian embassies and consulates. This is particularly the case in the Middle-
East where a trade commissioner from the Canadian Embassy in the UAE devotes all her time to the Canadian wood products sector. With her help, the QWEB organized last November a seminar on wood construction and the use of wood in interior design in Doha and Dubai. Nearly a hundred people, mostly architects, participated. Interest in Canadian products in the construction sector is growing given that the Gulf region building codes are close to the North American system. In this sense, they directly meet the building code requirements in this region.
Image © Stéphane Groleau
issue around the world, the environmental performance of wood, especially to tackle climate change, make it a first-class environmental choice in the context of a transition towards a greener economy. In this regard, QWEB has been participating for several years in international negotiations forums within which wood as a material is considered a concrete way to fight against climate change. This is the case of the Sustainable Building and Climate Initiative of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
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June 2016
CANADA
A LEADER IN SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT
48 WOOD WORKS
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June 2016
WOOD WORKS 49
Image Š Max McClure
10,000 trees span the history of the planet in new public artwork by Katie Paterson and Zeller & Moye
June 2016
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research and sourcing, the collection of tree species (one of the largest amassed in the UK to date) has been built through the generosity of arboretums, xylaria, herbaria and collectors worldwide. Over 10,000 unique tree species have been gathered from across the planet, from Yakushima, Japan to the White Mountains of California, with generous donations from the Herbario Nacional de México, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Kyoto University, the Arnold Arboretum at Harvard and many more. Katie Paterson recalls: “Some samples are incredibly rare fossils of unfathomable age, and
fantastical trees such as Cedar of Lebanon, the Phoenix Palm, and the Methuselah tree thought to be one of the oldest trees in the World at 4,847 years of age, as well as a railroad tie taken from the Panama Canal Railway, which claimed the lives of between 5,000 to 10,000 workers over its 50 year construction, and wood salvaged from the remnants of the iconic Atlantic city boardwalk devastated by hurricane Sandy in 2012.” The samples of wood span time and space and have been sourced from across the globe. From the oldest tree in the world to some of the youngest and near-extinct
species, the tree samples contain within them stories of the planet’s history and evolution through time. From the Indian Banyan Tree, under which Buddha achieved enlightenment, to the Japanese Ginkgo tree in Hiroshima, a tree that witnessed and survived one of the darkest moments of human history. Spanning millions of years, Hollow is a miniature forest of all the world’s forests, telling the history of the planet through the immensity of tree specimens in microcosm. The exterior cluster structure reflects a forest canopy’s ecosystem, the forms of the Douglas Fir posts reflecting the
Image © Max McClure
‘Hollow’ is a public artwork by artist Katie Paterson and architects Zeller & Moye permanently sited in the historic Royal Fort Gardens in Bristol. Unveiled by the University of Bristol in May 2016, the launch of the artwork was marked by the release of a companion digital website and public participation project - Treebank - in association with the BBC Four. The artwork has been commissioned to mark the opening of the University’s new Life Sciences building in the vicinity of the gardens and has been produced by Bristol-based arts producers, Situations. The result of three years’
Image © Max McClure
Image © Max McClure
50 WOOD WORKS
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June 2016
stalactites. Openings in the vaulted top let in just enough natural light to create the dappled light effect of a forest canopy.” Professor Guy Orpen, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bristol and Chair of its Public Arts Committee, said: “We’re very excited to see Hollow in situ at Royal Fort Gardens - it’s quite amazing to think that trees of all ages, from so many different
families and from all corners of the earth, will be represented. It’s certainly a captivating way to celebrate the important work taking place in our world-leading Life Sciences building, where our researchers are studying many of the acute challenges which face humanity this century - such as food security, biodiversity loss and climate change. Hollow allows us to connect in new and previously
Hollow allows us to connect in new and previously unimagined ways with the beauty, complexity and depth of the natural world
unimagined ways with the beauty, complexity and depth of the natural world.” Situations has also developed a public participation project in association with the BBC Four, called Treebank. This new digital platform offers everyone the chance to contribute to an online archive of memories, impressions and creative responses which capture how trees shape our existence on the planet. These might include audio or visual contributions, describing a particular place and time, a rare and ancient tree or a common, but personally significant tree to create a digital forest for the future.
Image © Max McClure
varying heights of trees. The interior of Hollow tells the history of the planet through over 10,000 unique tree species, from petrified wood fossils of the earliest forests that emerged 390 million years ago to the most recent emergent species. Architects Christoph Zeller and Ingrid Moye recall: “The hollow interior is an introverted and meditative space where, whether sitting or standing, one finds oneself embraced by history. Our design conjoins thousands of wooden blocks of differing sizes to form one immense cosmos of wood producing textures, apertures and
51
Image © Max McClure
Image © Max McClure
WOOD WORKS
June 2016
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52 SHOWTIME
Top Industry Exhibitions Coming Up This Season FURNISHING IN FOCUS
Australia’s leading manufacturers are once again banding together to present the biggest selection of locally produced furnishing designs to be shown in 2016. The ‘Furnishing in Focus’ exhibitions have introduced Australia’s top manufacturers to a broad cross section of industry visitors. As such, there has been overwhelming support for the principles of Furnishing in Focus, the results achieved so far, and for these exhibitions to continue as trade only shows, free of imported furniture products. For two days, Furnishing in Focus will once again become for the first time a national exhibition centrally located under one roof at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Center (MCEC), representing manufacturers from all states. Held under the theme ‘Proudly Australian, locally made’, the show is open to members of the Australian Furnishing Industry including manufacturers, retail buyers and staff, decorators, architects, specifiers, industry bodies and training establishments.
Image © Timber & Woodworking
Image © Furnishing in Focus
problem of investment. One of the main objectives of the exhibition is a demonstration of advanced technologies and achievements in the field of furniture and woodworking industry. As such, the event showcases a choice of furniture of different versions, the style and direction, a variety of upholstery materials, accessories and decorative elements of interior.
June 8 - 11 Atakent Exhibition Center | Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan http://mebelexpo.kz/en/index.html WOODEX FOR AFRICA
June 8 - 9 Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Center (MCEC) | Melbourne, Australia www.furnishinginfocus.com TIMBER & WOODWORKING 2016 ‘Timber & Woodworking’ is being organized by Kazakhstan’s leading exhibition company - Atakent Expo - in conjunction with the Association of Furniture and Woodworking Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the official support of the Ministry of Investment and Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Almaty city Administration. The event is a part of a bigger event - ‘The Week of Furniture Salon in Almaty’ - taking place from June 8 - 11, 2016 and which also includes two other exhibitions ‘Furniture & Interior’ and ‘Architecture & Design’. Previous editions have attracted more than 160 companies and enterprises from 12 CIS countries including Russia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Republic of Belarus, China, Germany, Italy, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Turkey, Estonia, Uzbekistan and Ukraine. According to the organizers, these exhibitions contribute to strengthen the position of the domestic furniture manufacturers in both domestic and foreign markets enabling them to expand the horizon of business cooperation. It also allows Kazakhstani companies an excellent opportunity to establish new and strengthen existing contacts as well as to solve the www.timberdesignandtechnology.com
June 2016
WoodEX for Africa is Africa’s only expo focusing exclusively on the timber industry. The event creates a platform for woodworking professionals to connect with specialized dealers, to catch up with the latest timber trends, to secure new business contacts and to compare deals. Held annually since 2012, WoodEX for Africa has received huge industry support and the event is now established as Africa’s leading industry showcase. With the possibility of partnering with a major international industry exhibition, and to fit in with the global timber industry calendar, WoodEX for Africa will be held bi-annually from 2016. The next event will be held at Gallagher Convention Center in Midrand from June 9 - 11, 2016. WoodEX for Africa received outstanding feedback from its 2014 exhibitors and visitors, with exhibitors reporting positive feedback in terms of the
SHOWTIME 53 quality of visitors, the great networking opportunities, market exposure and business conducted. According to the organizers, the show is representative of a large part of the South African timber industry and presents a wide range of machinery, tools, fits and finishes, components, equipment, new technology and materials in the timber industry. Overall, the event demonstrates the value of wood as a sustainable, renewable and versatile product, and is a showcase for introducing international trends into the African marketplace.
June 9 - 11 Gallagher Convention Center | Johannesburg, South Africa
SYLVA WOOD Asia’s leading platform for the international wood industry returns for the second time, after a successful first in Shanghai. Sylva Wood is the much-needed platform for core industry players to connect and clinch opportunities with professional buyers from across the international flooring, furniture, kitchen cabinets, doors, windows, and interior furnishing markets. The visitor profile primarily includes professionals from the construction and architecture sectors, who aim to understand the growing interest for engineered wood structures in Asia. Alongside the three-day expo, a stellar line-up of keynote speakers will also discuss market trends, and how new paths for growth can be mapped out in an increasingly competitive and challenging market.
www.woodexforafrica.com MALAYSIAN FURNITURE & FURNISHINGS FAIR
Image © MF3
June 27 - 29 Shanghai Mart Expo | Shanghai, China www.sylvawoodexpo.com
June 17 - 19 Kuala Lumpur Convention Center (KLCC) | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia www.mf3.my
AFRIWOOD TANZANIA
Image © AFRIWOOD
Organized by the Kuala Lumpur & Selangor Furniture Entrepreneur Association (KLSFEA), the Malaysian Furniture & Furnishings Fair (MF3) celebrates the best of the furniture industry with the biggest home furniture fair in Malaysia. Inspiring homeowners with the best furniture from the industry, MF3 provides a wellspring of information and tips on transforming your home, and improving your home furniture and furnishing needs. With a consumer-oriented approach and free admission, the fair enjoys a huge turnout every year, prompting nearly all of the participating exhibitors to agree that the MF3 is the best most effective branding platform to jumpstart their furniture product lines and sales. The exhibitors at the exhibition will showcase a wide range of products and services such as bathroom furniture, decorative items, design and renovation, door and windows, flooring and ceramics, home appliances, home furniture, kitchen furniture, landscaping, lighting solutions, office furniture, security & safety, soft furnishings, doors & windows, curtains, wallpaper, ceramics, flooring, decorative items and more. With the best package deals as the main attraction, MF3 promises to be the premier furniture exhibition in Malaysia, inspiring creativity and innovation for home owners and exhibitors alike.
AFRIWOOD Tanzania will be held from July 2 - 4, 2016 at Tanzania’s prime international venue; the Mlimani Conference Centre in Dar-es-Salaam. Spread over a period of three days, the event brings together decision makers and influencers as well as technical experts and professionals from leading companies involved in wood machinery and tools, furniture machinery, materials & supplies, etc. within Africa and around the globe. Trade visitors from all over East & Central Africa are being invited directly and in June 2016
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54 SHOWTIME collaboration with several regional trade bodies in Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Somalia, Mozambique & Congo. Though Tanzania by itself is one of the biggest markets in Africa, major emphasis is being laid upon attracting traders and importers from neighboring countries. The show aims to be the event where the latest innovations and technologies are launched; a platform of progress across the wood and woodworking sector for Africa. As a highly specialized show, AFRIWOOD Tanzania provides an excellent opportunity for local and international companies to showcase and learn about wood and to build new strategic relationships with buyers, traders and investors globally. In addition, the show is a meeting ground for manufacturers, importers, traders, distributors, converters and end-users in the wood industry, who converge at the event to attend the launch of the latest products and technologies for the industry. The visitor profile includes manufacturers, importers, traders, distributors, converters and end-users in the wood industry
as the leading event for the Australian furniture and furnishings industry, whilst attracting thousands of local and international visitors.
July 8 - 10 Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Center | Brisbane, Australia http://furnitex.com.au CHINA INTERNATIONAL BUILDING DECORATION FAIR
July 2 - 4 Mlimani Conference Centre | Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania Image © China International Building Decoration Fair
www.expogr.com/tanzania/woodexpo
Image © FURNITEX & Design
FURNITEX & DESIGN
FURNITEX & design is the only Australian furniture and furnishing show - for the industry, by the industry. The iconic Australian event has had many evolutions since 1989, and now it is coming of age to include international pavilions and leading Australian design and inspiration. Set in the fastest growing state in Australia, the 2016 Brisbane show will focus on what’s new in Australia, global trends and spotlights on industry innovators leading the way in ‘lifestyle fashion’. In addition to the exhibition, twelve leading designers will each create a showcase on the ‘Inspiration Runway’ - using only the best and most original furniture and furnishings found in Australia. Designers will be short-listed and selected from across Australia by a panel of experts. A full list of over 2,000 professional buyers has been curated over the past year or so. Exhibitors have been encouraged to provide their ‘wish list’ of professional buyers, who will then be individually contacted to attend. In addition, the Hosted Buyer’s Program has been extended to include both international and domestic guests. Also at the show are specifically allocated exchange hubs - Milan, London, New York - which will provide scheduled information on industry-specific topics such as color trends, new technologies, advanced manufacturing and business services. With all the new activities lined up for this year, the aim is to build on the show’s position www.timberdesignandtechnology.com
June 2016
The 18th edition of the China International Building Decoration Fair, jointly organized by China Foreign Trade Guangzhou Exhibition General Corporation (CFTE), China Building Decoration Association and the CFTC - China Foreign Trade Centre (Group) - will be staged at China Import and Export Fair Complex in Guangzhou from July 8 - 11, 2016. Held successfully for the past 17 years, the show has developed into the largest trade fair for building decoration in Asia hosting over 2,400 exhibitors and attracting around 140,000 trade visitors. According to the organizers, the fair this year will be held across 380,000 sqm of exhibition area and will be divided into 6 main themes. In addition to the comprehensive range of products on display, the show also aims to be a source of inspiration with more than 40 industrial forums and meetings being organized alongside the exhibition. Key segments within the show include building, decoration, households, home textile, wallpaper and fabric, lighting, coatings, natural stone and integrated furnishings.
July 8 - 11 China Import & Export Fair Complex | Guangzhou, China http://gzfair.cbd-china.com/index.php?l=en AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL FURNITURE FAIR (AIFF) AND DECOR + DESIGN Co-located with Australia’s No. 1 interior design event - Decor + Design - the Australian International Furniture Fair (AIFF) is Australia’s largest trade only furniture event and will take place at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Center (MCEC) from July 21 - 24, 2016. The show will unveil the
SHOWTIME 55 latest in furniture designs for commercial, residential and retail industry. In addition, Australia’s longest running design competition, Vibrant Vision in Design (VIVID) will return in 2016 and is set to raise the bar for emerging Australian furniture designers. A major highlight of AIFF, the competition is expected to exhibit 90 products across the commercial, concept and student categories. New for 2016 is AIFF loves Homemade - a dedicated area at the front of the exhibition to grow and foster Australian based furniture, cabinet and joinery designers and makers. AIFF & Decor + Design will once again deliver an outstanding line-up of leading design thinkers across the globe who will present inspiring and though-provoking seminars as part of the fourday International Seminar Series. These interesting forums provide the furniture industry with valuable insights and provocative discussion points about what is impacting the industry.
the leading event of its kind, the show brings together international and regional exhibitors of machinery, raw materials, fittings and accessories and services involved with the manufacturing of furniture. According to the organizers, the expectation this year is to host more than 60,000 visitors, including furniture manufacturers, woodworkers, retailers, processors of wood, designers and other specifiers, all of which firmly establishes ForMóbile as the largest and most diverse show for the sector in Latin America. As an established event, the show features new product launches, trends and innovations for their furniture factory, whether for a small joinery or a large factory with mass production capabilities. ForMóbile is fully segmented by type of product, an exhibition concept that is focused on income from visitors and exhibitors. Given the the clear divisions between sectors, the show allows both exhibitors and visitors the opportunity for targeted exposure and an overall productive visit. The show is categorized into several broad themes: Machinery and Equipment; Raw Materials and Supplies; Hardware and Accessories; Services; and ForMar - The Reseller and Joinery Show.
July 26 - 29 Anhembi Exhibition Pavilion | São Paulo, Brazil www.feiraformobile.com.br/en
Image © AIFF
DECOREX JOBURG
July 21 - 24 Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Center (MCEC) | Melbourne, Australia www.aiff.net.au | www.decordesignshow.com.au FORMÓBILE
Running under the theme - ‘Take it Home, Make it Home’ - Africa’s largest décor, design and lifestyle exhibition will once again be the destination of choice for those intent on turning house into a home. With no fewer than seven halls showcasing the latest décor and design trends, products and services, Decorex Joburg 2016 takes place from August 5 - 9, 2016 and is a must-visit for anyone with plans on the home décor and design front. Running alongside the show is the perennially popular 100% Design South Africa. Now in its third year, this draw-card exhibition provides a unique platform for leading local and international design names to present a carefully curated mix of top-drawer products catering to the residential, hospitality and office interior décor and design industries and, like Decorex itself, is a highlight on the design calendar. With many new features on the cards at this show, Decorex Joburg is once again pushing the envelope on the hottest new trends. Stands making their debut at the 2016 show include the African-inspired Trend Pods, as well as the Top Man showcase, which is sponsored by The Tile Gallery and puts a celebrity spin on masculine decorating. The Considered Home, in association with Goodwood Co and presented by Decorex SA, showcases the on-trend approach to modern-day living, while, with the highly interactive Builders DIY Theatre and the Makers Corner hosted by the SA Maker Collective, visitors are encouraged to roll up their sleeves and give free rein to their creative inclinations, upgrading from buyer to maker in the process. More than 700 decorators and designers, furniture suppliers, kitchen manufacturers, and paint and décor specialists who will be exhibiting, have been months in preparation in order to showcase the very best of local and international home and interior trends, products and services.
August 5 - 9 Gallagher Convention Center | Johannesburg, South Africa ForMóbile 2016 is the largest trade fair for the wood and furniture sector in Latin America, covering nearly 80,000 sqm of exhibition space. As
www.decorex.co.za
June 2016
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56 SHOWTIME INTERVIEW
FMC China 2016: A 22-year legend of the furniture industry Furniture Manufacturing & Supply China 2016 (FMC China 2016) will move back to the Shanghai New International Expo Center (SNIEC) from September 8 - 11, 2016. After several years of separation from Furniture China, the reunion of the shows will mean that they now cover the entire upstream and downstream industry of furniture. As the top platform of domestic furniture industry, all the areas will be innovated and upgraded. FMC China 2016 and Furniture China 2016 will be held at the same place and the same time not only to integrate resources, but also provide a wonderful show for exhibitors and visitors. With FMC moving back to SNIEC, more events and more content will encourage the industry to develop. Michael Ouyang, (pictured), Senior Project Manager of FMC & FMP, believes that the show will allow companies to display their new techniques, products and solutions, and highlight the best woodworking machinery and furniture raw materials for furniture production, decoration and engineering fields. In an interview with Timber Design & Technology, Ouyang provides an overview of the show.
01. In retrospect, what were the major achievements of the last edition of the show? The total area of FMC China 2015 was 59,000 sqm with 690 exhibitors from over 40 countries and regions such as China, Sweden, Germany, France, the USA, Australia, Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland, Singapore, Mexico, Malaysia, Russia, Poland, South Africa, Japan, Canada, Korea, Brazil, Vietnam, Britain and India. In addition, 36,590 trade buyers from over 100 countries and regions visited FMC China 2015 and 18,419 trade buyers visited FMC Premium. Both the number of visitors and countries exceeded all previous records and we anticipate even bigger numbers this year.
02. How is the next edition positioned? What are the main objectives? Furniture Manufacturing & Supply China provides the best woodworking machinery and furniture raw materials for furniture production, decoration and engineering fields. In 2016, FMC will move to the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC) and run concurrently with Furniture China 2016. FMC China 2016 will display a new image to exhibitors and visitors to promote industrial materials upgrading, to establish a onestop communication platform for latest technologies, products and solutions. The material area will be moved back to the SNIEC so as to realize our vision of ‘one venue, one industry’. The show will contain the following areas: Woodworking Machinery, CNC Machinery, Upholstered Furniture Machinery, Coating Machinery, Furniture Adhesives and Coating Machinery, Office Furniture Accessories and Components, Furniture Hardware and Fittings, Wood and Surface Décor, Furniture Fabric and Upholstery Components, covering 2 indoor halls and 6 outdoor halls. In addition, FMC Premium will optimize the layout of booths comprehensively so as to provide an open, unified and standard display platform and lighting system. The famous brands and products in furniture material and accessories industry, overseas groups from several countries will all get together at FMC Premium. The aim is to create a healthy, free and comfortable purchasing atmosphere for exhibitors and visitors to highlight the idea of innovation, design and trend.
03. Are there any new events such as awards, seminars and workshops at the next edition? We will host the first ever ‘China Water-Borne Furniture Technical Application Forum’, which will provide the most recent legislation information such as VOC emission charge and WB subsidy policies. In addition, furniture manufacturers, equipment and coating suppliers will share their experience and technical solutions for waterborne conversion from difference perspectives, to help the industry achieve a smooth upgrade towards greener solutions.
Event details Dates
September 8 - 11, 2016
Venue
Shanghai New International Expo Center
Location
Shanghai, China
Organizer
Image © FMC China
Shanghai UBM Sinoexpo International Exhibition Co.,Ltd.
Website
www.fmcchina.com.cn/en-us
www.timberdesignandtechnology.com
June 2016
Image Š FMC China
SHOWTIME INTERVIEW 57
04. How does FMC China aim to be different from other industry trade fairs? We pay more attention to the trend of leading the way and we place a strong focus on new products being launched at FMC. Our goal is to be the bellwether in the industry trade fairs.
05. What does FMC China specifically offer to the timber and related industries? The China International Timber Order & Exchange Conference has experienced a course of three years. Eight overseas country pavilions are our long-term exhibitors. Through FMC, the most important platform in China, the overseas timber companies transport foreign outstanding highend wood to China.
06. How many visitors and exhibitors are likely to be there at the next edition? What percentage of them are repeat exhibitors and how many of them are new? Nearly 36,590 visitors from home and abroad attended FMC, which increased by 3 percent compared to the previous edition. There were 31,159 visitors from domestic area while 5,431 from overseas region. In the case of FMC Premium, the number of visitors went up to 18,419. In 2016, FMC & FMP will run concurrently with Furniture 2016, hosting a total of 3,000 furniture companies, 890 designer brands and along with Maison Shanghai, the events will occupy almost 300,000 square meters of exhibition space. With this in mind, we expect to host more than 100,000 visitors in total.
07. Who are some of the new exhibitors making their debut at the next edition? Image Š FMC China
Finpro will display their products at FMC Premium this year. In the past, we just had their cooperation at the on-site forum. In addition, both the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) and French Timber have increased their presence at the show in 2016, and we expect more brands to join in the show through these two large groups. June 2016
www.timberdesignandtechnology.com
58 SHOWTIME CALENDAR
Furnishing in Focus
FURNITEX Connect
June 8 - 9 Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Center (MCEC) Melbourne, Australia www.furnishinginfocus.com
July 8 - 10 Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Center Brisbane, Australia http://furnitex.com.au
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Timber & Woodworking
China International Building Decoration Fair
June 8 - 11 Atakent Exhibition Center Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan http://mebelexpo.kz/en/index.html
July 8 - 11 China Import & Export Fair Complex Guangzhou, China http://gzfair.cbd-china.com/index.php?l=en
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WoodEX for Africa
Manchester Furniture Show
June 9 - 11 Gallagher Convention Center Johannesburg, South Africa www.woodexforafrica.com
July 17 - 1 9 Manchester Central Manchester, United Kingdom www.manchesterfurnitureshow.com
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Malaysian Furniture & Furnishings Fair (MF3)
Movinter
June 17 - 19 Kuala Lumpur Convention Center (KLCC) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia www.mf3.my
July 20 - 24 ITM Expo Mirassol, Brazil www.movinter.com.br
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Timber & Working with Wood Show
Australian International Furniture Fair (AIFF)
June 24 - 16 Hall 6, Sydney Showground Sydney, Australia www.timbershows.com.au
July 21 - 24 Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Center (MCEC) Melbourne, Australia www.aiff.net.au
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SYLVA WOOD
Decor + Design
June 27 - 29 Shanghai Mart Expo Shanghai, China www.sylvawoodexpo.com
July 21 - 24 Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Center (MCEC) Melbourne, Australia www.decordesignshow.com.au
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AFRIWOOD Tanzania
ForMรณbile
July 2 - 4 Mlimani Conference Centre Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania www.expogr.com/tanzania/woodexpo
July 26 - 29 Anhembi Exhibition Pavilion Sรฃo Paulo, Brazil www.feiraformobile.com.br/en
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China International Wood Expo
Decorex Joburg
July 5 - 7 Shanghai New International Exhibition Center (SNIEC) Shanghai, China http://www.chinaexhibition.com/Official_Site/11-6415WOOD_EXPO_2015_-_2015_The_5th_China_International_ Wood_Expo.html
August 5 - 9 Gallagher Convention Center Johannesburg, South Africa www.decorex.co.za
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www.timberdesignandtechnology.com
June 2016
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