Tag: wood | ArchDaily

From Salt Extraction to Architecture: A Journey Through History

Rene Submissions — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 06:04:12 +0000

Architecture often draws on the history of a place, translating local narratives into contemporary forms, materials, and spatial experiences. Located in the spa town of Bad Orb near Frankfurt, ALEA RESORT HIDEAWAY follows this approach, taking inspiration from the site's history of salt extraction.

Making a Characterful Entrance: The Architectural Impact of Wooden Bi-Folding Doors

Rene Submissions — Thu, 21 May 2026 01:30:00 +0000

Bi-folding doors flood a room with light, offering the spatial flexibility to establish a dialogue with the surroundings. The Woodline series by Solarlux integrates manufacturing quality and technical expertise with architectural freedom, providing transparent facade solutions for versatile, sustainable architecture. The natural surfaces further enhance the building envelope with a distinct tactile quality.

The Technical Reality of Mass Timber Housing: Five European Case Studies

Moises Carrasco — Wed, 20 May 2026 07:30:00 +0000

Recent years have seen a shifting paradigm in multi-family residential architecture, as more and more new projects are being built with engineered wood, specifically Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) and glued-laminated timber (glulam). Because timber is lightweight, these systems can reduce dead load and ease foundation demands, which is especially useful on sites with limited bearing capacity or over existing infrastructure. From a sustainability standpoint, timber can store carbon over the life of the building and often reduces embodied carbon compared with conventional concrete-and-steel systems. In fire design, large timber members can be engineered to char at a predictable rate, allowing the structural core to remain protected for a defined period when detailed appropriately.

How Waterways and Memory Shape Bathroom Design

Kiana Buchberger — Tue, 12 May 2026 06:45:00 +0000

Water has always occupied a unique position in architecture: elemental yet elusive, functional yet symbolic. It is both a material and a medium that shapes cities, structures rituals, and influences how space is perceived. Across cultures, water is understood not only as a source of life but as a carrier of meaning, associated with purification, renewal, and continuity. Its presence in the built environment often extends beyond utility, becoming a device through which architecture engages the senses and constructs atmosphere.

"Artisans of the Reiwa Era" Documentary Showcases Traditional Japanese Wood Construction and Craftsmanship

Antonia Piñeiro — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 05:30:00 +0000

Rinshunkaku is a notable example of early Edo-period residential architecture. Originally built in the Wakayama Prefecture by the Kishu Tokugawa family, the villa was relocated to Sankeien, a traditional Japanese garden in the city of Yokohama, during the Taisho era (1912-1926). The garden was created in the early 20th century by businessman and art patron Sankei Hara and features a number of historic buildings relocated from Kyoto, Kamakura, and other areas of Japan. Rinshunkaku, one of the garden's gems, is a prime example of traditional Japanese architecture and wood construction. Its historical value motivated a large-scale restoration project in 2019, documented in the film Artisans of the Reiwa Era (Reiwa no Shokunin-tachi), filmed and edited by Katsumasa Tanaka and Hiroshi Fujiki. The documentary offers a close, detailed view of Japanese craftsmanship and wood expertise, highlighting rare traditional techniques and paying tribute to the artisans who preserve them.

How to Measure the Life Cycle of a Construction Material?

Agustina Iñiguez — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 07:30:00 +0000

As a major driver of natural resource consumption, energy use, and greenhouse gas emissions, the construction industry has a significant impact on the environment, consuming 32% of global energy and contributing to 34% of global CO₂ emissions. Building materials play a crucial role in shaping the built environment. Through principles of circular economy, renewable and self-sufficient solutions, and technological innovations, analyzing the environmental performance of each material highlights the opportunity to review and assess the different stages of its life cycle.

Transforming a Concrete Shell into a Wooden Interior Shaped by the Sea

Kiana Buchberger — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 06:45:00 +0000

Set along the outer breakwater of Port de Cap-d'Ail, located next to Monaco, the Beach House occupies a threshold between land and sea. Surrounded by water and docked boats, the building sits in close dialogue with the harbor, exposed to the shifting light, reflections, and atmosphere of the Mediterranean. Within this setting, the house reads almost like another vessel moored along the harbor wall.

Call for Proposals: Bethel Woods Art & Architecture Festival (BuildFest) 2026

Rene Submissions — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 10:05:00 +0000

The Bethel Woods Art & Architecture Festival (BuildFest) 2026, titled "Acts of Construction – Act One: Staging" invites proposals for timber pavilions and multimedia activations to be installed on the historic grounds of the 1969 Woodstock festival.

Act One (2026) examines the overlapping meanings of “staging.” In theater, staging refers to the arrangement and presentation of a play, show, or other production; in construction, staging refers to the assembly of temporary infrastructure (scaffolding, platforms, and supports) in anticipation of building. Proposals should consider how construction can be intentionally organized to accommodate unknown future uses and/or the planned disassembly and reuse

The Afterlife of Expo Osaka’s Grand Ring: How the Timber Structure Is Being Reused Across Japan

Antonia Piñeiro — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 06:30:00 +0000

Exhibitions can be an opportunity to extend architectural discourse beyond professional circles, opening conversations with broader publics and serving as an interface between architecture and society. Within this concept, major international events such as the Osaka International Expo 2025 and the Venice Architecture Biennale have adopted the idea of the circular economy as one of their organizational objectives. The idea of circularity in events can be reflected in, for example, their energy consumption, the impact of the displacement they generate, their waste, or the useful life of their infrastructure. The site destined for the last World Expo, held in Osaka from 13 April to 13 October 2025, was surrounded by a massive timber structure designed by Sou Fujimoto Architects, one of the world's largest wooden constructions. The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition committed to reusing building materials "as much as possible," with concrete plans for their reuse to be finalized by March. In the meantime, some relocation alternatives are already emerging for the pieces of the World Expo structure.

Buildner Announces Winners of Architect’s Chair #4 Competition and Launches #5 Edition

Rene Submissions — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 07:45:00 +0000

Buildner is pleased to announce the results of its Architect's Chair Competition Edition 4, an annual international competition that invites architects and designers worldwide to submit designs for a signature chair. Following in the footsteps of iconic figures like Charles and Ray Eames, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Marcel Breuer, and Arne Jacobsen, participants are tasked with creating custom chairs that reflect their unique design philosophies and visions.

sauerbruch hutton Exhibition in Paris Explores the Technical and Atmospheric Potential of Wood

Antonia Piñeiro — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 06:30:00 +0000

The recently inaugurated exhibition matière en résonance ("resonant matter") brings together a wide range of models and a curated selection of photographs to present sauerbruch hutton's ongoing exploration of timber. The exhibition starts from the premise that while the age of concrete defined the twentieth century, the early twenty-first century has seen a worldwide resurgence of timber, a much older building material. Timber is presented as offering "a different version of modernity" and as the subject of renewed interest that reawakens long-standing collective imaginaries. Over more than two decades, the Berlin-based architecture practice has explored the possibilities of timber construction, from façade elements to load-bearing structures and modular systems. The exhibition reflects the results of this sustained investigation, reinforcing both technical innovation and the embodied qualities of timber across a diverse range of European contexts. The exhibition will be on view from 3 to 28 February 2026 at the Galerie d'Architecture de Paris.

Deep Tones and Natural Roots: 22 Shou Sugi Ban Homes Across the US and Canada

Hadir Al Koshta — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 08:30:00 +0000

Shou Sugi Ban is a traditional Japanese technique for wood preservation that involves charring the surface of timber to create a protective layer. While its origins are rooted in practical durability, the method has been widely adapted into the modern built environment and shapes a unique and distinctive aesthetic. It is a material of contradiction: it remains bold in its visual language due to its dark tones, yet it simultaneously borrows from and complements its natural surroundings, allowing houses to settle quietly into their sites.

Mass Timber: Materials, Design, and Construction

Rene Submissions — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 10:35:00 +0000

The most comprehensive reference on building with mass timber, extensively covering its sustainability, materials, building conceptualization, structural design and construction processes

Mass Timber: Materials, Design, and Construction is a one-stop resource book for mass timber construction with thorough textual descriptions, engaging images, many concept drawings, and discussion of state-of-the-art construction practices. The book draws from a large pool of images from the every-day to cutting-edge mass timber construction projects and includes extensive details of recently constructed buildings.

Written by a renowned team of experts with over three decades of professional, research, and teaching experience, Mass Timber: Materials, Design, and Construction includes information

Urban Sanctuaries: Creating Peaceful Homes Amidst City Chaos

Camilla Ghisleni — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 07:30:00 +0000

"Feeling at home" is more than just an expression—it is the sense of warmth and comfort that transforms a space into a true refuge. To achieve this, elements like color, texture, lighting, and materials play a crucial role in shaping an environment that fosters relaxation and well-being. Backed by research in environmental psychology and neuroscience, the connection between physical spaces and human behavior highlights how architecture can directly influence the atmosphere, turning chaos into tranquility.

Architecture as a Living Medium: Get to Know the Works of IGArchitects

Miwa Negoro — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 08:30:00 +0000

Founded in 2020 by Masato Igarashi, IGArchitects is an architectural practice based in Tokyo and Saitama, Japan. The studio, one of the winners of the ArchDaily 2025 Next Practices Awards, explores enduring architecture through a careful yet assertive treatment of structure, scale, and materiality. Prior to establishing his own practice, Igarashi worked at the large-scale firm Shimizu Sekkei as well as the Suppose Design Office, gaining experience across projects ranging from major developments to smaller, concept-driven works. This breadth of experience continues to inform IGArchitects' current focus on residential and commercial architecture across Japan.

Timber Tectonics: 10 Projects Rethinking Wood Construction in Contemporary China

Jonathan Yeung — Thu, 25 Dec 2025 07:30:00 +0000

In much of China, concrete remains the dominant construction material. Despite growing concerns over its environmental impact, concrete continues to align with the priorities of many developers and clients—it is fast, cost-effective, and highly durable. As a result, most building types in China still rely heavily on concrete. This reliance is further reinforced by China's position as the world's largest producer of Portland cement. A deeply entrenched supply chain, rooted in raw material manufacturing and economic infrastructure, ensures that concrete remains the default choice in the construction industry.

Interior Design Trends of 2025

Mohieldin Gamal — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 04:00:00 +0000

As 2025 approaches its end, we look back at an eventful year in the world of interior design. Last year, designers favored reserved, modest approaches, a trend that continued from previous years. The emergence of artificial intelligence generated intense discussions on digital equity and misinformation, which continued into 2025, especially with the topic of the Venice Architecture Biennale, Intelligens. This opened the conversation to the opportunities of digital technologies, attempting a more hopeful outlook. On the other hand, completed interior design projects over the year focused more on the tangible and the pragmatic, with expressed raw materials and an appreciation of history.

Design Ethos of Subtraction and Addition: 10 Adaptive Reuse Projects for Commercial and Social Spaces in Asia

Miwa Negoro — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 07:30:00 +0000

While adaptive reuse has been increasingly acknowledged as a vital architectural strategy worldwide, its discourse and implementation in Asia are still expanding—driven by growing ecological awareness and a shifting understanding of architectural knowledge. Rather than accelerating a developmentalist model centered on demolition and new construction, architects today are confronted with a different approach to the built environment: treating the existing structure as a resource—an archive of materials, spatial organizations, and informal histories.