Over 200 architects and students attended a seminar on ‘Wood in Architecture’ in the newly opened Fondazione Feltrinelli in Milan at the end of last year, co-hosted by AHEC and leading international magazine The Plan. The evening focused on a number of innovative uses of American hardwoods in structural applications.
Alex de Rijke, co-founder of dRMM architects, talked about his recent projects including the experimental Endless Stair with AHEC and Maggie’s Centre in Oldham and its pioneering use of tulipwood CLT. Maggie’s is the first public building anywhere in the world to use hardwood CLT. Andrew Lawrence, leading Timber Engineer at Arup, and architect Alison Brooks talked about the tulipwood Smile (AHEC’s project for London Design Festival in 2016) and other innovative timber projects.
After the presentations AHEC’s European Director, David Venables, joined the speakers for a lively discussion about the current timber construction revolution. Debating what is driving this shift towards timber and how hardwood can play a role. All panellists concluded that we are at the beginning of a journey and, with continued technological development and the need to build more and more sustainably, the future looks bright for timber.
AHEC’s Italian PR consultants, DAG Communications, promoted the event, inviting journalists and securing a half page article on the day in the national daily business newspaper Sole 24. AHEC’s other PR consultants were also invited so they could meet the speakers and attend the seminar, with a view to holding similar events in other European markets during 2018.
Attendees went away with AHEC publications and hand sample sets of the main U.S. hardwood species. 120 of the architects completed an evaluation questionnaire producing the following really positive results:
If you would be interested in organising an architectural seminar, or would like more information on AHEC’s educational work please get in touch.
15th February, 2018