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HARDWOODREFERENCES


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CherryDeep reddish colour. Fine, uniform straight grain. Easto machine. Smooth finish when sanded, stained andpolished. Uses include high-end furniture, joinery,flooring.

Maple - hardCream coloured sap wood, brown heartwood. Canhave highly figured grain. Good strength properties,especially hardness and resistance to abrasion andwear. Excellent finishing. Uses include fl ooring,furniture, panelling, interior joinery.

Maple softSimilar colour and grain to hard maple. Excellentmachining and finishing properties, widely availablein a range of specifications. Uses include flooring,furniture, panelling, interior joinery.

AshPale yellow colour. Excellent strength/weight ratio.Steam bends easily. Machines well. Good nailing,screwing and gluing. Stains easily and evenly. Usesinclude interior joinery and furniture, structural uses.

TulipwoodCreamy white sapwood and occasional darkheartwood. Machines easily. Minimal movement.Takes paint, enamel and stains well. Uses includefurniture, interior joinery, light construction, structural.

Black walnutRich dark colour. Works and finishes easily.Good dimensional stability.Uses include flooring, furniture, joinery.

White oakHard and heavy but finishes well for interiorapplications. Long, straight grain. Durable.Uses include furniture, all interior joinery, structural.

Red oakSimilar appearance to white oak but with a slightreddish- brown hue. Stains well. Most widelyavailable species across the USA. Uses includeflooring, furniture, cabinetry, joinery, doors etc,structural.


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In the last few years in Europe we have witnessedsignificant changes in attitudes to wood and how it isused. The result is a widespread increase in the use ofwood in building. Research shows that many Europeanarchitects now see wood as an essential element oftheir palette of materials and very much as a modernmaterial. This change in attitude is summed up by RuthSlavid, architectural journalist and author of WoodArchitecture, who observes: Wood is no longer thesole preserve of the traditionalist, but has an importantrole to play in the contemporary world.

Wood has a number of major advantages overother building materials; firstly it is renewable. Howmany other building materials can make that claim?Secondly, it performs. It is a natural insulator, has goodacoustic properties, a high strength to weight ratio andhas flexibility and workability. Of course wood is notone homogenous material, as there are many differentwood species. The versatility of all these species opens

up many design possibilities. However, such choicealso provides a challenge to any potential specifier.An understanding of wood as a material is essentialfor making the right choice of species or product toachieve successful designs.

New attitudes towards wood have certainly given aboost to hardwood consumption in building in Europe.Temperate hardwoods in particular have grown inimportance in recent years and are currently veryfashionable, with North American hardwoods playing

a key role in this mix. Why? Well in a nutshell: they aresustainable, available and they perform.How better to show their performance than by

referencing their use. This publication illustrates twelverecent examples of how hardwoods have successfullyworked to provide both form and function in buildingdesign. We hope you will also be inspired by thisoldest but newest of materials!

David Venables, European DirectorAmerican Hardwood Export Council (AHEC)

03

Introduction

GRAPHIC

DESIGN:THEPLANE

DITION

S


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The use of wood in European architecture fromhomes and offices to performance spaces andpublic buildings continues to rise. Structurally, it

is a strong, flexible material that gives designersthe ability to realise the most visually extravagantdreams. It also lends a craftsmanship and levelof detail to finished buildings that is hard to rival.In short, wood can turn an ordinary interior intosomething quite extraordinary, as demonstratedhere.

The buildings featured in this brochure have beenchosen to give readers an idea of the rich varietyof uses for hardwoods, from American black cherry

and white oak, to European maple and Americanwhite ash. The building types are diverse from theheadquarters of a watchmaker and a car leasingfirm to an airport lounge and a small financialcity.

Perhaps not surprisingly (given the well-knownacoustic qualities of wood) four of the twelve projectsfeatured are performance spaces. At the Sageperforming arts centre, in Gateshead, Foster andPartners specified American white ash for the main

hall for a variety of reasons: it is a readily available,highly sustainable hardwood that also has a depthof colour. Not only that, it is hard and resilient, yetmachines well and is available in long lengths.Gnosis Architettura and Alessandro Castagnarochose American black cherry and American whiteoak for their mechanical and physical properties toachieve continuity both spatial and acoustic inthe restoration of a 1963 building (which includesan auditorium) for media company RAI in Naples.And it is not just the performance spaces that benefitfrom the use of wood. In Copenhagen, HenningLarsens Opera House resonates across the harbour;a result of reflections not from the glass faade, butfrom the stained maple panels that create the curvedouter walls of the main auditorium within.

Feast your eyes on some of the most successfuluses of hardwood in European architecture today.

By Nicola Jackson, a freelance architectural writer

Editorial

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Vacheron Constantin HQ , Switzerland

Pinions Barn, UK

Marine Institute, Ireland

Virgin Atlantic Sunken Lounge, UK

Copenhagen Opera House, Denmark

The Sage, UK

Castelln Auditorium, Spain

Ickworth House, UK

Navarra General Archive, Spain

Lex Vehicle Leasing HQ, UK

Santander Group HQ, Spain

RAI Auditorium, Ital

Contents

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Front cover: Marine Institute, Galwa b OPW, Dublin

Inside front cover: Castelln Auditorium, Castelln b Carlos Ferrater, Barcelona


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The oldest watch manufacturer in the world has neverstopped using its imagination, innovating and drawingits inspiration from a tradition of excellence. This concern

for research and perfection is the invisible signature ofthe master watchmakers at Vacheron Constantin. Soit was in this spirit that the design for the new factorywas created by Bernard Tschumi urbanistes Architectes(BTuA). Great care was taken both in the finish andin the choice of materials. The result is an alliance ofAmerican cherry and stainless steel, a true reflection ofthe perfection and quality of the companys products.

The concept is based on an envelope with stainlesssteel on the outside and wood, American cherry, onthe inside. The building is set in landscaped parkland.The fold and shape of the outside is precise andpurposeful with wood used to make the interior warmand welcoming. The building is not closed in on itself,as it allows abundant light to flow in from the northand filtered light from the south. Light effects, filtration,reflections of glass and steel, wood and concrete,repeat continuously to provide an interior landscapeof great variety and contrast. The atrium linking thebuildings five storeys is entirely glass so light poursinto this space, enhanced by the rich red colour of the

SpecieS:American black cherrand maple

Architect:

Bernard Tschumi urbanistesArchitectes (BTuA)

PHOTOGRAPHy:BTuA

Gitt Daragar

VacheronConstantin HQGeneva, Switzerland

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American black cherry finishing. The reflections oflight provide a sense of depth and richness as thelight travels downwards passing through the oblongbays. Skylights and light-filled patios illuminate theworking areas, which have wood ceilings and floorsall in controlled atmospheric conditions to createa comfortable but precise working environment,necessary for this level of skilled craftsmanship.aThe selection process of the finishing materials wasrigorous, as the designers sought to specify thosematerials that both met the companys requirementsand reflected its prestigious image. The stainlesssteel exterior is both luminous and austere. Theinterior, in contrast, is warm, deep and textured.

The designers decided upon American cherry for itsgrain, and for its intense colour. In the upper storeysmaple is used for the office flooring. The woodinteriors have been finished in several differentways, including a natural oiled finish to the joineryin the reception hall and showroom. Removablefloors were installed in the technical areas. But themost striking feature is that the American cherryflooring blends into the cherry panelling on thewalls, which extend to the ceiling, equipped withveneered acoustic panels that run through thewhole building. Solid wide board American cherryflooring has been used in the reception area withan oiled finish, whereas in the observation area

1 Cherr flooring blendsinto cherr panelling

2 Cherr ceiling contrasts

with steel and glass

3 Hardwood provides adistant perspective

4 Stainless steel and woodforms the basis of thearchitectural concept

08

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an engineered strip parquet floor, also in cherry,covering 2,000m2. At the end of the assemblysection the floor curves and a wave of cherrybends upwards along the wall and becomes theceiling. In total, the wood and steel combinationextends over an area of 10,000m2. On the upperfloors, in the office areas, removable maple floorswere also installed to allow for network access.According to the architects, American cherry wasselected because of its extensive environmentalcredentials. While the choice of stainless steel andwood forms the basis of the architectural concept,wood was a perfect choice because it is bothrecyclable and renewable.

By Isabelle Guitet, IC.COMand David Venables, AHEC

The selection of American cherr inspired the original design.

It defined the interior spaces, providing comfort and warmth

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Simon Conder, an architect of twenty yearsstanding, is one whose career spans two distinctgenerations of a profession working in a worldof changing values. Not least of these is theprogression from some of the energy-rich devilmay care designers of the 80s and 90s tothose now obsessed by the need to producesustainable buildings for this millennium. For morethan ten years Conders sustainable designs havebeen incorporating the extensive use of wood inbuildings that are now winning awards.

His work is varied; from larger scale projectssuch as laboratories, apartments and communitycentres, to a small award-winning black rubber

beach house. His projects range from the new(Sheldon Medical Practice) to conversions ofold buildings (Pinions Barn). He has worked inDenmark, Japan and Hawaii and his commissionshave included Germany. The practice, whichstarted in 1984, has won well over twenty awards including the Gold Award of the Wood Awardsin 2005 for Pinions Barn having been HighlyCommended the previous year with its Dungenessbeach house. Simon Conder Associates is nowrenowned for the meticulous way it creates placesthat are calm, reflective and entirely specific to thepeople using them. Simon Conder draws heavilyon American white oak as a material that he has

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Simon Conder draws heavil on American white oak as

a material that he has learned to trust. Its consistentin grain he sas and has tremendous warmth

1 White oak flooringcomplements existingframe

2 Iroko doors and birch

pl in contrast

3 White oak floor meetsEuropean oak stair

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learned to trust. Its consistent in grain, he says,and has tremendous warmth. He also likes thepredictability of its yield, or waste, so that costscan be more easily predicted than with some otherhardwoods. But most important is the fact that, it iseasy to work with and is stable and doesnt move,he confidently states. And that says a great dealabout his understanding of the materials he workswith in buildings that for him must be sustainable.

All wood can move, so the fact that SimonConder pays the necessary attention to the detail ofsuch elements as ambient and hardwood moisturecontent, gives testament to his formula for success at least as far as the installation of materials is

concerned. He also works with installers of thehighest standards, never more evident than inhis successful Pinions Barn using iroko, birchplywood, American and European oak, whichwon the 2005 Gold Award of the Wood Awards recognising quality of design, workmanshipand installation. To quote the awards supplement,the judges felt the details were executed in anextremely effective way. This is a very high quality,very fashionable conversion, extremely well carriedthrough.

By Michael Buckley, World Hardwoods

Pinions Barn,UK

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SpecieS:American white oak,

European birch and oak

Architect:

Simon Conder Associates

PHOTOGRAPHy:Tessa Musgrave

Courtes of Wood Awards 2005

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Its a wonder that anyone at the new headquarters ofIrelands Marine Institute does any work. Situated on aheadland in Galway Bay near the village of Oranmore,the building looks out to the cool waters of the Atlantic,where the seascape is broken by the shape of islands,and to the left and right of the bay, mountains sweepdown to the water. Its an ideal spot, said CiaranOConnor, the Office of Public Works assistant principal

architect, who led the design team. However, insidethere is just as much to captivate. Everywhere you look,OConnor and his team have countered the clinicalenvironment of a research facility with the warmth andtexture of wood. Of the many reasons for using wood,OConnor cites its ecological credentials first, but says,the primary reason is its ease of use and flexibility interms of shaping, moulding, and that it can be usedfor so many effects. And it has certainly been usedto good effect from the floors, doors and windows,to panelling, furniture and ceilings hardwood isalways part of the internal view. In all, more than50 containers of sustainably managed tropical andtemperate hardwoods were used in this project. Thebuilding, a concrete block and steel construction,comprises a half crescent, which mirrors the curve of thebay, while behind there are the rectilinear laboratories,from where the scientists can also enjoy the views.Its a combination of a very rational sort of structureand a more romantic layout for the areas that areless functionally defined or restricted, said OConnor.

MarineInstitute,Galway, Ireland

SpecieS:American white oak,maple, ash, red elm,beech and iroko

Architect:

Office of Public Works, Dublin

PHOTOGRAPHy:Richard Davies

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Whilethe specification for the laboratories was fairlyrigid, OConnors enjoyment of timber starts on theother side of the laboratory door. Here, relaxationareas, which feature American ash wall panellingon acoustic felt, solid oak flooring from Junckers andsoft furnishings, provide a complete change of moodfrom the clinical, more monotonous environment ofthe labs. The oak flooring and ash panelling arecontinued in other areas of the building, and whereacoustic control is important, moulded ash treatedwith DRICON to achieve fire class 0 and acousticfelt also feature on the ceiling. The ash has arounded finish; its like a flat curve which works wellacoustically because it deflects the sound in different

ways. The sound doesnt come belting straight backat you so you dont get an echo, said OConnor.And the rounded profile had another, unexpectedbenefit. We found that when we cut across thegrain in that particular shape, it brought out the figureof ash beautifully. It made it look completely differentfrom if it was cut straight. The doors throughout thebuilding have also been used to explore and showoff the wide variation in the colours and textures ofdifferent wood species. There is a sort of hierarchyto the doors and their design. The doors into thelabs and other staff areas are simpler patterns ofbeech and American cherry veneers, while thedoors into other areas, such as the meeting rooms,

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1 Halved crescent mirrorsGalwa Ba

2 Ocean light fills enclosed

spaces

3 Hardwood joinercontrasts granite floors

4 Light enhanceshardwood interiors

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are an elaborate patchwork of up to 14 species.These doors feature veneers of ash, koto, Americanmaple, white beech, birds eye maple, wenge,American red elm, cherry, steamed beech crown,Irish oak, sapele, teak crown, American blackwalnut crown and rosewood. OConnor sums it upPeople respond well to wood, it warms a buildingand, although light requires some other surfacesfrom which to reflect, wood then softens light. Thepassage of light was an important consideration inthe design. You only get about 30% of reflection oflight off timber, compared with about 80% reflectionoff a white-painted plastered wall, said OConnor.With the ash panelling, the oak floors, the American

black cherry, American white oak and maple joinery,the teams anti-sauna tactic was to have light comingin from at least two directions in each space, much ofit through the iroko-framed windows, some of whichextend the full height of the wall. This durable timberis untreated and will be left to weather naturally inthe Atlantic sea air. Now that the building is finishedand in use, OConnor is pleased with the result, ifnot a little envious of its inhabitants. Its a remarkablybeautiful place. I think weve done the site justice. Idbe quite happy to work down there.

By Keren Fallwell, TTJ Journalistand Michael Buckley, World Hardwoods

First published in Timber Building

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People respond well to wood, it warms a building and,

although light requires some other surfaces from whichto reflect, wood then softens light

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Sunken Lounge is a unique, bespoke piece ofjoinery furniture designed by Softroom for the new26,000m2 Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at HeathrowAirport in London. As part of the brief for the lounge,Virgins in-house design team were keen that theClubhouse should not look like a sea of seats.To this end, generous seated accommodation for30-40 passengers is provided in this speciallydeveloped unit, which surrounds a lively bar areaat the heart of the Clubhouse. These horseshoeshaped enclosures are built up out of the sameAmerican black walnut timber as the upper floor,stack-bonded and sculpted into an original form.Let into this sinuous, polished shell are generously

proportioned leather upholstered sofas. Centrearmrests in the sofas flip open to provide power anddata points for laptops, while side tables can bebrought up for impromptu dining. Stainless steel finsat the back of the unit provide support for integralaccessories including a planter, magazine rack andcoloured glass screen.

Ergonomics were a primary consideration inthe design, and the final form was the result of alengthy process of design development, includingpaper and CAD studies, full scale mock-ups andprototypes. These were trialled with a wide rangeof potential users in order to fine tune the seat height,width and padding. An important factor was the

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The sunken lounge was designed to create theimpression that the built in seating was carvedout of the profiled edge of a raised area of solidwalnut floor. Precision cut stack laminated American

black walnut allowed us to create sinuous formsand integrate horizontal slots for displacementventilation

1 Black walnut joiner

2 Walnut horseshoe andclosures

3 Patchwork walnutflooring

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ability to use the seating not only for relaxation butalso dining and work.

Throughout the Clubhouse, much of the air-conditioning system is built into the joinery.Overhead a unique sweeping ceiling recalls anexpanse of sky, raked by gently drifting clouds. Itsundulating geometry, echoed in the layout of thefloor, weaves across the space and unites the roomalong its remarkable length. The dramatic designof the ceiling was made possible by relocatingthe air-conditioning to lowlevel, thereby avoidingthe oppressive lowslung grid of tiles and grillesnormally found in airport environments, giving theClubhouse an entirely original character.


Virgin AtlanticSunken Lounge,LondonHeathrow, UK

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SpecieS:American black walnut

DeSiGNer:

Softroom

PHOTOGRAPHy:Softroom

Richard Davies

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Put together a 500 year theatrical heritage, awardwinning architect Henning Larsen, a budget of DKK2.5 billion (E335 million) and a modern building

design which incorporates natural materials and whatdo you get? A stunning architectural icon and a stateof the art music venue, which provides the Danishpeople with an engaging design experience, aswell as a performance arena of the highest technicalquality.

The sheer scale of this project is most impressive.The total area of the building is 41,000m, comprising14 storeys, five of which are underground. The mainauditorium has seating for 1,500 people. The buildingboasts over 1,000 rooms including several smallrehearsal rooms and one large practise room for fullorchestra, situated directly below the main auditorium.The glass faade and steel constructed cantilever roofmake this sculptural building gleam like a jewel onits unique island location in Copenhagen harbour.But on closer inspection the real glow emanates notfrom reflections in the glass, but from the stainedmaple panels within, which create the curved outerwalls of the main auditorium. Fashionable temperatehardwoods are also used extensively in the interior

SpecieS:

American white oakand European maple

Architect:

Henning Larsen Tegnestue A/S

PHOTOGRAPHy:Hrning Parquet Fabrik A/S

Adam Moerk

CopenhagenOpera House,Denmark

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of the auditorium, where more maple panels,this time stained dark, provide a warm and regalambience. The flooring throughout is Americanwhite oak, incorporating a dark smoked finish,which according to the architects was chosenby the client for its uniform texture and colour. Atotal of 2,400m of white oak strip flooring wasmanufactured and supplied by Danish specialistsHrning Parquet Fabrik A/S and was the winnerof the 2005 Danish Floor Award presented toflooring contractor P.Rasmussen og Snner a-s.

The Opera House, part of a wider developmentproject for the harbour was donated to the Danishstate by the A.P Mller & Chastine Mc-Kinney

Mller Foundation and is a milestone in the historyof the Royal Theatre. The new venue will allowthe Royal Theatre to stage large performances notpossible in the old Royal Theatre, built in 1874.The Royal Theatre will continue to maintain bothvenues new and old, which will provide a broadranging music programme without compromisingartistic standards. Commissioned at the beginningof the new millennium, building work beganin late 2001 and was completed almost 3years later in October 2004. The building wasformally opened in January 2005 with a RoyalCommand performance. Alongside the Danisharchitects Henning Larsen Tegnestue A/S, the

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1 Gentle curving mapledefines the tiers

2 Oak floor providesperspective

3-4 White oak for a surefooting

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team of specialist collaborators included structuralengineers Buro Happold, Arup Acoustics andTheatre plan. Here is another spectacular exampleof a major European public building wherehardwood has provided a design solution, whichnot only looks fantastic but also gives the desiredtechnical performance. White oak was chosenspecifically for the flooring and it is good to seeAmerican and European hardwood combining todemonstrate that wood is a first choice material formodern architecture.

By David Venables, AHEC

Here is another spectacular example of a major European public

building where hardwood has provided a design solution, which notonl looks fantastic but also gives the desired technical performance

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The Sage, Gatesheads new 70m performing artscentre designed by Foster and Partners, is a glisteningstainless steel clad structure, spanning 80m andstands high above the River Tyne looking across toNewcastle. The building consists of six concreteareas three music halls and three machinery rooms covered by a stainless steel and glass roof. Each ofthese areas is separated from one another to preventnoise being transmitted through the structure. To providethe necessary acoustic performance, adjustable ceilingpanels, and a timber based panelling system wasspecified. The Gateshead Metropolitan BoroughCouncil insisted on certified hardwood so the choicewas limited but the result is spectacular. American ash

was selected for the main hall and European birchfor the smaller hall and rehearsal room. Prefabricatedwooden sections for the ceiling reflectors were fixedto steel frames before being winched into the ceilingvoid. Each reflector is composed of numerous sectionsfaced with two layers of 6mm marine grade birchplywood bonded together to achieve the correctradius of curvature for optimum deflection of sound.The plywood is covered with certified American ashveneer and the section edges are clad in flexibleply to accommodate the tight radius. To give somemass to this thin structure for acoustic purposes, eachsection was lined with 75mm thick MDF. Having beenmanufactured under controlled atmospheric conditions,

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Ameican white ash is a eadil available and hihlsustainable hadwd with a wealth f chaacte

and wamth f clu. Its had, et machines well,and bein available in ln lenths pvided anexcellent mateial f the Sae pject

1 Fstes icn n the Tne2 Hadwd pvides the

acustic

3 Ameican white ashives liht t the sund

4 Undulatin panellin facustic excellence

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maintaining the moisture content and temperature ofthe wood components once they reached site wasessential but not easy. Ambient temperature andhumidity had to be checked daily. At one stage,temporary doors were fitted to the concrete structureand large heating elements introduced to preventunacceptable movement in the wood components. Atfirst glance the ash panelling in the main auditoriumappears to run parallel to the wall line. However,closer inspection reveals that it gently undulates. Thepanelling is mounted directly to the concrete blockwalls which, for reasons of economics, were built asflat surfaces. To achieve the complexity of curvaturethe designers required, each section of panelling

had to be built up using layers of moisture-resistantMDF finished with ash veneer and solid ash profiledlumber. Numerous different profiles were used for theash strips with each having its own unique positionon the panel sections. One piece out of sequencewould have ruined the whole visual effect, and causedconsequences for the acoustic excellence. Who wasit who erroneously stated that timber was a low-techmaterial? There is nothing low-tech about the interiorof The Sage ask the joiners who worked on it. Betterstill, ask the musicians about the degree of acousticperfection attained in The Sage.

By Duncan King, AHEC

The Sage,Gateshead, UK

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SpecieS:

Ameican ashand Eupean Bich

Architect:

Fste & Patnes

AcouStic engineerS:

Aup Acustics

PHoTogrAPHy:Tessa Musave

Cutes f Wd Awads 2005

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Music making and wood has a long historic traditionthat still thrives today. But it is not just the relationshipwith the instruments themselves that is important. Wood

also plays a major part in the venues which delivermusical experiences. A growing number of architectsin Europe are discovering the benefits of combining theaesthetic qualities of fashionable hardwoods and theperformance they offer in terms of acoustic propertiesand practical design solutions. So what wood speciesare in fashion right now? The answer is temperatehardwoods, as they offer distinct and interesting grainpatterns, a wide spread of colours, tones and goodenvironmental credentials. With American hardwoodsbeing able to offer the widest species range, it isnot surprising they are featuring very strongly. Someof the recent examples from around Europe and thenames of the architects involved say it all. RenzoPiano used American cherry in the Rome Auditorium,while Foster & Partners chose certified American ashfor the Sage Music Centre in Gateshead (UK) andAllies and Morrison have used American white oakin the theatre and auditorium at Queens CollegeCambridge (UK). Whereas, French architect ClaudeVasconi favoured stained American maple for his

SpecieS:Ameican had maple

Architect:

Cals Feate

PHoTogrAPHy:AHEC

CastellnAuditorium,Castelln, Spain

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interior design of the Velizy Theatre in Paris. Nowit is the turn of one of Spains more importantarchitects, Carlos Ferrater, who has used Americanmaple for the city of Castellns new Auditoriumand Conference Hall, in the Valencia region ofSpain. This major public project, which openedin 2004, combines elegance and functionality.The relationship between light and space playsa key role in the design, so too does the synergycreated between the interior of the building andits external environment. The outside structure builtin white reinforced concrete is contrasted withthe warmer interior spaces where grey stone andlight coloured American maple combine. A series

of large glass roof panels bathe and fracture theinterior spaces with natural light. The light colouredmaple is the common theme that links all internalareas as it is to be found in the Foyer, the smallChamber Music hall, the multi purpose hallas well as the main Symphonic hall which seatsjust over one thousand two hundred people. Thewalls are constructed from acoustically profiledparticle board, surfaced with decorative mapleveneer, while maple plywood is used for the ceilingpanels. All wood surfaces have been treated witha M1 fire retardant coating.

Hardwood joinery is also an important feature inthe design of the office areas, library and cafeteria,

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1-5 Had maple pvidescntinuit thuhut theauditium andcnfeence hall

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A win numbe f achitects in Eupe ae discvein the benefits f

cmbinin the aesthetic qualities f fashinable hadwds and the pefmancethe ffe in tems f acustic ppeties and pactical desin slutins

where solid and veneered maple work together forthe internal doors, stairs and panelling.

By David Venables, AHEC

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New timber is married with old in HopkinsArchitects new visitor facilities for a National TrustHome, Ickworth House near Bury St Edmunds inSuffolk, built by the eccentric 4th Earl of Bristolin 1795 to house his European treasures. TheItalianate house has a central Rotunda, which isflanked by symmetrical links to the East Wing, usedas the family house, and the West Wing, whichwas left incomplete. Facilities for visitors to Ickworthhave been created within the vast, barn-like WestWing. The reception, cafeteria, and shop havebeen removed from the central Rotunda, allowingit to be restored to its original state. Two new floorshave been inserted into the West Wing. Entry is

through an existing door at ground floor level intothe new reception and information area. Visitorsthen move into the shop and restaurant with viewsthrough the orangery into the walled garden. Onthe first floor is a spacious hall for events. Thelower ground floor houses the education suite,the main kitchen, stores and staff areas. The brickenclosing walls and timber trusses have beenretained unadorned throughout. All new elements such as timber screens and barrel-vaulted precastconcrete floor panels that form the ceiling of therestaurant are clearly contemporary insertions.We considered using pine to match the woodused in the existing roof but reclaimed pitch pine

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Nth Ameican white ak was usedbecause f its clu, cnsistenc,availabilit and pice

1 Ameican white akfunitue bLuke Huhes

2 Cntinuit in flin andfunitue

3 Event hall cmbines thenew and the ld

4 The effect f wd andwhite

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was too expensive. Instead, North American whiteoak was used because of its colour, consistency,availability and price. Oak was a natural choicefor the new joinery elements including furniture,because it has been used extensively in the mainhouse stated by the project architect.

The project team led by Hopkins Architectsincluded: structural and services engineer, BuroHappold, and furniture designed by Luke Hughes& Company Ltd.

First published in Architecture Today

Ickworth House,Bury St Edmunds, UK

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SpecieS:

Ameican white ak

Architect:

Hpkins Achitects

PHoTogrAPHy:richad Davies

3 4


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The wonderfully imperious sounding Palace of theKings of Navarra in Pamplona dates from the twelfthcentury. Looming haughtily over the town from an

elevated plateau, its medieval bulk is a prominentfixture in the urban skyline. The re-use and adaptationof such ancient structures can often be problematic, butsince falling derelict in the late twentieth century, thisparticular relic has been successfully renovated andrevitalised by Rafael Moneo to house a new regionalarchive and study centre. As might be expected,the new work exudes the crafted elegance that hasbecome Moneos signature, but here it is given atougher edge through creative juxtaposition andengagement with historic structures and materials.

Moneo has strong connections with Navarra (hewas born in Tudela south of Pamplona), and in manyways his architecture has an affinity with the minimalistand muscular character of medieval structures. Hefrequently employs alcazarlike forms tall neutralcontainers, often toplit with massive walls. His approachto Pamplonas palace has been one of both reductionand addition, stripping away distracting accretionsfrom the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries and addinga new set of contemporary interventions around the

SpecieS:Ameican black che,maple andEupean ak

Architect:

rafael Mne

PHoTogrAPHy:AHEC

NavarraGeneralArchive,Pamplona, Spain

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medieval core, so the complex is now a finelyjudged synthesis of the very old and the very new.Clad in mottled grey and gold local limestone cutfrom the quarries that supplied the original Palace,Moneos strong cubic volumes share a formal andmaterial kinship with the original buildings, but areclearly distinguishable as being of their time. Newand old parts wrap around a central cloisteredcourtyard, with the remains of the palace on thenorth and west sides now transformed into anacademic research centre, with reading rooms,lecture hall, administration and workshops. Theseconnect with Moneos new tower for archivestorage on the south and east side. Archives are

housed in a trio of blocks linked by a quadrangularramp around a central void. The cloister in the maincentral courtyard is now enclosed by a glass skinwhich, in its lightness and transparency, contrastswith the hermetic impermeable outer walls thatare a massive, brooding presence in Pamplonastownscape. The building has many different sortsof interior realm, from theatrically gloomy stonevaulted hall in the north wing, to the more airyvolumes of the reading room and library with theirwarm timber walls and shelves. Hardwood is usedextensively throughout the interior, to great effect.

American cherry is employed in the wall panelsand furniture, its rich red tones set against the

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1-5

1 2 3

Extensive use f che, mapleand ak pvides visual wamth


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pale maple flooring. Reclaimed oak is used forthe cloister doors and new oak for the cloisterwindows. Moneos elegant custom-designedshelving (all 45,000 lineal metres of it) is alsomade from American black cherry, which wasspecified to encompass natural features andcolour variations. Detailing is refined, and there isan obvious sensitivity about how things are madeand put together. Fittingly for a building dedicatedto the care and conservation of historic archives,the past informs the present, but in Moneoshands, it is a fertile reciprocity.

by Carla Bertolucci

First published in Architectural Review

Hadwd is used extensivel thuhut the intei, t eat

effect. Ameican che is empled in the wall panels andfunitue, its ich ed tnes set aainst the pale maple flin

4 5


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This 5million project required the completerefurbishment of an existing 90,000sq.ft building,previously the Headquarters for Hewlett Packard,which had been empty for some years. Lexselected the WAM design solution, commentingthat the WAM proposal was the most exciting andadventurous. The design concept is based aroundcreating a Social Heart to the building, whichprovides a focus for the eight hundred peopleworking in the two level building. This Heartmanifests itself as a randomly shaped objectcontaining core facilities and is set within an atrium-like space. Visually it appears as though a verticaltimber curtain has been pulled loosely around

the core, so that its appearance changes as youwalk around it, providing a stunning backdrop tothe office. The fluidity of the shape contrasts withthe rectangular forms used elsewhere and wasextensively CAD modelled by WAM and sent tothe joinery workshop for full size templates to bemade. The wall is clad in flexi ply painted blackand then each shaped fin is fitted via a slide andlock mechanism allowing removal and replacementif damage occurs. There were over 700 fins madeoff-site while the wall was being prepared.

At an early stage the joinery team at WoodWorksand WAM worked together to achieve this part ofthe project, with a trial section produced for client

34

The tulipwd wall at the heat f this

buildin neve fails t attact cmmentand is a maj featue f the buildin

1-3 Ameican tulipwdpvides the visualinteest in this fficeHQ

1 2


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approval. The joinery team took the concept onboard and when budget considerations becameparamount, suggested using American tulipwood the variety of colour, tone and grain fittingperfectly with the concept of a randomly shaped,seemingly irrational object. Light, shape andmaterials are all used to full effect to reinforce thelayering of spaces from the seemingly chaotic,social heart outwards to the rational workingenvironment while maximising the external viewsand natural light.

This layering not only provides interestand stimulation, but also a variety of efficientworkspaces. The tulipwood wall at the heart of

this building never fails to attract comment andis a major feature of the building. The building iswellliked by its inhabitants, as well as visitors, andprovides a worldclass work environment notonly technically comfortable and environmentallyfriendly, but a joyful and stimulating place towork.


Lex VehicleLeasing HQ,Stockport, UK

35

SpecieS:

Ameican tulipwd

Architect:

Walke and Matin (WAM)

PHoTogrAPHy:Cutes f Wd Awads 2006

3


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The ambitious new headquarters of the SantanderBanking Group is not just a building, but is afinancial city situated in Boadilla del Monte, 20km

from Madrid. Designed by internationally acclaimedarchitects Kevin Roche John Dinkeloo & Associates,the Group Santander City is a 4480 million project,conceived by its President, Emilio Botin, and developedas one of the largest managerial campuses inthe world, balancing a commercial requirement forfunctionality with the more human needs for comfortand recreation. The 1,600,000m2 site includesoffice and management buildings, an auditoriumand a service centre. These are complemented byrecreational facilities, a medical and day-care centre.Significant emphasis was placed on preserving openspaces, with only a fifth of the land area developed.The surrounding spaces boast over 2,500 trees and138,000 bushes and plants of 122 different species,as well as millennial olive trees. The allocation of theplot is simple and effective. Located in the centre of thecomplex and in the main symmetry axis, the PeredaBuilding is the main architectural landmark of thegroup, differing in size and shape from the surroundingspaces. The extensive public areas are characterised

SpecieS:Ameican had maple,black che

Architect:

Kevin rche Jhn Dinkel& Assciates

PHoTogrAPHy:AHEC

SantanderGroup HQ,Boadilla del Monte(Madrid), Spain

37


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by peace, calm and cleanliness, and well tendedgardens are featured throughout. In an effort tomaintain functionality of the space, the architectsincorporated enormous parking lots under thepedestrian squares, positioned to provide directaccess to the different buildings throughout thecampus. Hardwoods have played an importantpart throughout the interior design of the complex.American black cherry has been used for doors,joinery and other interior applications throughout.This attractive, warm species features prominentlyin the auditorium and the main lecture hall. Theteaching centre and the residence hall are locatedin the eastern section of the enclosure, designed to

separate both buildings from the office complex.Both are equipped with their own services areasand leisure spaces, providing users with a respitefrom the office and management areas and a quietarea for study. These two buildings are not onlyfunctionally related, but also physically connectedthrough a continuous open-air gallery fitted-out witha wavy roof in tropical hardwood.

The teaching centre is a square building includinga library, several multi-purpose rooms with capacityfor about 600 students, classrooms, meeting rooms,a lecture hall with 200 seats and an auditorium withseating capacity for 1,000 people. The auditoriumis fitted out with American cherry, selected in part

38

1 Ameican black chejine thuhut

2 Slid maple lattice f

3 Hadwd jinecnnects celin, dsand funitue

1


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to complement the red colour scheme of theGroups corporate image. The art gallery withinthe Pereda Building showcases a selection ofpaintings and sculptures belonging to the Group,from artists such as El Greco, Rubens, Picasso, VanDyck, Chillida and Romero de Torres. It also hostsa series of tapestries and a collection of coinsand bank notes. The magnificent collection oftapestries is mounted on American maple, whichis also featured on the columns as a backdrop forthe paintings. Complementing the interior joineryand panels, a solid lattice of American mapleruns along the main axis of the buildings roof andconnects the different rooms of the art gallery.

By Carlos Kasner, Salomon

Hadwds have plaed an imptant pat thuhut the intei

desin f the cmplex. Ameican black che featues pminentlin the auditium and the main lectue hall

2 3


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The auditorium of the media company RAI in Napleshas recently been the focus of a restoration projectdeveloped by Gnosis Architettura and AlessandroCastagnaro. The building was originally designedby Renato Avolio De Martino, Raffaele Contigiani,and Mario De Renzi and completed in 1963.

Raised above street level on six piers, theauditorium is the most emblematic part of the RAIcomplex. Its closed volumes are sliced laterally byexternal staircases and supported by a dynamicand visible structural grid resembling a cylinder.Squeezed in underneath, the low foyer givesaccess to the auditorium, a 14,000m3 spacewith a high ceiling supported on six pre-stressed

reinforced concrete beams spanning 75m.However, this impressive hall ceased to be avenue for symphonic music or other concerts in1993, when it was converted into a televisionstudio for a limited number of spectators. Therestoration project was inspired by the need togive back to the city of Naples a place wherepeople can enjoy symphonic music as well asa facility for conferences or meetings withoutsacrificing its capabilities as a television studio. Therenovation work re-established the original spatialconfiguration of the auditorium before its gradualconversion into a television studio. Naturally themain effort was focused on restoring the acoustic

40

Natuall the main efft was fcused n estin theacustic qualities f the auditium. Hee, the use f

diffeent tpes f Ameican hadwds, selected n thebasis f thei mechanical and phsical ppeties, hashelped t achieve a spatial and acustic cntinuum

1-3 Black che jineand white akpanels cmbine fsund acustics

1 2


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qualities of the auditorium. Here, the use ofdifferent types of American hardwoods, selectedon the basis of their mechanical and physicalproperties, has helped to achieve a spatial andacoustic continuum.The ceiling with its large pre-stressed beams has also been modified. Theoriginal ceiling-mounted lighting system has beenrestored and upgraded to current technologicalstandards with six strip lights that create a sortof vision-guide to the back of the stage. In orderto improve acoustics, approximately 350m2 ofcomb-like panels designed on the basis of sounddiffusion studies are hung over the main floor. Thepanels comprise 3mm thick strips of an ultra light

material, white forex, sandwiched between 4cmthick slats of American white oak. The side wallsadjacent to the stage are also lined with Americanwhite oak panels. These elements are 18mmthick and fulfil a similar acoustic and illuminatingfunction as the ceiling. The load bearing pillarsin the main auditorium are panelled in Americanblack cherry to differentiate them from the elementsthey support. These elements are linked to therest of the auditorium by American cherry flooringwhich combines effectively with seating which ispredominantly red in colour.

By Luigi Prestinenza Puglisi and Anna Baldini,Architectural Critics

RAI Auditorium,Naples, Italy

41

SpecieS:

Ameican black cheand white ak

Architect:

gnsis Achitettuaand Alessand Castana

PHoTogrAPHy:

Antni De Matin

3


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The environmental credentials of the American hardwoodindustry are impressive by any standards. After a very

shaky start when industrialisation and fires in the 1800sdecimated Eastern hardwood forests, many importantlessons were learned. A legislative framework at bothfederal and state levels was developed in the 1900s toprotect the whole forest environment. Forest harvestingeducation programmes, enlightened management andindustry initiatives have together subsequently produceda result that is the envy of many other hardwood produ-cing countries. Forestland ownership by about 4 millionindividuals, who control 73% of the resource, is an inte-

gral part of the success formula in which American ruralcommunities are closely linked with their forests. The2000 RPA Assessment, a nationwide forest inventorymandated under U.S. federal law to be undertaken eve-ry 10 years, shows that over the last 50 years the inven-tory of hardwoods standing in U.S. forests has doubledas harvesting levels have remained well below the levelof growth. The U.S. hardwood inventory now stands inexcess of 10,000 million m3 and is growing at a rate of40 million m3 per year after harvesting. Today the USAis the largest producer of sawn hardwood lumber in theworld with an increasing forest resource. That is a truemeasure of sustainability.

www.sustainablehardwoods.info

EnvironmentalCredentials

AmericanHardwood

Species

Choosing the right species for a project isessential for good design. Awareness of

the characteristics and working propertiesof a chosen species will enable aspecifier to have a better idea of howthat species will perform in any givensituation. Availability is also an importantconsideration, as even the best wooddesign can fail if the species cannot beobtained in the required specificationsor volumes. Opposite are brief technicaldetails on some of the main American

hardwood species, most of which arefeatured in this publication.

For more detailed information on thesespecies and others that are available,including: sap gum, willow, red elm,

Documents

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