WoodSolutions Timber Talks

Multidisciplinary understandings can unlock new innovations. By getting a grip of installation, architecture, engineering, manufacturing and everything to do with timber construction, designers can unlock the best solutions for what a project may need. In this episode we're speaking with Shannon Hilchie Founder at Faet Lab and David Bowick President at Blackwell Engineers about: Principles for how...

The construction industry is evolving as it embraces digital technologies and sustainable design. Lendlease pioneered mass-timber construction for almost a decade now and continues to evolve. Today we're speaking with Lisa Podesto, Senior Business Development Manager at Lendlease about: The evolution of Lendlease and mass timber Why big tech companies are adopting timber How digital technology can...

Ascent is a 25 storey building and when complete, is set to be the tallest timber building in the world. The mass timber floors are constructed above five levels of concrete. The system adopts a glum post and beam with CLT floor plates. Today we're lucky to be speaking with John Peronto, Senior Principal at Thornton Tomasetti about: The lateral stability system as we get taller The compliance path...

As the construction industry adapts to new challenges in environmental and social sustainability, new opportunities are emerging. SCIUS Advisory  is a boutique consulting firm based in Vancouver, Canada focused on leading the way towards a more sustainable future. Today we're speaking with Helen Goodland, the Principal of Research and Innovation at Scius Advisory about: Effective policies around t...

Timber buildings can last for thousands of years, if designed properly. Water is the enemy of all materials and must be accounted for. The risks associated with mould, fungi and decay must be minimised if we're looking to maximise the service life of a designed building. And today we've got one of the world's leading experts in this field, Professor Jeffrey Morrell here to speak to us about: The d...

Since 1875, the Lehman Group has transformed raw wood into innovative products. Today, the most brilliant ideas are brought into reality with the technical planning, production and assembly from the craftspeople at Blumer Lehman. And today we're lucky to be hearing from Katharina Lehman, the CEO of the Lehman Group about: How timber has evolved and developed in recent decades The craftsperson's ap...

Venice is undergoing stresses due to tourism and sea-level rise. But with new stresses propose the opportunity to innovate and evolve design approaches. Tye Farrow, Partner at Farrow and Partners has proposed an innovative solution to transform and evolve the city of Venice through the new stresses. In this episode we discuss: What are the current threats to Venice The concept design, and how the...

The Ballarat Gov Hub is a new $100 million multi use office development in the Northern end of Ballarat's central business district. This multi-story mass timber structure, is the largest timber built office building in Victoria to date, and achieve a Green Star 5 Star rating for the base building and the fit-out. Today we're speaking with Jack Alam, Design Manager at Kane about: Timber first desi...

Evolution consists of trial and error over the space of millions of years. Over time, it's safe to say nature typically lands on what works. And two ways to implement nature inspired design is through biophilia and biomimicry. In this episode, we're lucky to be speaking with Bill Browning, world renowned on the research of these concepts. He was a co-founder of Terrapin Bright Green and founding m...

Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre, Mount Gambier' includes outdoor aquatic facilities, a 1000 seat capacity performance space, six indoor multi-purpose courts and community function rooms. The aquatic center consists of glulam beams spanning 42m, the largest within the southern hemisphere. The construction team including DesignInc Adelaide as architects, Badge Constructions as Head Contract...

As computing power increases, designers are able to create unprecedented structures with unlocked creativity and productivity. In this episode, we're lucky to be speaking with David Benjamin, a Director of AEC Industry Futures at Autodesk Research and Founder of The Living. In this episode we discuss: The concept of, how to best utilise generative design procedures The range of design goals that c...

Canadian architecture and multi-disciplinary practice Dialog has designed a hybrid mass timber tower prototype that promises to revolutionise tall buildings as we know them. The design is of a hybrid timber towers of up to 105 storeys of zero carbon, addressing climate change. Today we're speaking with Craig Applegath, Partner Architect at Dialog about: The concept design for the 105 storey sky sc...

Murray Grove is the first tall urban housing project to be constructed entirely from pre-fabricated solid timber, from the load bearing walls and floor slabs to the stair and lift cores. The project came in cost effective and sequestered carbon rather than emitting it, opening a new door to sustainable construction. Andrew Waugh, the Foudner of Waugh Thistleton Architects was the lead pioneer in u...

Collectively we all had a year like no other in 2020. The challenges we faced were unprecedented but with them come new trends and new opportunities. And After predictions of Armageddon, the residential construction sector is going through an unexpected boom. we're speaking with Adrian Hondros, the CEO of Porter Davis about: Making sense of 2020 and what it means for our future The future of susta...

To begin Season 4, we're going to be doing a best of series for the next 4 weeks. Today, we'll be looking at the best moments in Timber Talks so far, on the topics of design. In this episode you'll hear from: Jennifer Cover CEO at Woodworks USA on 7 advantages to tap into for timber Nick Milestone Chairman at Trada on the importance of timber first design Emma Russell, Senior Engineer at WSP on bu...

To begin Season 4, we're going to be doing a best of series for the next 4 weeks. Today, we'll be looking at the best moments in Timber Talks so far, on the lessons learned for the case studies we've had on the show. In this episode you'll hear from: International House and Daramu House, with Jonathan Evans (Director at Tzannes Architects) and Karl-Heinz (former GM at Design Make) 25 King Street,...

To begin Season 4, we're going to be doing a best of series for the next 4 weeks. Today, we'll be looking at the best moments in Timber Talks so far, on the topics of sustainability and wellness. In this episode you'll hear from:   Davina Rooney the CEO at GBCA on keeping on target mitigating global warming risks Ken Morrison the CEO of The Property Council Aus on the forward trajectory of the con...

To begin Season 4, we're going to be doing a best-of series for the next 4 weeks. Today, we'll be looking at the best moments in Timber Talks so far, on the topics of innovation. In this episode you'll hear from: Michael Marks the Founder Of Katerra on the inefficiencies in construction and a new paradigm of designing Michael Green Director at MGA, on how to improve the supply chain Adam Strong, f...

Inspiring a new generation of apartment living in Perth, the De Havilland apartments combine sophistication and thoughtful design, with modern and environmentally sustainable building principles and practices. The 4 storey apartment building consists of predominately a timber LVL structure. In this episode, we're speaking with Stuart Hawley, the Director At Bluerock Projects, about the design and...

1430 Q, in Sacramento is a 6 storey light-frame building on top of 2 storeys of concrete. Although tall, 4 – 6 storey stick frame buildings aren't yet common in Australia, they're somewhat the norm in USA and Canada. When sticking to the right design principles, there is proven cost savings compared to traditional construction. Today we're speaking with Ryan Miller, a Senior Associate of 15 years...

The construction sector desperately needs to modernise due to rising costs and stagnating productivity. Through deep collaboration and technologies of the 4th industrial age, a new exploration is underway using innovative advanced technologies. In this episode we're speaking with Professor Paul Kremer about: What 4th Industrial Revolution technologies are enabling new ways to build The kit of part...

Timber structures are best designed as systems, taking into account structure, acoustics, thermal and fire. A hybrid system can leverage the advantages of different materials to solve the problem in the most effective manner. Today we're talking with Rob Nestic about utilisation of Timber Concrete Composite Systems. In this episode we discuss: The performance aspects of the TCC system Prefabricati...

When occupying a building, humans are constantly releasing moisture into the air. Moisture, needs to find a way to successfully leave the home and avoid condensation on structures. Today we're speaking with Jesse Clarke, Building Science Manager from Proclima Australia about: How the seasons, time of day and geography change the directional flow of moisture How membranes can assist in controlling...

Building Information Technologies are changing the way we design and build, unlocking efficiencies in schematic design, delivery and building operations. As we transition to the new way of building utilising 3D modelling, there are new challenges for project teams to overcome, and opportunities to take hold of. Today we're speaking with Maria Laguarda-Mallo about How to effectively manage Building...

The light-weight nature of timber is unlocking a new type of construction: building extensions on existing building.  The world's largest timber vertical extension is 55 Southbank Boulevard, which consists of a 10 Storey Hotel situated on top of an existing 1987, seven storey concrete building. To carry the additional loads, the existing building had to undergo significant engineering analysis. In...