How tall can we build in wood?

Recent news about a report published by the Canadian architect Michael Green “Tall Wood – The Case for Tall Wood Buildings” (which was funded by the Canadian Wood Council and co-authored by Equilibrium Consulting, LMDG and BTY Group) is currently accelerating interest in the possibility of using wood, a naturally renewable material, to replace concrete and steel […] Read more..

Project #22 in the Daddy Handbook: A Catapult

Because she saw one at her school’s science fair, last week our youngest daughter asked me to help her build a catapult. Feeling intrigued by the idea of putting together something that shoots something else but not wanting to go overboard (you never know what kids do with these), I came up with this design. As […] Read more..

2012 BC Wood Design Awards

Here’s another inspirational round of amazing wood structures. A few days ago, the 8th annual Wood WORKS! BC Wood Design Awards were given out in various categories including Commercial, Residential, Multi-Unit Residential, Western Red cedar, Green Building, Interior Beauty, Engineering and Architecture and more. Congratulations also to architect Jim Taggart, FRAIC for receiving the  BC Premier’s Wood Champion Award! Links: Wood WORKS! BC presents 2012 Wood Design Awards […] Read more..

Barns in the Pioneer Valley

Last Friday I had the pleasure to be invited to a barn tour organized by two of my Architecture colleagues – Max Page and Caryn Brause. As anyone who lives in the Pioneer Valley (the Connecticut River valley) knows, one of the truly vernacular building styles around here is the tobacco barn. This trip showed […] Read more..

Multifamily CLT-Building Completed in Quebec

I just received this great assembly video for what Nordic (the manufacturer of the CLT panels) calls the “first multi-family residence in North America built exclusively using CLT panels”. In their own words: Nordic Structures completes the first multi-family residence in North America built exclusively using CLT panels.  Featuring Nordic X=Lam panels, the walls, floors, […] Read more..