The world’s most advanced building material

UK architecture practice DSDHA has won WAF’s first Wood Excellence Prize 2014. The award, sponsored by the American Hardwood Export Council, was given for a new jewellery studio located in a conservation area in central London. The structure is entirely made of prefabricated cross laminated timber panels, which store 27.1 tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere.

Australia is no stranger to CLT. The Forte Building in Melbourne is often cited as a prime example of how CLT is changing the building industry. Hailed as ‘the new concrete’, CLT is lighter and requires minimal foundations and carries a low fire risk. According to Architect and CLT fan Alex De Rijke “It’s a whole new ball game”.