There is an obvious reason why Ireland has a masonry rather than a wood culture compared with the Baltic countries, Japan and parts of Canada and the US.
We simply don’t have the forests and diversity of species to support construction, furniture and other timber design applications. Ireland has 11.5% forest cover compared with 38% in Europe, while almost half of our forests are less than 20 years old.
Although Ireland lost its forest and wood culture centuries ago, a cohort of Irish architects are taking an innovative and practical approach to sustainable construction by combining stone and brick with wood.
Hybrid buildings
As a result, a number of excellent hybrid buildings have been shortlisted for the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) Architecture Awards, which demonstrate that wood use and design in rural construction is alive and well.
In all, some 20 shortlisted buildings had a significant proportion of wood use both internally and externally, which marks a departure from buildings designed two decades ago.
Wicklow farmhouse
Co Wicklow has 19% forest cover, so it is no surprise that John McLaughlin of John McLaughlin Architects would draw inspiration from the county’s rich forest and woodland heritage in designing “New Farmhouse” in east Wicklow.
He had the added advantage over architects in other counties, as he was able to source homegrown timber.
The building has a low carbon footprint, as a result of sourcing timber from Irish forests and opting for renewable energy.
“Irish-grown Douglas fir timber was used for the structure [while] we used passive solar principles to achieve a high environmental rating,” says McLaughlin.
The new farmhouse is compatible with the rural landscape and existing buildings, as “the design was inspired by the outbuildings in the 200-year-old parent farm”, he says.
“The design solution proposed was to make a barn-like house with a monopitch metal roof that would fit in with the surrounding agricultural buildings, thus complying with Wicklow County Council restrictions,” he explains.
Derry Sperrin House
Eoighin Farren, Farren Architects, also opted for a hybrid design in Sperrin House, located at Draperstown, Co Derry. “We created a bespoke house concept for our client that strikes a successful balance between the traditional and contemporary,” says Eoighin Farren.
The building combines primitive stone dwelling materials with wood. “The contemporary larch timber-clad ‘barn-like’ form sits atop a textured concrete base,” he says.
Siberian larch cladding was a major
feature in Sperrin House, Draperstown, Co Derry, by Farren Architects.
Like John McLaughlin Architects, Eoghin Farren was conscious that the building needed to be compatible with its environment.
“Nestling on sloping land, this design sought to echo the neighbouring agricultural buildings that are most at home in their surroundings within the Sperrin area, while also engaging with the vernacular features of the most primitive stone dwellings that fortified domestic settlements within rural lands,” he says.
Siberian larch cladding was a major
feature in Sperrin House, Draperstown, Co Derry, by Farren Architects.
Wood use
These two buildings demonstrate the opportunities for Irish wood in rural architecture.
On a larger scale, there is potential to use more wood, especially in timber-frame buildings.
Unlike Scotland, which now uses timber-frame in over 80% of new builds, Ireland lags well behind at 30%.
The recently formed Timber in Construction Steering Group (TCSG) plans to rectify this by maximising the use of homegrown timber in timber-frame housing and medium-rise apartment construction using Sitka spruce.
However, there is also a need for species such as European larch, Scots pine, Norway spruce and especially Douglas fir as demonstrated by John McLaughlin.
Homegrown European larch would have just been as suitable as Siberian larch in the Sperrin House had it been readily available.
Afforestation programmes – north and south – should incorporate these species as they are vital in providing diversity, not just in forest ecosystems, but also in sustainable construction and design.
Innovative architects using wood.Homegrown Douglas fir ideal structural timber.Opportunities for larch, Douglas fir, Scots pine and Norway spruce.Sitka spruce identified as main species for timber-frame housing.Wood Awards Ireland: showcase for timber
construction, design and conservation
Wood Awards Ireland 2024 (WAI 24) invites Irish architects, engineers, designers, conservationists, researchers and wood workers to submit projects that feature wood as an inherent medium in construction and design projects.
Organised by Forest Industries Ireland (FII), in association with the Royal Institute of the Architect of Ireland (RIAI), the awards promote wood as a sustainable material in innovative projects in Ireland and overseas.
“This is the 10th anniversary of the competition and to mark the occasion, there is no entry charge this year,” said Des O’Toole, marketing and communications director FII.
“We are delighted to have been associated with this award since its inception and encourage registered architects to enter the projects,” said Dr Sandra O’Connell, director of architecture and communications at the RIAI.
Entries are accepted in the following categories:
Large-scale public buildings.Small-scale private buildings.International award – best overseas project.Restoration and conservation. Furniture – both bespoke and production. Innovation – functional and non-functional projects including craft, sculpture or other forms. Projects can be localised or national to include research and new uses for wood.An overall award will be presented for the outstanding WAI project, while awards will also be presented for category winners.
In addition to FII and the RIAI, the awards receive generous sponsorship from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Enterprise Ireland and Design & Crafts Council Ireland.
Awards are designed by sculptor Michael Warren, honorary member of the RIAI. Eligible projects need to be completed during the period from 1 August 2021 to 31 August 2024.
See www.wood.ie or email info@wood.ie or call 086-2607883 for further details.
There is an obvious reason why Ireland has a masonry rather than a wood culture compared with the Baltic countries, Japan and parts of Canada and the US.
We simply don’t have the forests and diversity of species to support construction, furniture and other timber design applications. Ireland has 11.5% forest cover compared with 38% in Europe, while almost half of our forests are less than 20 years old.
Although Ireland lost its forest and wood culture centuries ago, a cohort of Irish architects are taking an innovative and practical approach to sustainable construction by combining stone and brick with wood.
Hybrid buildings
As a result, a number of excellent hybrid buildings have been shortlisted for the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) Architecture Awards, which demonstrate that wood use and design in rural construction is alive and well.
In all, some 20 shortlisted buildings had a significant proportion of wood use both internally and externally, which marks a departure from buildings designed two decades ago.
Wicklow farmhouse
Co Wicklow has 19% forest cover, so it is no surprise that John McLaughlin of John McLaughlin Architects would draw inspiration from the county’s rich forest and woodland heritage in designing “New Farmhouse” in east Wicklow.
He had the added advantage over architects in other counties, as he was able to source homegrown timber.
The building has a low carbon footprint, as a result of sourcing timber from Irish forests and opting for renewable energy.
“Irish-grown Douglas fir timber was used for the structure [while] we used passive solar principles to achieve a high environmental rating,” says McLaughlin.
The new farmhouse is compatible with the rural landscape and existing buildings, as “the design was inspired by the outbuildings in the 200-year-old parent farm”, he says.
“The design solution proposed was to make a barn-like house with a monopitch metal roof that would fit in with the surrounding agricultural buildings, thus complying with Wicklow County Council restrictions,” he explains.
Derry Sperrin House
Eoighin Farren, Farren Architects, also opted for a hybrid design in Sperrin House, located at Draperstown, Co Derry. “We created a bespoke house concept for our client that strikes a successful balance between the traditional and contemporary,” says Eoighin Farren.
The building combines primitive stone dwelling materials with wood. “The contemporary larch timber-clad ‘barn-like’ form sits atop a textured concrete base,” he says.
Siberian larch cladding was a major
feature in Sperrin House, Draperstown, Co Derry, by Farren Architects.
Like John McLaughlin Architects, Eoghin Farren was conscious that the building needed to be compatible with its environment.
“Nestling on sloping land, this design sought to echo the neighbouring agricultural buildings that are most at home in their surroundings within the Sperrin area, while also engaging with the vernacular features of the most primitive stone dwellings that fortified domestic settlements within rural lands,” he says.
Siberian larch cladding was a major
feature in Sperrin House, Draperstown, Co Derry, by Farren Architects.
Wood use
These two buildings demonstrate the opportunities for Irish wood in rural architecture.
On a larger scale, there is potential to use more wood, especially in timber-frame buildings.
Unlike Scotland, which now uses timber-frame in over 80% of new builds, Ireland lags well behind at 30%.
The recently formed Timber in Construction Steering Group (TCSG) plans to rectify this by maximising the use of homegrown timber in timber-frame housing and medium-rise apartment construction using Sitka spruce.
However, there is also a need for species such as European larch, Scots pine, Norway spruce and especially Douglas fir as demonstrated by John McLaughlin.
Homegrown European larch would have just been as suitable as Siberian larch in the Sperrin House had it been readily available.
Afforestation programmes – north and south – should incorporate these species as they are vital in providing diversity, not just in forest ecosystems, but also in sustainable construction and design.
Innovative architects using wood.Homegrown Douglas fir ideal structural timber.Opportunities for larch, Douglas fir, Scots pine and Norway spruce.Sitka spruce identified as main species for timber-frame housing.Wood Awards Ireland: showcase for timber
construction, design and conservation
Wood Awards Ireland 2024 (WAI 24) invites Irish architects, engineers, designers, conservationists, researchers and wood workers to submit projects that feature wood as an inherent medium in construction and design projects.
Organised by Forest Industries Ireland (FII), in association with the Royal Institute of the Architect of Ireland (RIAI), the awards promote wood as a sustainable material in innovative projects in Ireland and overseas.
“This is the 10th anniversary of the competition and to mark the occasion, there is no entry charge this year,” said Des O’Toole, marketing and communications director FII.
“We are delighted to have been associated with this award since its inception and encourage registered architects to enter the projects,” said Dr Sandra O’Connell, director of architecture and communications at the RIAI.
Entries are accepted in the following categories:
Large-scale public buildings.Small-scale private buildings.International award – best overseas project.Restoration and conservation. Furniture – both bespoke and production. Innovation – functional and non-functional projects including craft, sculpture or other forms. Projects can be localised or national to include research and new uses for wood.An overall award will be presented for the outstanding WAI project, while awards will also be presented for category winners.
In addition to FII and the RIAI, the awards receive generous sponsorship from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Enterprise Ireland and Design & Crafts Council Ireland.
Awards are designed by sculptor Michael Warren, honorary member of the RIAI. Eligible projects need to be completed during the period from 1 August 2021 to 31 August 2024.
See www.wood.ie or email info@wood.ie or call 086-2607883 for further details.
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