Wood ReFramed

Wood ReFramed explores the architectural potential of discarded wood, aiming to challenge our perception of materials we regard as waste. The process of transforming trees into buildings involves many actors, resources, and cultural norms, including forestry, felling, drying, sawing, profiling, sanding, and surface treating. Over time, the interaction between timber and its environment—with inhabitants, craftspeople, insects, and humidity—results in cracks, dust, nails, deformations, and markings. These traits often the cause for secondary timber’s low value, with the majority destined for energy recovery.

The project investigates how architecture can contribute to longer timber service lives by incorporating the material traits we call defects as active design contributors. The structures is conceived of as a building segment, featuring repetitive components, specific loads, and a scale reminiscent of a public building. Each component shares the same external geometry but varies in density based on the loads the components are designed to carry. Component production exemplifies short supply chains and design methods that integrate digital simulation with accessible fabrication techniques.