Timber frame building in Sants (Bcn)
Although the use of wood in building has experienced a sharp hike in recent years, some people continue to associate the use of this material in construction with traditional log cabins located in natural settings.
Yet in addition to being an ideal material for use in single family homes, wood also offers a range of other applications thanks not only to technical advances, but also to its natural and renewable features, destined to place it at the centre of the construction industry in the 21st century.
What follows are just a few of the possibilities this material offers, all characterised by their sustainable nature and reduced building times.
Multi-family residential buildings: Wooden structures are suitable for low-rise buildings containing various housing units, such as this one we built in the Sants district of Barcelona.
Mid and high rise buildings: An increasingly popular option due to the advantages of using wood in architecture in large cities. The options range from residential buildings to hotels, as well as business and retail premises. The European KnoWood project, of which House Habitat is a member, is promoting this type of buildings.
Thermal envelopes: A previous post discussed the benefits of providing buildings with a quality “skin” as the basis for nearly zero energy consumption buildings or passive houses.
Wine cellar wooden roof in Mallorca
Building sections: Walls, roofs, porticos, columns, beams… even though traditional materials are used for the structure, wood can provide added value when seeking solutions for any construction project.
Energy rehabilitation: Wood can also be used for the energy rehabilitation of older homes, with interventions on the envelope and roof in order to reduce energy consumption.
Building extensions: Wood-based architecture is also ideal for increasing the number of floors and housing units in a building. This is a rapid option that is particularly suitable for the centres of large cities where building land is scarce and extremely costly. Egoín, a partner company, is working on a major project in the centre of Madrid based on this premise.
Flat roof extensions: Extension work on a smaller scale carried out on building flat roofs in order to increase the usable liveable space.
Flat roof extension in neighborhood of Gracia in Barcelona.
