Our research programme aims to unlock the potential of timber for use in off-site manufactured large-scale school buildings. With the overall goal of transforming timber construction through digital design and manufacturing, this project will :
- develop timber building procurement models that leverage the vertical nature of the timber industry and CDBB’s expertise in novel contract development.
- define digital workflows that are available to a wide range of architects, engineers and contractors which are compatible with engineered timber, robotic cutting, and offsite manufacture but onsite assembly.
- design school building components that fit into those workflows and are engaging to architects (otherwise they won’t get used).
- show the policy and pragmatic advantages of modular, large-scale timber. This will take the form of evidence-based papers and research-based designs.
Next Steps
By integrating design, technology, engineering and fabrication through research we will:
- develop a range of school designs and the digital means of fabricating them,
- develop the basis for manufacturing that can take design input using our research from multiple architects, engineers, and contractors, and
- influence policymakers and procurement to ensure the adoption of timber more broadly.
