{"id":2212,"date":"2023-02-16T02:01:19","date_gmt":"2023-02-16T02:01:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/?p=2212"},"modified":"2024-10-21T20:37:57","modified_gmt":"2024-10-21T10:37:57","slug":"from-passion-to-profession-an-architects-30-year-journey-with-timber-in-sustainable-design","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/from-passion-to-profession-an-architects-30-year-journey-with-timber-in-sustainable-design\/","title":{"rendered":"An Architect&#8217;s 30-Year Journey with Timber in Sustainable Design"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>In the latest Wood Central Podcast, Brisbane architect Mark Thomson spoke of his relationship with timber which saw him co-author <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/3283333-the-environmental-brief\">\u2018The Environmental Brief \u2013 Pathways to Green Design\u2019<\/a> and<a href=\"https:\/\/worldarchitecture.org\/architecture-news\/enpzh\/world-architecture-festival-reveals-its-2022-shortlist-ahead-of-together-lisbon-event.html#:~:text=Celebrating%20its%2015th%20year%2C%20World%20Architecture%20Festival%20is,to%202%20December%20at%20the%20FIL%2C%20Lisbon%2C%20Portugal.\"> most recently travel to Lisbon, Portuga<\/a>l to judge the World Architectural Festival (WAF).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-outline is-style-outline--1\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-vivid-red-color has-white-background-color has-text-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/podcast\/\">Download the latest Podcast today<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The World Architecture Festival is the largest live awards event for architects and designers with Mark appointed as a leading judge for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldarchitecturefestival.com\/waf2023\/en\/page\/home\">Best Use of Certified Timber Prize<\/a> supported by PEFC International.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"youtube-embed\" data-video_id=\"zbCiJiMov8k\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"All About the future of timber buildings\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zbCiJiMov8k?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The Best Use of Certified Timber Prize is the only timber category on the WAF programme and in December 2022 was awarded to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pefc.org\/news\/best-use-of-certified-timber-prize-winner-boosting-sustainability-and-energy-efficiency\">Spanish Paseo Mallorca 15 Apartments<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A beautiful project where timber is used innovatively to improve the liveability and sustainability of medium density units.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2021, the New Zealand based <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/972151\/scion-innovation-hub-rta-studio-plus-irving-smith-architects\">Scion Innovation Hub was recognised for its unique diagonal grid (diagrid) system manufactured by USA-based TimerLab<\/a>. Diagrids are an efficient way to provide strength and stiffness and require less material than traditional structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"youtube-embed\" data-video_id=\"2QKcUpH-UEU\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Shining a Light on the SCION Innovation Hub and Its Distinctive Diagrid\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/2QKcUpH-UEU?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/scion-innovation-hub-a-timber-diagrid-structure-that-redefines-sustainability-in-building-design\/\">Find out more about<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/scion-innovation-hub-a-timber-diagrid-structure-that-redefines-sustainability-in-building-design\/\">Scion Innovation Hub: A Timber Diagrid Structure that Redefines Sustainability in Building Design<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Mark, who was also judge of the 2018 and 2019 awards \u2013 won by the Australian-based <a href=\"https:\/\/tzannes.com.au\/projects\/international-house-sydney-daramu-house\/\">International House, Sydney <\/a>and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.responsiblewood.org.au\/was-pingelly-recreation-and-culture-centre-wins-world-architecture-prize\/\">Pingelly Recreation &amp; Cultural Centre<\/a> &#8211; is an experienced hand when it comes to design competitions having gained multiple awards for architecture over the years including the Courier Mail People\u2019s Choice award.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"youtube-embed\" data-video_id=\"-WZFwt9CDk4\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Before You Enter a Design Competition Watch This Video\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/-WZFwt9CDk4?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2005 Mark co-founded the Centre for Sub Tropical Design \u2013 a collaboration between the Brisbane City Council and the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) \u2013 promoting design that is appropriate for the subtropical climate and lifestyle of Southeast Queensland. As a past QUT Adjunct Professor<ins>, he has lectured and tutored many young <\/ins>designers<ins>, believing competitions are <\/ins>an important form<ins> of recognition, or <\/ins>&#8216;Industry&#8217; <ins>certification.<\/ins><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There a growing awareness of the importance of connecting buildings with the natural world, and how the use of biophilic design and using natural elements like wood and indoor plants can bring the benefits of nature indoors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"youtube-embed\" data-video_id=\"6LpcVK7qRGI\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"What Is Biophilic Design All About?\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/6LpcVK7qRGI?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Mark, who in 2017 became the first architect to be appointed as board member of a PEFC Scheme (Responsible Wood), is a strong supporter of third-party certification \u2013 stressing the importance looking beyond marketing fluff and instead understanding the product specifications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"youtube-embed\" data-video_id=\"ibkY5rbjI_Q\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Truth About Third-Party Certification and Why You Should Care About It\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ibkY5rbjI_Q?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>And finally, Mark emphasises that timber is the ultimate building material. Where recycled steel is a high embodied carbon product, reusing a piece of timber makes a lot more sense!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/forest-certification-understanding-the-differences-between-pefc-and-fsc-for-sustainable-forest-management\/\">Find out more about Forest Certification: Understanding the Differences Between PEFC and FSC for Sustainable Forest Management<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>And with planning for the 2032 Olympics underway in earnest \u2013 billed as the first carbon positive Olympic Games \u2013 timber is the natural fit!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"youtube-embed\" data-video_id=\"LQ7CNwk8kqs\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Are You Ready For The Carbon Positive Brisbane Olympics?\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/LQ7CNwk8kqs?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Download and subscribe to the latest Wood Central Podcast <a href=\"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/podcast\/\">today<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Read more from <a href=\"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/author\/mark-thomson\/\">Mark Thomson<\/a> on the <a href=\"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/author\/mark-thomson\/\">Wood Central website<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Mark Thomson is&nbsp;the founder of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ecoeffective.com.au\/\">Eco Effective Solutions<\/a>, a research, education, and design practice; he strives to deliver healthy and regenerative work environments.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In the latest Wood Central Podcast, Brisbane architect Mark Thomson spoke of his relationship with timber which saw him co-author \u2018The Environmental Brief \u2013 Pathways to Green Design\u2019 and most recently travel to Lisbon, Portugal to judge the World Architectural Festival (WAF). The World Architecture Festival is the largest live awards event for architects and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2339,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":false,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"","_twitter_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type":"","_pinterest_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"","_medium_share_type":"","_threads_share_type":"","_google_business_share_type":"","_selected_social_profile":[],"_wpsp_enable_custom_social_template":false,"_wpsp_social_scheduling":{"enabled":false,"datetime":null,"platforms":[],"status":"template_only","dateOption":"today","timeOption":"now","customDays":"","customHours":"","customDate":"","customTime":"","schedulingType":"absolute"},"_wpsp_active_default_template":true},"categories":[3,38,41,54,49,45],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[69,103],"class_list":{"0":"post-2212","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-architecture","8":"category-architecture-and-design","9":"category-exterior-wood-products","10":"category-queensland","11":"category-residential","12":"category-sustainability"},"authors":[{"term_id":69,"user_id":1,"is_guest":0,"slug":"woodcentral","display_name":"Wood Central","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/MASTER-BRAND-MARK_POS_RGB-e1676449549955.jpg","url2x":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/MASTER-BRAND-MARK_POS_RGB-e1676449549955.jpg"},"0":null,"1":"","2":"","3":"","4":"","5":"","6":"","7":"","8":""},{"term_id":103,"user_id":21,"is_guest":0,"slug":"mark-thomson","display_name":"Mark Thomson","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/mark-thomson.jpg","url2x":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/mark-thomson.jpg"},"0":null,"1":"","2":"","3":"","4":"","5":"","6":"","7":"","8":""}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2212","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2212"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2212\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15013,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2212\/revisions\/15013"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2339"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2212"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2212"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2212"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=2212"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}