DESIGN FOR LOW MATERIAL PROCESSING: SHOWCASES USING SALVAGED TIMBER

Sustainable use of wood-based products in building construction is essential to fully utilize the environmental benefit offered by the limited natural resource of wood. One promising approach is to give the timber “waste” a second life by salvaging for new applications, particularly structural purposes. Due to the inherent characteristics of salvaged timber, which often comes with short and random lengths, its value is often considered significantly lower compared to raw materials and, therefore, not preferred for further processing. Design difficulties occur when using salvaged timber for new applications because of this limitation. To overcome it, innovative approaches are needed for the design of efficient structures with minimal material processing. In this paper, a concept of Design for Low Material Processing (DfLMP) is proposed and explored based on a contextual rationale that emphasizes preserving the material’s original state. By examining both historical and contemporary examples of low-processed timber, primarily round wood, we identify four key aspects of DfLMP for further analysis: fabrication, joint design, structural form, and architectural quality, as well as the consequential life cycle performance. Based on these aspects, salvaged timber is intended to be used with minimal processing and designed for easy assembly and disassembly. Through two built showcases, the benefits and challenges offered by the DfLMP concept are discussed, encouraging further discussion and exploration of its potential applications.