Rezension
"Is there anything in architecture that wood cannot do? New engineering methods allow for the erection of timber buildings of unprecedented heights, creating healthier living and working environments in our cities. These new structures reduce the carbon footprint of the construction industry and tackle the global housing shortage in an eco-friendly way. They are practical, economical and at times beautiful. Tall Wood Buildings by Michael Green and Jim Taggart is a passionate plea for the use of advanced timber technologies in high-rise construction. Written by architects for architects, the book — now available in a second, expanded edition — embeds the technical subject matter and its contemporary relevance in a broad cultural context. […] According to Green and Taggart, engineered-wood technologies will establish new collaborative relations between designers and builders. An integral thinking that considers digital modeling, off-site prefabrication and innovative transportation concepts is required. This gives architects the chance to reassert their role in society, by reconnecting to their ancient Greek ancestor, the architekton, or master carpenter. It remains to be seen if the master carpenter of the 21st century can solely rely on techno-ecological expertise to create masterly wood buildings. Greatness in architecture is not necessarily created by height. And optimized engineering methods carry the risk of erasing the architectural poetics of timber in the strive for sheer tallness. According to Green and Taggart, a cultural shift is necessary to open minds toward envisioning future cities made from wood rather than concrete. That shift must also include a rethinking of urban typologies to unfold not only the physical but also the associative qualities of the material, embedding it into its own history. In the quest towards a new wooden architecture, it is necessary to embrace the material’s special tectonics beyond the competition with steel and concrete.
