by Web Editor | Oct 11, 2017 | News
As a crane lowered a glulam beam and construction workers on either end deftly guided it into connection with two upright wooden columns, a tour group member shook his head and said, “It’s like Lincoln Logs.”
Kind of. Which may in part explain some of the attraction of builders and designers to the potential use of strong, precisely engineered, carbon-storing wood beams, columns, wall panels and floor decking. As Chris Evans, a Swinerton Builders project manager put it, wood is the first building material people use to make the forts, homes and hideouts of childhood.
These days, builders and designers are joining mill owners, university researchers and policy makers in taking a fresh look at advanced wood products, “mass timbers” and what’s come to be called “tall wood” design. Advocates believe it can replace concrete and steel in mid- to even high-rise buildings, and provide an economic jolt to rural Oregon in terms of forest management and mill jobs.
In Hillsboro, Evans and Swinerton Builders are overseeing construction of the largest known U.S. building to date that uses cross-laminated timber, or CLT, for flooring, and glulam posts and beams. The Oregon headquarters of First Tech Credit Union will be five stories high and have 156,000 square feet of office space. Swinerton Builders is the general contractor.
Another tall wood building planned for Portland, called Framework, will be 12 stories high and will have five floors of affordable housing. That project was awarded a $1.5 million federal design competition grant to help with seismic and fire testing and certification.
From Capital Press: https://www.capitalpress.com/Oregon/20171005/nations-largest-mass-timber-building-under-construction-in-oregon
by Web Editor | Feb 15, 2017 | News
Veneer Technologies has announced the 2017 panel that will decide this international design competition highlighting achievement in the use of natural wood veneer products. The judges for this year are Karen Koenig, editor of Woodworking Network’s special publications and projects, including the Red Book resource guide; Stephen Latta, professor of cabinetmaking and wood technology at Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology, and a contributing editor for Fine Woodworking; and Mike Taylor, president and CEO of States Industries, manufacturer of hardwood plywood veneer panels.
“Our competition is unique in that we recognize the entire supply chain, from the material source to the distributor to the designer/craftsperson,” explains Veneer Tech’s Alan Hubbard, face veneer sales manager. “Our judge panel also reflects a cross section of industry experts, drawn from educators, hands-on woodworkers, trade media, and manufacturers.”
Veneer Tech Craftsman’s Challenge entries are being accepted now through May 31, 2017. Competition categories include Architectural Woodworking, Cabinetry, Furniture, Marquetry, Specialty Products and Student Design. Entry forms are available online through www.veneertech.com. There is no entry fee. Material does not need to have been sourced through Veneer Tech to be eligible.
A cash award of $3000 will be made to the creator of the grand prize winning entry. The distributor of the veneer for the grand prize winning entry will receive $2000, and the corresponding distributor salesperson will receive $1000. Category winning entries receive $1000 each. There is also an additional $1000 award to the grand prizewinner for early entry by March 31, 2017. Awards will be announced at AWFS Las Vegas, July 19-22, 2017.
From Woodworking Network: https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/news/woodworking-industry-news/veneer-tech-craftsman%E2%80%99s-challenge-selects-judges-2017
