Timber Waves

Submission Extract:  Climate change is the existential crisis of our times and something this redevelopment of Pedal & Flipper seeks to tackle through the use of design for manufacture and assembly and a variety of other innovations. With the building and construction sector accounting for 30 per cent of carbon emissions and also being challenged by resource scarcity, this design – featuring two floors of apartments above commercial premises – presents a possible solution through the predominant use of mass timber modular structural systems that can be manufactured off-site and the assembled on-site. Timber elements include cross-laminated timber (CLT) wall and slab, glue-laminated timber timber (Glulam/GLT) columns and beams, and woodfibre insulation, which are supplemented by prefabricated recycled steel members and precast fly-ash concrete panels to reduce the project’s carbon footprint. Renewable energy generation features such as solar panels, solar glass and micro-wind turbines are used on the roof to create a sustainable built form, while solar shading devices such as perforated screens, vertical louvres and second-skin facade systems reduce the solar heat gain coefficient of the building and increase its energy efficiency. Integrated greenery and water features help create an ambient micro-climate for the comfort of residents and visitors alike.