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Celerity

(52,641 posts)
Wed Mar 22, 2023, 03:41 PM Mar 2023

Fourteen homes where exposed cross-laminated timber creates cosy interiors

https://www.dezeen.com/2023/03/04/cross-laminated-timber-revolution-interiors-lookbooks/







Our latest lookbook features cross-laminated timber interiors, including a colourful German vacation home and a tenement-style housing development in Edinburgh, and is part of Dezeen's Timber Revolution series. Architects looking to offset the carbon emissions of a building often choose cross-laminated timber (CLT), a type of mass-timber made from laminated timber sections that can be used as structural building materials. The material, which is normally made from larch, spruce or pine, absorbs atmospheric carbon as it grows and subsequently retains it during its life in a building. In interiors, CLT can create a luxurious effect even for projects with a tight budget and gives rooms a light, modern feel. This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with split-level living areas, mix-and-match flooring and homes with cleverly hidden lifts.



Octothorpe House, US, by Mork-Ulnes Architects

The natural forms, custom furniture and organic colours and textures that appear throughout Octothorpe House were selected by studio Mork-Ulnes Architects for their resemblance to the surrounding Oregon desert landscape. The cabin-cum-house was built using American-made CLT for a client that wanted an "environmentally progressive" and flexible design.




Haus am Hang, Germany, by AMUNT

German architecture office AMUNT was drawn in particular to CLT's sustainability credentials when creating this hillside vacation home in the Black Forest. Designed for a client who wanted to promote sustainable travel, the home features surfaces and joinery finished in shades of green inspired by local tree species and its layout was organised to make the most of natural light.




R11 loft extension, Germany, by Pool Leber Architekten

The R11 loft extension is a two-storey CLT extension that Pool Leber Architekten added to a 1980s housing block in Munich, creating a series of loft spaces. Inside the lofts, the structural timber was left visible on the walls, ceilings and floors. The material was also used to create sculptural storage cabinets that double as window seating.




Biv Punakaiki, New Zealand, by Fabric

In an attempt to balance the high carbon levels of the cabin's concrete floor and aluminium cladding, architecture studio Fabric chose to use CLT for the cabin's structure, which was left exposed inside. From the double-height living room, the residents can look up through large skylights that punctuate the ceiling and gaze at the stars above.


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Celerity

(52,641 posts)
3. Not sure, but its use has major benefits
Wed Mar 22, 2023, 04:12 PM
Mar 2023


5 Benefits of Building with Cross-Laminated Timber

https://cnr.ncsu.edu/news/2022/08/5-benefits-cross-laminated-timber/

With construction accounting for nearly 40% of global carbon emissions — one of the primary drivers of human-induced climate change — designers, builders and other industry stakeholders are working to reduce their environmental footprint by integrating renewable materials and sustainable design into their projects.

Cross-laminated timber (CLT) is emerging as a popular material of choice for both residential and commercial structures across the United States. Originally developed in Europe in the 1990s, CLT is a wood product made of several layers of structural grade lumber that are arranged crosswise and glued together. CLT is unique in that it has a strength-to-weight ratio that’s comparable to concrete, despite being five-times lighter. Since 2015, when CLT was first incorporated into the International Building Code, the material has been used as a sustainable alternative to form walls, roofs, floors and even ceilings.

Steve Kelley, the Reuben B. Robertson Professor in the Department of Forest Biomaterials at NC State’s College of Natural Resources, recently partnered with the U.S. Forest Products Laboratory to examine the financial and environmental benefits — and costs — of using CLT in tall wood buildings. We spoke with Kelley, whose research focuses on the sustainable production of energy and materials from biomass, to learn more about the advantages of using CLT to construct houses and other structures — from fire resistance and seismic durability to carbon sequestration. Here’s what we found out:





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House of Roberts

(6,275 posts)
2. I don't have unlimited funds to pay utility bills,
Wed Mar 22, 2023, 04:11 PM
Mar 2023

but for me, those super high ceilings and open staircases to the upper level means you cook upstairs, and freeze downstairs. Basically, you have to live upstairs in the winter, and downstairs in the summer.

Celerity

(52,641 posts)
5. We have a multi-story semi-open plan townhouse here in Stockholm with both very high ceilings in
Wed Mar 22, 2023, 04:28 PM
Mar 2023

certain parts, as well as 2 interior staircases (open plan in the front and non open plan in the back of the home) but we do not have that upstairs/downstairs seasonal issue. I will say that pretty much everybody here in Sweden now has crazy high utility bills atm, due to inflation and energy supply chain issues, but the national government has been giving back support payments at least. Our home is also extremely well insulated and energy efficient (as are so many newer builds here).

Sanity Claws

(22,269 posts)
8. That is what I think too when I see very high ceilings
Thu Mar 23, 2023, 10:34 AM
Mar 2023

Whenever I have been a guest in someone's home with high ceilings, I have found the first floor to be very chilly.

 

Chainfire

(17,757 posts)
6. Its just a new take on plywood.
Wed Mar 22, 2023, 05:55 PM
Mar 2023

I don't think that any of the rooms shown are very warm or inviting.

Celerity

(52,641 posts)
7. CLT is much thicker than plywood because it includes the framing. Plywood is applied to some type of
Wed Mar 22, 2023, 06:17 PM
Mar 2023
framing while CLT integrates the framing, insulation and sheathing or sub-floor for walls, floors and the roof.

https://hometipsforwomen.com/cross-laminated-timber-super-plywood


I don't think that any of the rooms shown are very warm or inviting.


I posted ones that I liked. I have a fairly well known, well demonstrated (if one were to peruse the body of my numerous architectural posts here on DU) proclivity for clean, modernist lines and minimalism.

Cosy is in the eye of the beholder.

Perhaps you will like this older OP of mine from late 2020:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10181435518

Danish Hygge Is So Last Year. Say Hello to Swedish Mys

The essence of mys is the feeling of warmth. And the best city to stock up on mys-making supplies is Stockholm.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/25/style/stockholm-shopping-mys-nytorget.html



Denmark introduced the world to hygge, the national pursuit of all things cozy and enjoyable. Something of a survival mechanism for Danes during the winter months, hygge (pronounced HOO-gah) often involves an abundance of candles, crackling fireplaces, comforting foods and the company of close friends. In Sweden, where the winters are even longer, darker and drearier, the concept is called mys (pronounced mees) — or the adjectival mysigt. And although the terms are very similar, Swedish mys refers more pointedly to an ultra-cozy atmosphere.

“Hygge is much broader than mys,” said Malin Lindqvist, a Swedish fabric designer who moved to Denmark seven and a half years ago. The essence of mys is the feeling of warmth, like being wrapped in a woolen blanket amid lighted candles while sipping a steaming mug of tea with a purring cat on your lap. The best city to stock up on mys-making supplies is Stockholm, and the highest density of small, aptly cozy, independent shops and boutiques can be found on the streets near Nytorget, a square on the southern island of Sodermalm, far from the city’s bustling central shopping district.


The front room at Tambur, which is styled like a kitchen and dining area.

A good starting point is Tambur, a boutique filled with things to make every home homier. Inside the two-room shop, the front room is styled like a kitchen and dining area, where woven baskets are strung from the ceiling above a rustic wooden table set with ceramic bowls and platters perfect for serving hearty pasta meals. The back room is filled with piles of fluffy linen pillows, a soft beige couch, subdued lighting and plaid orange-and-gray blankets made with wool from sheep on the Swedish island of Gotland. It has the vibe of a very plush living room. “The feeling I want people to get is that they’re coming home to me,” said the owner, Anders Widegren, while seated in the back room. Among the many covetable items on display, two particularly mysigt picks were a copper oil lamp from the Swedish brand Klong (2,749 Swedish kronor, about $324) and a special cast-iron pan for making plattar, thin Swedish pancakes the size of a coaster often served as a cold-weather dinner in short stacks with butter and jam (529 kronor).

On a corner three blocks away, Esterior is an interior design studio and shop with a more eclectic, playful style. The spacious store is filled with a mix of midcentury vintage furnishings and lighting, fuzzy Moroccan rugs and piles of striped velvet cushions for cozying up a couch. For low-fi entertainment by candlelight on a wintry night, maybe pick up an elegant chess set or a classic backgammon board (450 kronor each). Younger shoppers will find mys in their size at Beton, a serene children’s shop a block and a half away. This is the place to stock up on corduroy bonnets (170 kronor) and knee socks (65 kronor) in neutral earth tones. Instead of bright colors and plastic toys, the shelves are filled with wooden rattles, woolen overalls and soft leggings in muted hues from small, hard-to-find brands. “To be unique in Stockholm is important,” said the owner, Petra Gardefjord, who earned a following selling hand-sewn leather moccasins that she taught herself to make for her own children.


Young shoppers will find mys at Beton, a serene children’s clothing shop.

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related


https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-5065929/Is-MYS-new-hygge.html

Mys is all about making time for family and friends. It’s easy to get addicted to the buzz of social media but the Swedes say it’s crucial we make time to relax and socialise. Rather than sitting on Instagram or Facebook on their lunch break, they'll take a stroll or meet a friend for coffee and spend the evening reading a book or attending a fitness class. They swear by the app Forest, which gives users virtual coins for taking a break from their phone, and the coins are then used to plant real trees around the world.

The Swedish approach to food is all about seasonal, local and organic produce. Making meals with seasonal produce benefits health, the environment and your bank balance. 'Eating foods when in season means that you’ll be eating the way nature intended it,' explains Nutritionist, Cassandra Barns. 'Summer fruits and vegetables tend to contain higher amounts of water, which dilutes their nutrient content. Compare this to winter fruits and veggies and you’ll find they’re richer in nutrients such as vitamin C and contain more valuable fibre.'

Part of ‘fredagsmys’ is to indulge in junk food, but the average sugary or carby treat can send your mood plummeting after the initial ‘hit’ has passed. Swedes swear by dark chocolate – especially made with raw cacao – can actually have longer-lasting benefits for your mood. Swedes have a saying that suggests that there is no bad weather, just bad clothing, so make it a priority to wrap up when the colder weather hits. So, when you next use the excuse that it’s too cold to go outside and exercise try to motivate yourself by simply dressing for the weather.

Achieving a good work/life balance is a significant part of the Swedish culture and they even previously trialed a six-hour working day. To avoid feeling overwhelmed try to prioritise what actually needs to be done and then what can wait until tomorrow, everyone needs some time out.




Fredagsmys









flying_wahini

(8,208 posts)
9. So I went to the website and the fire safety issue and sustainability issues are the big problems
Thu Mar 23, 2023, 11:05 AM
Mar 2023

With this material. They ARE really, really beautiful though.

https://www.dezeen.com/2023/03/22/fire-safety-concern-mass-timber-buildings/


These walls kind of remind me of our old paneling we had (it wasn’t actually pretty, tho).

RobinA

(10,449 posts)
10. Funny
Thu Mar 23, 2023, 12:31 PM
Mar 2023

"Cozy" is not the word than comes to mind when I see those interiors. Also, maybe it's just me, but the wood itself looks really crappy to me. If I'm going to have wood it's going to be nice wood or no wood.

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