2018 Architecture Awards

Build 2018 Architecture Awards 80 Timber Architecture Consultants of the Year 2018 - Europe Timber Design Initiatives Ltd is an Edinburgh-based firm whose work centres on supporting innovation in the architecture and engineering of new all-timber or timber hybrid buildings. We explored the secrets behind the firm’s remarkable success over recent years. forward ideas for new products/systems, with potential to bring high added value to the forest resource, through rigorous prototyping and testing programmes. Market awareness and research is key to the success of these new developments, and as such the firm maintains close links to companies and organisations in all parts of the timber industry - forestry, processors, manufacturers, importers, traders and specialist contractors – with a view to ensuring that strong interest and demand exists. Alongside its core operations, Timber Design Initiatives Ltd also operates its own publishing imprint, Arcamedia Ltd, to produce the necessary objective technical support information. Recent examples of its published work include The Modern Timber House in the UK- New Paradigms and Technologies by Peter Wilson and Mass Timber – An introduction to Solid Laminate Timber Systems by Dr Robert Hairstans, Director of COCIS. From its home base in Scotland’s capital city, the company maintains an active involvement with trade and professional organisations throughout Europe, with its Managing Director, architect Peter Wilson, regularly invited to contribute to conferences addressing the timber architecture and engineering professions, the hardwood and softwood sectors, wood protection associations and wood science institutes. This engagement with international academics and researchers ensures Timber Design Initiatives stays abreast of new ideas and technological advances in the use of wood in construction and is able to relate these developments to its extensive network of industry contacts through its pro-active professional use of social media and via the many well-attended conferences, lectures, seminars and workshops it organises in the UK. Edinburgh may seem like the edge of Europe to some, but there are many advantages to this location, not least proximity to the UK’s largest area of production forestry and the sawmills and processors that service it; direct association with the headquarters of the UK’s primary forestry organisations (Forestry Commission, and ConFor); connection to the nnovation in the development and use of new and advanced timber technologies is central to the work of Timber Design Initiatives. The company not only advises and guides many architects, engineers, manufacturers and suppliers on the range of timber systems available today but, importantly, also works directly with companies and organisations located throughout Europe on the research, development, testing and commercialisation of new timber products. This, combined with the company’s pro-active identification of opportunities to build full-size demonstration projects that utilise these products and systems, as well as its highly respected programme of independent, objective Continuing Professional Education (CPE) on all aspects of timber design and construction for industry professionals, distinguishes Timber Design Initiatives’ skills, experience and business activity from those of other specialists in the sector. The work of Timber Design Initiatives is positioned at the interface between practice and research, bringing companies into direct contact with relevant academic departments and research institutions to take I AR180125 Company: Timber Design Initiatives Contact: Peter Wilson Address: 90a Constitution Street, Edinburgh, EH6 6RP, UK Phone: +44 131 554 8643