Wood: a primitive, hi-tech material

There are several 'myths' about the origin of architecture. One of the most widespread and enduring is the Primitive Hut. Devised by Marc-Antoine Laugier, an 18th century Jesuit priest and architectural theorist, the treatise sets out essential elements of architecture. "The small primitive hut that I have just described constitutes the model from which all architectural magnificence is conceived; and only by approaching the simplicity of this first model, in the practice of art, will it be possible to avoid the most radical defects and achieve authentic perfection. The vertically erected trunks gave us the idea of the column; the horizontal ones, that of the entablature; and the inclined ones, forming the roof, that of the pediment." Laugier's ideal hut is illustrated by a famous engraving. His message: stick to the true and fundamental principles of architecture and you can't go wrong. Despite the fact that wood is the oldest material for building and making objects, we can still today consider it an innovative and even hi-tech material.The truth is that there is nothing new about wood: what is new is the way we think about what we can do with it.Just think of the design studio Formafantasma, which in a recent exhibition investigated the role of trees as sources of information, sensors of global climate change, but also as a solution to these changes, due to their ability to absorb carbon dioxide.

In order to make designers aware of how to build consciously, the 'Guide to Sustainable American Hardwoods' was created by AHEC - American Hardwood Export Council, the main association representing American hardwood producers. The Guide, which reflects the international market's growing concern for the environment and the climate crisis and focuses on sustainability, contains technical and performance data on the various species of American hardwoods accompanied by descriptions, also in pictures, of the most beautiful projects realised.In addition to this, there is the legality risk assessment commissioned by AHEC, documentation regarding the American Hardwood Environmental Profile (AHEP) and an interactive map showing the distribution and growth of forests with details of timber harvesting as well. The aim is to illustrate the size range of these resources and which species are more abundant than others, in order to help users make smarter environmental choices.

The multitude of properties and characteristics of wood make it a perfect material for our times: it is self-renewing, ensuring an endless supply of raw material; it can be used in its natural form with minimal processing, limiting environmental impact; it is easy to shape, bend, mould and colour to alter its form and appearance; it can be regenerated and transformed into a multitude of products; it has a high strength-to-weight ratio, so it can be used throughout the built environment; it lends itself to off-site prefabrication; it can be used to construct buildings that are more energy efficient, faster and quieter, with a lower carbon footprint than many other construction methods. Above all, it is a material that could effectively replace other materials with a high environmental impact, such as concrete and steel, reducing the emissions generated by the construction industry, which (everyone should know) make up 40 per cent of global emissions.