Mass Timber Construction Journal

Multihalle Pavilion: awakening the sleeping beauty. An innovative structure from the 1970s is being renovated

Steffen Lehmann — 2024-04-29

This article discusses the significance and challenges of renovating a unique 1970s experimental timber building and iconic structure: the Multihalle Pavilion in Mannheim (Germany), which has the world’s first and largest self-supporting wooden grid shell roof structure. Originally conceived as a temporary structure for the 1975 Federal Garden Exposition, Multihalle uses a lattice grid shell structure with gentle curves, remarkably slim profiles, and a translucent roof. The term ‘grid shell’ refers to a doubly curved surface formed from the lattice of timber with uniform spacing in two directions. Furthermore, this was one of the first buildings in Germany whose plan and drawings for components were designed using a computer system, well before the arrival of ubiquitous CAD programs. The purpose of the article is to widely disseminate knowledge about an innovative building and to provide an update on the project and its ongoing renovation efforts, as recently observed by the author during a site visit. The article first discusses the history and significance of the building, its unusual structural solutions, and explains the project’s background. It then reports on the current state of the rescue initiative, the various renovation activities, and concludes with the outcome of a 2019 design competition, which called for new usage concepts to regenerate Multihalle; it produced sustainable and viable options for its redevelopment by conversion into a leisure, sports and cultural complex. A main conclusion is that the innovation and learning derived from the renovation of such an unusual structure are of immense relevance and importance for future projects. The renovation of this experimental building was not without risks and technical challenges, and the fund-raising took longer than initially expected; however, based on its influential contribution to 20^th century architecture, it is also an important commitment to the preservation of our cultural heritage from the 1970s

Exploring the Impact of Wood Defects (Knots) on Human Psychology and Physiology

Aayusha Chapagain — 2024-09-17

This systematic literature review, inspired by (Harju, 2022), examines individuals' physiological and psychological responses to wood defects, which significantly contribute to substantial wood loss in mass timber construction. Following the SPAR-4-SLR protocol (Paul et al., 2021), the study employs the TCCM framework (Paul & Criado, 2020) to analyze literature from diverse fields and examine empirical studies from around the world. Using qualitative and quantitative methods, the research captures an evolving understanding of individuals' physiological and psychological reactions to wood and provides a comprehensive view of human-wood interaction. Findings are synthesized through the TCCM framework, highlighting theoretical foundations, varied contexts, and wood defect characteristics. This research contributes to the interdisciplinary discourse on wood defects' impact on human experiences, preferences, and well-being. It also helps lay the groundwork for determining if the aversion to wood with defects is a universal sentiment or if it is a learned preference specific to certain regions around the world. The identified research gaps pave the way for future investigations, emphasizing theory development, diverse contexts, distinct characteristics, and refined methodologies.

An Assessment of the Quantifiable Effects for Expressed Timber Biophilic Treatments: A Case for Mass Timber Construction?

Paul D Kremer — 2024-09-27

Biophilia refers to the innate human inclination to connect with nature. Mass Timber Construction (MTC) may hold the key to increasing the adoption of biophilic treatments in sustainable architecture through the inherent properties of timber. Existing literature on biophilia has explored its benefits and adoption strategies, however, these studies predominantly emphasise the short-term effects on human health and well-being relying on subjective measures. There exists a research gap in comprehending the long-term and sustained benefits of biophilic environments from a more comprehensive perspective that considers both subjective and objective measures. Utilising the Meta-Essentials tool, the present paper aimed to conduct a meta-analytic review of the literature examining both subjective and objective outcomes from biophilic experimentation not previously examined seeking support for MTC and its potential biophilic effects. A total of 11 studies were considered part of the final review with a combined sample size of 727 participants. The main findings included an overall moderate effect for participants subjected to biophilic environments, including exposure to wood interior treatments. A sub-group analysis of subjective and objective measures also indicated a mild effect in each domain. The findings support previous meta-analysis evidence for the utility of biophilic design and application to internal environments. The outcomes of quantifying biophilic health benefits are crucial for the development of mass timber-constructed buildings for several reasons. Firstly, it can help justify the use of wood and mass timber as sustainable alternatives to traditional building materials, such as concrete and steel, by providing evidence of their positive impact on human health and wellbeing. Secondly, it can inform the design process, enabling architects and designers to create spaces that maximise the biophilic response and optimize occupants’ health and wellbeing outcomes. Lastly, it can contribute to the broader goals of sustainable architecture by demonstrating the potential of biophilic design in achieving sustainability targets, such as enhancing productivity, biodiversity, and circularity.