Education: architecture Studio Bark – No Building As Usual

Studio Bark – No Building As Usual

Addressing learning, diversity and the climate emergency through a live build.

No Building As Usual (NBAU) project – week 8. Photo: Studio Bark

“These 12 diverse university students from across the UK have added invaluable practical knowledge to their theoretical knowledge and learnt how to build simply and sustainably with timber in a warming climate.”

Afeature on Grand Designs in 2014 led to clients approaching Studio Bark to develop a single-storey eco-home that would meet their accessibility and lifetime needs, and enable planning permission to be obtained on agricultural land in a Herefordshire hamlet.

Could this project become a cross-sector live-build climateliterate summer school with students from across the UK? Wilf Meynell thought so, ‘We found that we can teach better through a live build rather than within the context of a university […] there’s no point just us as a practice designing (and building) a few eco-homes if we’re not passing on knowledge to the next generation of designers.’

U-Build, developed by Studio Bark and Structure Workshop, is a is totally demountable, expandable, reusable, repairable and recyclable modular system based on CNC-cut plywood panels that click and screw together to form open or closed boxes (cassettes). These boxes are bolted together, insulated, membraned and clad to form ridged frames for studios or homes that can be self-built. Conceived as a low-carbon impact building for the circular economy, the foundations are often concrete free using adjustable foundation systems, such as Jackpads® .

Learning via a live build

From more than 120 applications, a diverse group of 12 students, with a balance of ages, backgrounds and skill levels, was selected for the No Building As Usual (NBAU) project.

Ada, Aurora, Gracious, Jay, Kyle, Maria, Matilda, Matt, Mersei, Rose, Salome and Terri-Louise arrived in Herefordshire to build their off-grid camp and ready the site for construction. They stayed for ten weeks, some a little longer, and built Nest House.

I caught up with Terri-Louise, Salome, Gracious and Rose to hear about their experiences.

Terri-Louise Doyle is undergoing her sixth year as a Part 2, MArch Architecture student at Sheffield Hallam University.

‘I applied for NBAU as it aligned with my core values, ethos of sustainability and inclusivity. >>

I learned about the processes for putting a building together, from start to finish, and how to make intentional choices in my design work to positively impact society and the planet.

‘I enjoyed how theory and practice went hand in hand, allowing for a truly in-depth and pragmatic learning experience. Lewis Taylor from BM TRADA spoke to us about the tolerances that we would need to design in on account of the expansion and shrinking of the material before we prototyped the cladding designs with Douglas fir.

‘Being immersed in the work prompted questions that we wouldn’t usually think to ask and we gained insights from construction professionals across the industry.’

The NBAU students: Standing (left to right) – Jay, Maria, Gracious, Salome, TerriLouise, Rose, Kyle, Matilda. Seated (left to right) – Mersei, Aurora, Matt, Ada. Photo: Studio Bark

‘My highlights included the physical building, from our camp to Nest House and raising the roof on the lower barn. Experiencing first-hand the actual output from reading a drawing to building from it is incredible; coordinating with the team and external contractors provided a sense of holistic understanding and respect.

‘Living with 11 other people, sharing food, cultural exchanges and experiences, as a team, it felt as if there was nothing we couldn’t accomplish together and we found strength in our differences.

‘Some challenges included rain – scaffolding did not arrive so we had to improvise a large tarpaulin covering to keep the build dry as we built before we could make the house watertight with a breathable membrane.

‘The teaching was really effective; we received training from practising professionals and then applied what we learned to build a modular U-Build house from scratch. This enabled us to retain information more effectively as we physically applied the shared knowledge on the next construction stage.

‘NBAU has firmed up my aspirations to work in harmony with the natural environment, to design better spaces and futures from low-impact, local materials, reducing waste and to work collaboratively with other multifaceted built environment professionals.’ Gracious Muzamhindo has completed Part 1 Architecture at Liverpool John Moore’s University.

‘NBAU was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn more about using sustainable solutions to design and construct buildings – something I had never heard much about before. Each choice made throughout the build was to minimise the environmental impact of the building. It has significantly impacted how I will design.

‘I learned in depth about how timber can be included in almost every part of a build, and the basics about species, products, moisture, fire and designing for durability and longevity. I led on insulating the roof, building the roof beams, cutting the cladding and on the interior design, but it worked because we were a great team.

‘It has been such an amazing experience to see how every element of a build translates from paper to real life; I enjoyed performing tasks that showed visible progress, especially with

Salome Mulenga is in her first year studying for a BA in Architecture and Landscape at the University of Sheffield.

‘I applied to gain a better understanding of sustainable building design. Through hands-on experience and workshops,

Week 1 of the live build. Photo: Studio Bark

such a supportive group of people. It has affected what I think architecture is and the role I want to play – and given me an appreciation for engineers and construction workers.’

Rose McKiernan is in her second year studying Part 1 Architecture at Queen’s University Belfast.

‘I had no practical experience in construction but was keen to learn about timber and its use in sustainable architecture, work with my peers and with a practice at the forefront of eco design and modern methods of construction.

‘I learnt about using hand tools and power tools and choosing the right fixings; about the properties of timber, its age and moisture content. We used different types of timber and timber products in the construction, and I was able to see which is best for each part of the house.

‘We also constructed our own temporary barn structure using offcuts, sapwood pieces and other materials on site. It was very rewarding to be resourceful and put knowledge into practice.

‘I have benefited immensely from working on each step of the process, from the drawings to the completed home. I’d now like to focus on sustainable architecture, especially finding ways of using materials with less environmental impact and with low embodied carbon.’

End result

These 12 diverse university students from across the UK have added invaluable practical knowledge to their theoretical knowledge and learnt how to build simply and sustainably with timber in a warming climate. n

About the author

Tabitha Binding Education and Engagement Timber Development UK

Further information

Studio Bark is an award-winning architectural practice set up in 2014 by Wilf Meynell and Nick Newman to create high-quality, sensitive, environmental design.

The NBAU Programme was sponsored by www.cgluk.com | www.kinrise.com | www.thermafleece.com | www.grimshaw. global | www.makearchitects.com | www.darlingassociates.net | www.ttf.co.uk | www.nmite.ac.uk | www.forbo.co.uk and supported by RIBA, Structure Workshop, TRADA and ACAN.

Comprising more than 70 specialist documents, these form a comprehensive source of vital information on timber and its use in construction. They are updated on a ‘rolling needs’ basis. WISs are available to purchase at bookshop.bmtrada.com or bookshop.trada.co.uk

Denotes WISs that are mentioned in the NATIONAL STRUCTURAL TIMBER SPECIFICATION

Number Title

TIMBER – GENERAL

WIS 0-14 Specifying timber for healthy buildings WIS 2/3-6 Wood decorative and practical WIS 2/3-10 Timbers – their properties and uses WIS 2/3-28 Introducing wood WIS 2/3-37 Softwood sizes

WIS 2/3-56 CE marking: implications for timber products WIS 2/3-58 Sustainable timber sourcing WIS 2/3-59 Recovering and minimising wood waste WIS 2/3-63 Modified wood products WIS 2/3-66 Specifying timber species in marine and freshwater construction

WIS 2/3-67 Specifying British-grown timbers WIS 2/3-70 Specifying metals for use with timber WIS 2/3-72 Carbon and timber in construction for building designers NEW WIS 4-14 Moisture in timber

WIS 4-31 Life cycle costing WIS 4-33 Life cycle assessment

TIMBER FRAME CONSTRUCTION

WIS 0-3 Introduction to timber frame construction

WIS 0-5 Timber frame building: materials specification WIS 0-10 Surveys of timber frame houses WIS 0-11 Improving the thermal performance of existing timber frame buildings WIS 1-35 Breather membranes for timber frame walls

WIS 1-48 Sole plates in timber frame construction WIS 1-49 Cladding for timber frame buildings WIS 2/3-64 Timber frame design for flood-prone sites WIS 2/3-65 Principles of green oak construction WIS 4-15 Condensation control in dwellings WIS 4-30 Fire performance of timber frame dwellings WIS 4-32 Acoustic performance in residential timber frame developments

STRUCTURAL USES

WIS 0-1 Timber in swimming pool hall construction WIS 1-6 Glued laminated timber

WIS 1-17 Structural use of hardwoods

WIS 1-34 Assessment and repair of structural timber WIS 1-37 Introduction to Eurocode 5 WIS 2/3-36 Design of structural timber connections WIS 2/3-51 Timber engineering hardware and connectors WIS 2/3-52 Fasteners for structural timber: nails, screws, dowels and bolts

WIS 2/3-62 Cross-laminated timber: structural principles WIS 2/3-68 SIPs: introduction for specifiers WIS 2/3-69 SIPs: structural principles and design WIS 4-7 Timber strength grading and strength classes WIS 4-22 Adhesive-bonded repair systems for structural timber WIS 4-23 Non-destructive testing of timber

FLOORS/ROOFS

WIS 1-10 Principles of pitched roof construction WIS 1-29 Trussed rafters

WIS 1-36 Timber joist and deck floors – avoiding movement WIS 1-41 Strutting in timber floors WIS 1-46 Decorative timber flooring

PANELS

WIS 2/3-11 Specification and use of wood-based panels in exterior situations

WIS 2/3-17 Wood-based sheet materials for formwork linings WIS 2/3-23 Introduction to wood-based panel products WIS 2/3-57 Specifying wood-based panels for structural use WIS 2/3-61 Cross-laminated timber: introduction for specifiers

JOINERY

WIS 1-13 Performance of fire-resisting timber doorsets WIS 1-32 Upgrading timber doorsets for fire resistance WIS 1-47 Timber external doors

WIS 4-16 Timber in joinery

EXTERIOR USES

WIS 0-13 Timber in playground equipment WIS 1-12 Timber fencing WIS 1-31 Timber for landscape architecture WIS 1-50 Timber cladding for building refurbishment WIS 2/3-60 Specifying timber exposed to weathering WIS 2/3-71 Specifying externally exposed timber structures WIS 4-28 Durability by design

PROTECTION

WIS 2/3-1 Finishes for external timber

WIS 2/3-16 Preservative treatment for timber – a guide to specification WIS 2/3-32 Fungi and insect pests in timber WIS 4-12 Care of timber and wood-based products on building sites WIS 4-17 Insect pests in houses

FIRE