The benefits of using timber in architectural design.
Written in collaboration with PiP Architects
31st August 2023
Timber cladding is a traditional building material that has been used in architectural design for centuries. From stunning facades to enduring structures, the beautiful versatility of timber has ensured it never falls out of fashion.
Award-winning PiP Architects are local champions of Millworks and often specify timber, utilising its natural beauty and strength across many of their projects. This is demonstrated on a recent refurbishment and extension project in the heart of Cambridge; 26 Barrow Road.
The bold modernist style of the original brick building is elegantly complemented by Siberian Larch cladding which is used to add texture and interest. “As a natural material, timber provides a timeless aesthetic that often works well with a broader palette of materials,” says Associate Partner Kathryn Pedley. “Timber offers a wide variety of colour, laying pattern and textural options which can allow us to achieve outstanding design outcomes.”
At Barrow Road, the timber cladding distinguishes a generous extension from the main accommodation, softening the overall mass of this grand family home. “We find timber is a very cost-effective and adaptable building material. We employ it to create various effects tailored to the unique requirements of any individual project,” Kathryn says.
Timber has also been used to form subtle privacy screening over the windows of Barrow Road that are facing the street. These slatted screens cast linear shadows enhancing the textural appeal of the building. Sliding timber screens have been installed over large south-facing windows to help keep the home cool on hot summer days too.
PiP Architects Barrow Road | Siberian Larch
Siberian Larch Timber Cladding | MW6
Timber aligns well with PiP Architects’ sustainability principles. The practice favours materials and building techniques that integrate sustainability into the architecture itself. “We always specify responsibly sourced timber as an entirely renewable resource,” explains Kathryn. “It is naturally insulating, relatively light-weight, can be installed efficiently and requires low skill for repair and replacement.”
PiP Architects like to incorporate ‘biophilic design’ elements into many of their projects too. This means using the natural environment within architecture to connect human experience with nature. “The restorative response we all have to being within nature is proven to increase physical and mental well-being,” Kathryn explains. “We use wood internally and externally to integrate buildings effortlessly into the natural landscape and ease the contrast between the built and natural world.”
Millworks timber is a simple, timeless material that PiP Architects use extensively as a high-quality but affordable building material. Millworks offer support to architects and other specifiers to enable designing with ease and confidence. The team of experts are on hand to give advice on species selection, install, fixings and coating options for long-term timber performance.
