A new timber campaign in the north-west, Form>Wood, will help “bust open a few myths” and “sex-up timber” in the eyes of architects and specifiers, according to Steve Connor, chair of the North-west Regional Forestry Framework.
A Form>Wood conference, hosted by the North-west Regional Forestry Framework, was held in Liverpool on September 2, with architects and specifiers from across the north-west in attendance, including Brock Carmichael Architects, Studio 3 Architects, the government office for the north-west and Liverpool Vision.
Mr Connor said the conference was the first step in establishing a brand to promote the use of timber in larger volumes across the north-west and beyond.
Further events are planned; information and resources will be distributed; and an architectural prize may also be developed as part of the Form>Wood campaign, he said.
“Architects, developers and those specifying to them are going to be key in seeing more wood used,” said Mr Connor. “We need to make wood a sexy material and bust open a few myths.”
Mr Connor added the timber industry needs to be at the centre of the promotion, engaged fully with the Form>Wood brand and the North-west Regional Forestry Framework.
This will allow for a combined effort to increase wood’s use, as well as ensure supplies are available to meet the increase in demand, he said.
