The team of four students from the University of Edinburgh impressed the judges with a design they said “demonstrated the most complete consideration of all aspects, from design through to how the building would be constructed and deconstructed”.
This year’s competition saw students face a challenging brief to design a modular timber panel system that can be easily transported for re-use. Dubbed CO2nnect, it also challenged students to think about the wider issues surrounding carbon sequestration and the possibility of re-using timber modular buildings.
The quartet from University of Edinburgh – Adam Glew, Taavet Kutsar, Peter Openshaw and Magnus Thomson – were awarded the £2,000 first prize for their ‘Gateway’ design at a judging day that took place at the Institution of Structural Engineers headquarters in London.
“It has been great to get to understand the use of timber more,” said the team.
“This competition has really pushed our knowledge forwards.”
The judges this year represented a cross section of the construction industry – Andrew Wylie, group director of Buro Happold Engineering (Structural Engineer); Carol Costello, practice leader at Cullinan Studios (Architect); Robin Jones, from the Institution of Structural Engineers (editor of The Structural Engineer); and Rupert Scott, TRADA’s membership and marketing manager.
Meanwhile, TTJ was a media partner to the event, alongside The Structural Engineer.
