With Lord Foster picking American ash for Gateshead’s new music centre and auditorium, yet another eminent European architect has specified American hardwood in a major project – joining the likes of Renzo Piano, Frank Gehry, Rafael Moneo and Sir Michael Hopkins.
Today the importance of the architectural community to the long term future of wood consumption appears to be universally accepted. But this hasn’t always been the case. It is almost 10 years to the day since the AHEC first took part in a major wood seminar for architects with the RIAS and environmental campaigner David Bellamy. There were times when we felt like a voice in the wilderness. “Who needs architects when they don’t actually buy any wood and just ask lots of awkward questions?” seems to have been a common sentiment.
At the AHEC we have long believed that the building sector offers the best prospects for new business for American hardwoods and that architects and specifiers are central to consumption. Undeterred we have stuck to our task, been persistent with our messages and secured the US funding and industry support needed for promotion.
Now the feeling of loneliness has truly subsided as promotion to architects unites the wood industry Europe-wide. You only have to look at the Wood Awards sponsors list to see that.
So what has changed to bring the wood community closer to architects? Is it all our new attitudes towards promotion, or new and innovative products, the continuing consumer fashion for natural materials or an improved understanding of the environment and the benefits of wood? Well maybe it is all of these things, but most importantly the wood industry has become increasingly aware of the need to provide better and more relevant information. And maybe at last we have learned to deliver it in a way that architects can relate to. And, as page 22 shows, a good photograph or two also helps.
So let’s raise a glass to architects and long may they continue to think wood!
