The tulipwood cross-laminated timber prefabricated multi-storey building was created for the London Design Festival (LDF) and was erected for the public to climb and explore in the Sackler Courtyard of the city’s iconic Victoria & Albert Museum. At its official opening LDF director Ben Evans described it as thekey installation of the whole event.
The structure was designed by architects Waugh Thistleton who were also responsible for London’s Murray Grove tower and the Dalston Lane development, at the time of constructionrespectively the tallest and largest CLT-residential buildings in the world.
Project architect Andrew Waugh said that his practice now only designs in timber and that it was vital to use more wood generally in construction to reduce the industry’s environmental footprint and help solve the ‘housing crisis created by worldwide urbanisation’.
He described the use of hardwood and specifically tulipwood for MultiPly’s CLT as ground breaking. The finished material has a superior strength to weight to conventional softwood CLT so thinner, lighter panels could be used. This was particularly relevant to its V&A site as the courtyard floor forms the roof of galleries below and has very tight loading constraints.
Developing hardwood CLT, added Mr Waugh also increased the palette of alternatives to concrete, steel and masonry available to architects.
