dRMM: Building from Forests

What if the design and construction of buildings were shaped by local, climate-resilient, mixed-species forest? In 2022, architecture practice dRMM, along with partners in science and manufacturing, were asked by Forestry Commission England to address this question. The pioneering prototypes that developed as a result can now be seen in the Dr Susan Weber Gallery of Furniture, V&A South Kensington.

Most of the timber used in Britain is imported from softwood plantations that lack plant diversity and are increasingly prone to pest and disease. Even though the UK has ideal conditions for growing resilient mixed-species forest, we aren’t growing enough – or harvesting enough of what we grow. Forestry management is beginning to address this: a 3% increase in forest cover is expected by 2050. The issue is: how can we put this resource to good use?  

Half of the UK’s trees are hardwood, but because little data is available on how this wood performs mechanically, most of it ends up as biomass or in log burners. To address this, dRMM worked with scientists at Edinburgh Napier University to test UK hardwood species for strength, stiffness and density. As you can see from the infographic below, birch is the strongest, sweet chestnut is weakest, but all are stronger than spruce.

The findings were used to develop a series of construction products made of engineered wood. Engineered wood, including cross-laminated timber (CLT) and glue-laminated timber (glulam), is made by gluing layers of timber. Most of it is produced outside of the UK using a limited range of softwoods. Working with partners at innovation lab BE-ST, dRMM developed new recipes for CLT and glulam using homegrown timber. They also developed two new components: a CLT ‘knuckle’ joint that removes the need for steel plates, and a light, strong barrel vault that can be used as a roof or (much smaller) in place of flooring joists. These products – considerably slimmer than their softwood counterparts – can be tweaked for the job using timber stock that is locally available.

The display wraps up with a series of speculative models that show how these new components could be used to address structural shortcomings in three typical types of timber building. By demonstrating the advantages of local hardwood in construction, dRMM also incentivises the growing of the healthy, resilient forest that we need to cultivate this resource.

The practice hopes that its research, prototypes and datasheets will encourage other architects, as well as those in timber and construction industries, to work with homegrown timber.

dRMM: Building from Forests will be displayed until autumn 2026, alongside a film that further unpacks the practice’s work.

Make Good: Rethinking Material Futures is a 10-year programme supported by John Makepeace OBE.

dRMM’s research was funded by Forestry Commission England and delivered in partnership with New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering (NMITE), Edinburgh Napier University, Built Environment – Smarter Transformation (BE-ST) and Ecosystems Technologies.