Abstract:
Architects use materials to express an idea, give form and
create shelter for whatever the reason might be. The architect’s
arsenal comprises five main materials: steel, concrete, masonry,
glass and timber. When and how these materials are used is
dictated by personal preference, public opinion, legislation,
environmental aspects and availability.
The use of timber in the South African built environment has
not taken centre stage, yielding to superior materials such as
concrete and steel. Nevertheless, a mass timber building not
only offers ecological and environmental advantages, but also
immense skill-based advantages mainly because timber allows
for component manufacturing and assembly (Green, 2019).
Recent approval by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS,
2020) of engineered wood such as cross laminated timber (CLT)
has sparked interest in developing a timber research facility
completely built with wood in the Pretoria central business
district (CBD). The high-tech construction of such a facility would
utilise manufacturing methods like the integration of building
information management (BIM) programs with computer
numeral control (CNC) machines to enable unskilled workers to
make a building instead of constructing the building.
This dissertation aims to challenge local legislation around timber
construction, empower unskilled workers to make complex/
large-scale buildings and change public opinion about timber
construction, as well as to create a stronger timber culture in
South Africa.
