Timber Buildings

Case Studies   External Publications   Links  

The Community Woodlands Association and its members seek to promote innovations in constructing community buildings using sustainable local timber. Here we have showcased some of our members’ original design projects from across Scotland.

In recent years, the architectural sector has experienced:

• A progressive shift in aesthetics from stone, glass, concrete to ‘natural’ timber;
• Mechanisms such as the National Forest Land Scheme promoting timber in buildings;
• Increasing awareness and technical information on timber in construction e.g. timber cladding;
• A wide range of buildings in community woodlands already using timber (both local and imported): wildlife hides, compost toilets, workshops, shelters etc.
• A growing number of community buildings outwith woodlands using timber for its ‘green’ credentials, such as village halls, primary and secondary schools, police stations, medical centres, etc.

Community woodlands are at the forefront of thinking around designing with timber, reducing the embedded energy of materials, integrating with natural settings, and using appropriate detailing to protect untreated Scottish timber.

With so many visitors experiencing them, community woodland buildings and structures are important educational tools in encouraging more sustainability in our built and natural environments.