The Age of Timber Is Here: What It Looks Like

"Wood is universally beautiful to man. It is the most humanly intimate of all materials." - Frank Lloyd Wright

Timber has long been a staple building material, but through centuries of evolving trends and advancing methods, it has never been left in the dust. Its diversity and growing popularity are due in part to its ability to adapt, both to style and engineering. 

With engineered timber being both stronger and more solid than natural timber, the sky's the limit for the building material, which was once reserved for smaller scale projects. 

From organic building structures to intricately carved motifs, these projects highlight the diversity of a material that first uses dates back to the Romans in AD 50.

This Hotel Was Once a XIX Century Warehouse

This hotel might look like a modern build, but its beauty is the result of the conversion of three XIX century warehouses, which are central to Singapore's history. Designed by Zarch Collaboratives, the hotel's structure is reminiscent of the original warehouses, with an open floor plan and polished wooden floors and accents. 

See more photos of the Warehouse Hotel.

A Starbucks Like You've Never Seen Before

If we asked you to close your eyes and imagine standing inside of a Starbucks, you can probably make out at least 10 design elements unique to the coffee giant's cafes. When the Starbucks Design Team created this Reserve Cafe in Amsterdam, they wanted to blend the location's tradition with modern design touches synonymous to the brand, including wall-to-wall wood paneling and concrete flooring.

See more photos of Starbucks Reserve Amsterdam.

This Office Has Got Curves

When dECOi Architects redesigned the penthouse office suite of this investment group in the organic building space, they knew their work couldn't just look good, it had to do good, too. Inspired by a sculpture that the architect had previously created, the penthouse's walls and frame were made out of 1200 4ft x 12ft plywood sheets, which span floor to ceiling and create a beautiful wave of golden hues. 

See more photos of One Main Office Renovation.

Foster & Partners Brings Ancient Land into the 21st Century

Abu Dhabi is known for evoking a sense of life and glamor unlike any other city in the world. The stunning city is home to record-setting skyscrapers and a beautiful medley of old and new structures and cultural elements. When architecture firm Foster & Partners designed this central market, they wanted to create a modern destination out of one of the oldest sites in the city. 

See more photos of Abu Dhabi Central Market.

A Stunning Motif Created out of this Chapel's Wooden Panels 

This chapel in Hiroshima, Japan, was created to showcase the country's lush materials. Designed by Nikken Space Design, the chapel's wooden panels cast a shadow on its floor, which brings the firm's desire to represent the balance of light and space to life. The wooden panels create a tree motif surrounding the space, which stands as a representation of solace, fraternity, and shelter.

See over 400 projects that use timber. 

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