Forest to Fibre to Building

By University of Queensland’s School of Architecture, Design and Planning | 22 January 2024

The research presented in this blog was conducted by the University of Queensland as part of State Library's Purpose Built exhibition.

Project Overview

This project was a collaboration between UQ, Wide Bay Water (WBW) and the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF). It explored novel ways to process timber thinnings as rounds and create joints using parametric design to facilitate cost-effective ways to maximise premium usage of this previously underutlised resource.

This project exemplifies a holistic approach to sustainability and resource management: The source of the native spotted gum thinnings is a forest near Hervey Bay that is watered with treated affluent from the nearby water treatment facility. This keeps the waste water out of the ocean, helping to reduce water pollution and damage to the nearby Great Barrier Reef.

Researchers onsite at the Hervey Bay forest

It also provides a green belt protecting Hervey Bay from bush fires in surrounding National Parks. Fraser Coast Council has engaged local Indigenous communities to assist with the planting of stands in the forest, and have incorporated their feedback regarding culturally important sites into the planning of the forest.

Timber thinnings are a normal by-product of timber forests that are undervalued because the cost to process them outweighs the potential revenue they can generate.

By exploring processing methods to efficiently manufacture reproduceable round timber logs, and concurrently utilise data-driven design to create customisable joints, this research produces a viable second life for this 15-year-old timber, and simultaneously supplies a new timber option for the built environment.

Render of the timber installation at Purpose Built

Potential outcomes from the research include: novel ways to build with timber; maximising the amount of timber utilised from every felled tree; utilising timber of greater grade variance in construction settings; and demonstrating the benefits of integrated approaches to resource management.

These will be further explored through a UQ Future Timber Hub project in 2023.