Highland Housing Fair win for John Gilbert Architects

INNOVATIVE HOUSING USING SOLID TIMBER

11/05/07

The competition winner

John Gilbert Architects have won the competition to develop plot 4.1 of the Highland Housing Fair. This is one of five lots designated for social housing at the fair, an innovative way of raising design and sustainability standards in housing in the Highlands. The shell of the timber house will be sheathed in corrugated material evoking the design of traditional Highland community halls.

John Gilbert Architects will be working with Wood100 to build the homes using "Brettstapel" solid timber construction method from Thoma in Austria. The walls, floor and roof are formed from prefabricated panels made by pegging together sections of spruce.

John Gilbert and Matt Bridgestock

The Wood 100 group, based in Kilmarnock, have the licence to use the Thoma system in the UK and intend to use Scottish spruce to make the panels. The panels provide excellent air tightness, good insulation and high thermal mass, ensuring the house will retain its heat in winter and keep cool in summer. The client will be a social landlord and will be built for the exhibition in Summer 2009.

Principal John Gilbert said: “We are delighted to be taking part in the fair. This gives us a chance to show how affordable timber houses can be made to achieve a low carbon future.”