Over the past two centuries, steel and reinforced concrete have played a predominant role in research and application in civil engineering and materials science, leaving a void in structural wood research. However, the environmental arguments in favour of expanding the possibilities of using renewable wood resources are becoming increasingly evident. in recent years, society’s growing awareness on the urgent need for sustainable building materials has influenced the newfound economic importance of timber construction. Environmental awareness is helping to restore or establish the legitimate use of wood in building our cities on an unprecedented scale. This essay is an interview with Prof. Yves Weinand, in which he briefly explains the experimental activities taking place within the laboratory and how these are changing the way we design and build with timber. On a broader level, the investigations of the IBOlS Group contribute to a deeper understanding of spatial structures in general and set new precedents for the cooperative interaction between architects and engineers who will be analysing such structures.
