Hardwood cross-laminated timber (HCLT) has been used in the construction of Multiply, the flagship pavilion of the Victoria and Albert Museum London Design Festival. Typically, cross-laminated timber is made from softwood. However, in this project, the 9-metre high Multiply pavilion was constructed of hardwood, specifically American tulipwood HCLT.

The unique project was a collaborative effort between Waugh Thistleton Architects, the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC), and engineering firm Arup, with support from CONSTRUCTION Scotland Innovation Centre (CSIC), Glenalmond Timber Company, and the Centre for Offsite Construction & Innovative Structures at Edinburgh Napier University.

• One hundred and two (102) tulipwood HCLT panels were used to make 17 modules. The modules, connected together with digitally fabricated joints, then arrived on site as a kit of parts, and were assembled in under a week.
• With its layered construction – the wood turned at right angles in each successive layer – the HCLT is – weight for weight – stronger than steel or concrete.
• Multiply highlights the “valuable role American Hardwoods can play as premium products for timber construction,” and is a wonderful “example of what can be achieved when industry and academia come together.”

The London Design Festival, an annual, city-wide event which showcases the unique creations of innovative architects, designers and artists, runs from September 15-23. For more information about Multiply, visit www.americanhardwood.org.

Photo courtesy of American Hardwood Export Council