“MATERIALS MATTER”

This thesis investigates the role of the material that makes the craft. There is an understanding that craftsmen have a vast amount of knowledge for the materials they work with, often built through an experimental and intuitive exploration gathered through years of trial, error and training. This develops an understanding and feel that resonates a seamless bond between craftsmen and material. The thesis studies material in terms of their properties, both qualitative and quantitative. Material can be used as a stimulus of place provoking memory or emotion. In this case it is a representative of the landscape of North Wales, a terrain rich in material presence.

The architecture allows the material to set the tectonic, in this case the material in question is wood. The project is based in a planted forest in North Wales known as the Carrog Plantation. The programme is a Forest Management and Biodiversity Centre that aims to implement a new forest management style, known as continuous cover forestry and enhance the biodiversity of the plantation. The architecture is seen as a series of found objects within the landscape using only the available tree species in the plantation to craft them.

A view of the forest classroom. This space highlights the use of wood as both a building material, and view.

Material Tectonic – Forest Classroom

A view of the building approach showing its rural location to the edge of the forest.

Monospecies – Forestry Workshop

A study using locally sourced materials to handcraft a bespoke piece of furniture - in this case, slate and sycamore to create a bardic chair.

Slate and Sycamore – Bardic Chair 

A view of the construction process, whereby trees are turned into timber in the Sawmill, and brought into the proposed building.

Trees to Timber – Sawmill

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Curated By: George Morgan