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The production of cross-laminated timber is a fully BIM orientated process. Cross-laminated timber panels modelled through Eurban’s BIM platform were sent directly to the CNC machine at Stora Enso’s mill where they were cut to size. This precision engineering at the point of manufacture ensures accuracy and reduces the need for remedial work or changes on site.
The mass timber construction system relies heavily on BIM enabled design processes. Elliott Wood and Eurban, both experts in this field worked closely with Mole Architects to enable an efficient transition from design to construction. The 2 specialist engineering companies are designing structural elements to be prefabricated off site in factory conditions. Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) is therefore at the core of their process. They work in close collaboration with the factories to minimize material waste and maximise efficient delivery.
As a cohousing scheme adopting sustainable design principles was a central part of the development brief therefore the specification of timber for the primary structure of the housing was an obvious choice. Timber structures are an effective carbon store and therefore significantly reduce the carbon footprint of a project. The timber systems adopted at Marmalade Lane were the best solution for this development because not only do they have a low carbon footprint during their manufacture and assembly but they are also built with a high specification in terms of airtightness and thermal performance which leads to important energy savings during the lifetime of the homes.
Cohousing is slowly establishing itself as a viable alternative to prevalent forms of characterless profit-led housing in the UK. In the UK there are only 21 completed cohousing schemes but there are more than double this number in development so it is a growing trend in social housing and judging by the success of Marmalade Lane these numbers could increase, if opportunities are seized and land made available.
Client: K1 Cohousing
Developer partners: Trivselhus & TOWN
Architect: Mole Architects
Engineer: Elliott Wood
Mass Timber Specialist: Eurban
Main Contractor: Coulson
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