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When the devastating twin earthquakes shook Christchurch, one of the iconic buildings to topple in February 2011 was the 19th Century cathedral. Today, the original cathedral site is still rubble, while a 'temporary' structure of 96 LVL reinforced cardboard tubes, polycarbonate sheeting and 8 shipping containers is rising nearby.

Some structures achieve iconic status after years of use, others upon completion, yet some, such as the Barentshus Tower achieve a degree of fame before they are even built. First announced in 2010, the Barentshus Tower apparently remains firmly on the drawing board.

Vancouver architect Michael Green, a leading proponent of wood, has designed what will be North America’s tallest wood-framed building, in Prince George, northern British Columbia. Michael has toured Australia as a keynote presenter at WoodSolutions Seminars.

An extension of the University of Tasmania's School of Architecture & Design, the Centre for Sustainable Architecture with Wood, (CSAW) grew out of the School’s successful Timber Research Unit and is active in research and education.

When most people think of engineered timber building systems, CLT is probably the first thing that comes to mind. There are however a range of other exciting options in use around the world. This X-Lam project is an excellent example of a multi-residential housing project.

Shigeru Ban is principal of Japan's Shiregu Ban Architects and Professor of Art and design at Kyoto University. He has won international acclaim an many awards for his works in wood and wood products - including cardboard.

The development, which is designed by Anderson Bell & Christie, is a flagship project funded by the Scottish Government to demonstrate the suitability of mass timber structure and the benefits of renewable technologies.

As part of informing and inspiring design and building professionals, WoodSolutions supports a range of activities, including field trips. This is an outstanding opportunity to discover EXPAN - and exciting new development in timber construction.

TimberLife, the timber service life software, is an educational resource designed to provide estimates of timber service life performance.

Wood as a material is all pervasive, yet it's easy to concentrate on one application to the detriment - or ignorance - of others. In WOOD: art design architecture Adelaide's Jam Factory has embarked on an ambitious project to bring together a range of uses of wood in a travelling exhibition.

Forte Apartments built by Lendlease in the Victoria Harbour precinct of Melbourne's Docklands are the first step in an visionary plan to use engineered timber in a wide range of residential structures in the area. The reclaimed silty soils and deep bedrock make this particularly suitable for lightweight construction.

The Australian Timber Design Awards has been honouring excellence in timber design for fourteen years. Entry is open to architects, builders, designers, engineers, interior designers and landscape architects. Categories cover all major applications, small budget projects, sustainability, a People's Choice Award and a Rising Star Award.

The 2nd International Conference on Timber Bridges which is to be held in Las Vegas, Nevada in autumn 2013. ICTB-2013 follows the successful inaugural event that was held in 2010 at Lillehammer, Norway.

Like our own Australian Timber Design Awards, the US Wood Design Awards celebrate excellence in wood design, engineering and construction, as well as innovative projects that showcase attributes of wood such as strength, beauty, versatility, cost-effectiveness and sustainability. From 100-foot roof spans to novel reclaimed wood installations, the winners of the 2013 National Wood Design Awards push the envelope in wood design.

The current popularity of cross laminated timber (CLT) is overshadowing some interesting advances in heavy timber composites. From timber and concrete to timber and steel, there are some fascinating projects that could deliver some innovative structural options.

From a country renowned for craftsmanship in wood, come inspiring timber designs guaranteed to get every architect, designer and engineer thinking - "How did they do that?"

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Here's another example of innovative thinking in CLT. It will be interesting to see if the curent popularity of CLT extends into other massive timber building systems. Stay tuned to WoodSolutions and we'll bring you news of projects as they happen.

One of the predicted trends in building is an increase in the scope and range of offsite fabrication, or prefabrication, of building elements or modules. CLT and other engineered timber systems are well suited to this form of building.

At WoodSolutions we keep an eye on all sorts of wood design and technology. If you’re interested in the broader aspects of wood in design – and the quirkier side of things wooden – you’ll find more on the WoodSolutions Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/Woodsolutions

Despite the many sustainable, structural and decorative advantages of wood, one of the often quoted reasons not to specify timber is durability. Today, our knowledge of timber's performance, design details and various treatments have overcome most durability questions - however, here's an example of a timber construction that's lasted (under exceptional conditions) for more than 7000 years. That's durability!

Since 2004 Virserum Art Museum has been arranging major exhibitions on wood and wood architecture. During this time the notion of sustainability has been an ever-present topic - and they found that the term has been so commonly used that it is in danger of losing any real meaning. Architecture of Necessity aims to push the discussion about architecture, urban and social planning beyond the immediate.

One of the international speakers who have presented at WoodSolutions seminars, Michael Green is an articulate and passionate advocate for the use of heavy timber building systems. He presented this short address at Talent Search >> TED@Vancouver

Known by its Gumbayngirr name Giidany Miirlarl, the interpretive timber structure at the base of Muttonbird Island, designed by Fisher Design + Architecture & Mackenzie Pronk Architects in association, provides a dynamic public place.