Out of the Woods is a classic coffee table format book that features impeccably printed large format colour photographs and small paragraphs of text about modern timber buildings. The book is published by Gestalten, who are no strangers to the format, and the visual quality is absolutely as good as you would expect- down to the paper stock.
There are some definite downsides of the book, but plenty of joy and introductory information to be had a long the ride. Unlike many themed architecture coffee table books that simply present beautiful homes in chapters, Out of the Woods drives a firm focus on sustainability and emerging technology from the outset. In this way, it is a very modern take on the typology. It’s a testament to the almost increasingly ubiquitous understanding and attention paid to the environment in design today. There is also mention of interesting new technologies like Kebony wood and Accoya, which use modern timber treatments to create higher performance results out plantation timber.
The introduction provides great insight into the philosophy of the book, and an illustrated glossary on key timber terms. The text and glossary are definitely aimed at those with little to no knowledge of how timber is used in construction, as they are very basic. Due to this, it is a very useful section for those interested in beginning to learn about timber. It’s not only until the final chapter, nearly the close of the book in fact, when a very interesting and more informative chapter on emerging CLT technology is discovered. It’s worth making sure to read this chapter for some interesting insights.
As for the chapters, they focus on different ways that timber is used in the various structures around the world, but they ultimately feel unnecessary, especially with many projects being able to fit in almost every chapter. The most intriguing downside of the book though is the photographic captions and drawing labels. Drawings are unfortunately kept to a minimum, and some that are present are labelled as the wrong type of drawing. Similarly with the photos, in some cases the caption is not explaining what is happening in the photo at all. It is definitely a downside to those interested in the text and not just the pictures, which is a shame, as the concept of the content is very interesting.
This aside, the journey through the diverse uses of timber is an exciting one, from ancient cultural practices like Japanese charring techniques, to Krakani Lumi in Tasmania which references early indigenous shelters in its form, all the way to emerging mass timber skyscrapers.
We delve into a Japanese town house that manages to bring nature and light into a tight block, with an exposed, modern Japanese timber frame. Another contemporary spin comes in the form of a modernist beach house in Chile that revamps the style with a mass timber frame rather than steel and concrete. Swedish interior designer Joanna Laajisto gives some great lessons on choosing textures, colours and finishes when mixing species. We catch a few restorations of historic timber frames, with the highlight of these absolutely being Robin Snells' update of a 1730’s barn frame into a highly functional and elegant home in the UK.
Occasional breaks between chapters serve up more detailed looks at a particular firm who prioritise timber design. An excellent chapter comes with the Austrian firm Innauer-Matt Architekten explaining their relationship with local forestries and how this informs their designs, supply chains, and sustainability model. Emerging Quebec firm La Shed delve into their origins as a studio and how they form relationships with the public, which is a terrific insight for aspiring architects. Jorgen Tycho, also based in Austria, made the switch from CLT manufacturer to designer, and explains the psychological benefits of timber.
The book definitely has its limitation in terms of density of information, but the diversity of scope and typology creates a really rounded look showcasing how timber is being used today. From interior linings, to screening, cladding, and mass structural use, timber is absolutely one of the most diverse and prevalent building materials around. The book is a great read for those who love good design, beautiful photography, and are interested in learning some bite sized lessons about the beauty of designing and working with timber.