Technology: Timber Log Construction Today – House in Brixlegg, Tyrol
Today, the architectural and economic significance of this form of construction is relatively small, and most industrially produced timber structures contain a combination of materials that make the overall ecological balance more tenuous. Apart from the aesthetic and sensuous attractions of building with a single, homogeneous material, however, timber has many physical advantages, including its thermal conductivity, the avoidance of condensation, and the scope it offers for controlling the indoor climate. On a 35° slope in Tyrol, Austria, a tower-like structure has been erected that illustrates the advantages of this means of construction. The vertical form was chosen to allow sunlight to reach the upper rooms in winter, to minimize the extent of the foundations, and to achieve a fine view. The four-storey timber house stands on a concrete plinth, and the squared wall members provide mutual bracing as a result of the corner connections.
