Building with timber: projects and technical articles on timber load-bearing structures, from construction and fire safety to prefabrication.
The design of the museum began with a largely cleared site, yet without an operator. Yutaka Terasaki and Bao Mengxian report on how Kengo Kuma & Associates planned the building without needing a detailed briefing.
The new UCCA Clay Museum advances the millennia-old tradition of artisanal ceramics the Chinese metropolis Yixing is renowned for. An armour of red clay tile encloses the exhibition spaces and the open timber roof constructions above them – an expressive space for the presentation of modern ceramic art.
Speed comes at a price, and the magic box has its limits. Modular construction is both a blessing and a curse. For years, politicians have promised that modular building would deliver housing faster and more cheaply, yet in 2026 the number of new homes is heading for its lowest level in years. Extremely fast building sites on the one hand, greater planning effort on the other. A look at modular construction, between promise and the reality on site.
From yoga to retro parties: with the Markelfingen multi-purpose hall on Lake Constance, Steimle Architects have designed a meeting place for all generations. Beneath the widely cantilevered coffered ceiling, adaptable spaces have been created using timber construction.
At the end of January 2027, the first woman is set to be elected to the office of federal president. Unlike her male predecessors, she will not be moving into Bellevue Palace, but into a modular building designed by Sauerbruch Hutton Architects - for a monthly rent of 1.36 million euros.
Riehle Koeth developed the five-storey pilot project ZERO. for their own architectural practice. However, they did not have to start from scratch with their first modular construction project, whose structural clarity is reminiscent of the Centre Pompidou.
Terraced gardens define the tiered levels of the five-storey school complex built by Tectoniques near Paris. It comprises 25 classrooms and a courtyard.
Projects such as the Federal Environment Agency headquarters in Dessau or the temporary residence of the Federal President in Berlin show: For more than two decades Sauerbruch Hutton have been advancing timber construction both in terms of materials and systems. How much repetition can a building tolerate - and where does architecture begin when applying serial production methods? Four modular construction projects offer answers to this question.
Housing for the homeless often consists of stacked contain ers. While the overnight shelter designed by Hild und K utilises prefabrication, thoughtful details adorn the robust building through which the Munich-based office conveys impres sions of warmth and home.
Timber room modules supported by a timber frame plinth construction constitute a pilot project for future-proof building designed by Riehle Koeth. They developed an ice storage system for use as a thermal battery.
How can a narrow infill site in the inner city be redensified as simply as possible? A modular housing structure in Cologne by Aretz Dürr Architektur offers an efficient answer with a compelling design based on minimalist elegance.
The New Customs University in Rostock is more than the largest timber modular building in Europe. Here, Sauerbruch Hutton demonstrates just how individualised mass-produced construction can be. The 600 students are delighted.