Structural Systems
Coppicing provides a renewable source of timber with distinct physical characteristics and constraints, such as species variation, branch diameter, growth cycles, and harvesting rhythms.
In industry, the use of coppiced wood remains limited due to its natural variability and the difficulty of standardising its properties. Yet these qualities are precisely what make it valuable.
What if coppiced poles could be used in small-scale structural applications? What Grows Again explores how locally sourced coppiced timber can be integrated into structural systems, particularly through triangulation and adaptable joining methods.
The project draws inspiration from architectural precedents such as Simón Vélez (bamboo structures and joinery), Shigeru Ban (cardboard tube structures and connections), and Buckminster Fuller (geodesic domes and triangulation).
Photo: Fuller’s American Pavilion at Expo 67 in Montreal, after major fire in 1979 (© Archives de la Ville de Montréal)