Olson Kundig Hosts Panel Discussion at 2019 Seattle Design Festival
2019/09/06
As part of the 2019 Seattle Design Festival, Olson Kundig hosted a panel discussion on the design possibilities and benefits of timber construction. The event, titled “Tipping the Paradigm: Shifting the Balance Towards Timber Construction,” united experts in the sourcing, fabrication, design and engineering of timber for a lively conversation on the benefits of this often-misunderstood building material.
Held at the new Wagner Education Center at the Center for Wooden Boats, the panel featured Elaine Oneil, PhD, Director of Science and Sustainability at CORRIM (The Consortium for Research on Renewable Industrial Materials), University of Washington; Ted Hall, Founder and Creative Director, Spearhead Timberworks; Amie Sullivan, PE SE, Principal, KPFF Consulting Engineers; Erica Spiritos, Mass Timber Preconstruction Manager, Swinerton Construction; and Josh Anderson, Boatwright and Maritime Operations Manager, Center for Wooden Boats.
Moderated by Olson Kundig principal Steven Rainville, panelists discussed the importance of wood as a building material from environmental, scientific, craft and construction perspectives, dispelling the perception of wood as a wasteful, unsustainable material choice. Panelists underscored the potential of timber construction materials – which sequester carbon, rather than embodying it like steel or concrete – to help arrest the progression of climate change. For more information, please visit https://www.designinpublic.org/event/tipping-the-paradigm-shifting-the-balance-towards-timber-construction/.