dRMM has unveiled “Timber Beacon”, a design for a pavilion that symbolized the unrealized potential of timber. dRMM’s proposal is to be showcased at the COP26 summit in Glasgow after it has been shortlisted by the British Government.
At the beginning of 2021, the government called for applications by organizations for the COP26 Climate Change Conference that will be held in Glasgow from 31 October to 12 November.
Image by dRMM
In response to this call and to the vision of the global timber industry, dRMM designed Timber Beacon—a “wayfinding structure” that explores timber as a leading product in the construction field, in terms of “carbon, strength, and beauty”. More than 25 groups of innovators in engineered mass timber and wood-based products collaborated to curate this proposal to the COP26, including the European Confederation of Wood Working Industries and the UK Timber Trade Federation.
Timber Beacon is a demountable structure that is intended to resemble a “beacon of hope” for more sustainable approaches to mitigate global crises including climate change; as the construction industry heavily affects the environment.
Image by dRMM
The concept of disassembly and reassembly, developed by Alex de Rijke, will take Timber Beacon from the COP26 in Glasgow to London for the World of Wood Festival, and to the EU parliament to support policy changes that realize wood’s potential as the only regenerative material that can construct large scale buildings.
“As world leaders discuss our global responsibilities and collective response to climate change during COP26, our message for the future will be powerfully three-dimensional: in the wood there is hope,” said Alex de Rijke, co-founder of dRMM.
Alex de Rijke inspired the “ideological structure” of Timber Beacon by Dutch architect and furniture designer Gerrit Rietveld. He called it a “super-scaled joint” whose key elements will resemble three different features of timber: the tower indicates the ability to build tall with wood; the canopy proves the structural potential of timber, and the exhibition space showcases the adaptability of the material.
Image by dRMM
“The time is now for our policy-makers to put into action what we already know about nature-based solutions. Global forests and wood products are essential to averting catastrophic climate change, and increasing the use of timber products is an easy way to help decarbonize construction and renovation.” stated dRMM.
Image by dRMM
The pavilion in COP26 will provide an inclusive experience to the visitors, Alex de Rijke said that “Visitors are invited to scrutinize and touch the different species of wood surface, enter, and gather information from displays and QR codes arranged within the ‘hanging’ exhibition room.”
dRMM is a leading architecture firm that strives to create innovative and socially useful architecture that complies with its location, client needs, and standard constraints.
