Words on Wood

In the final episode of Words on Wood season 3, we are joined by multi award-winning science and environmental writer, Fred Pearce. Fred's groundbreaking work covering the natural world spans at least 15 books. We sit down to discuss the topics behind his latest book, “A Trillion Trees”, which gives a fascinating insight to how the world's forests can be restored without planting and following two key premises: ensuring that ownership of the forests is vested in the people who live in them, and to give nature room. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The series concludes by venturing into ‘The Wooden Hospital'. Starting with the work of architect Ab Rogers, who won the 2021 Wolfson Economic Prize 2021 for his radical approach towards reformulating hospital design, the episode looks at whether our existing healthcare spaces are fit for purpose. Could wood be the key to redesigns that create more humane and compassionate facilities? Featuring a group of designers and architects who are changing the way that healthcare operates, the episodes explores the role that timber can play in creating spaces that better support human health. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this bitesize episode, we explore American walnut and all of its properties and uses. The episode features an interview with Mira Nakashima, daughter of George Nakashima and now the creative director of George Nakashima Woodworkers, and gives us a valuable insight in her years of experience working with the material. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we look into the social aspects of wood and how timber education is approached across different levels: from amateur enthusiasts, through to academia and university education. This episode includes an interview with celebrated woodworker John Makepeace and Helen Welch, founder of The London Furniture School, and asks whether design education currently provides students with a sufficiently full, sophisticated picture of wood's ecological entanglements, the variations between species, and the environmental impact of the material. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this weeks tree short, we dive into the world of white oak - one of the most popular species across Europe. Host India Block speaks to architecture practice Maccreanor Lavington to find out more about the white oak used in the newly designed Ibstock place school refractory in South West London. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In episode two, the hosts examine the different ways in which humans have baked, charred and heated wood to create thermally modified timber (TMT). The episode includes interviews with furniture designer Jan Hendzel, timber consultant and researcher Neil Summers, and architect Kirsten Haggart of architecture studio Waugh Thistleton.Words on Wood is hosted by Oli Stratford and India Block, and produced by Evi Hall. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A bitesize episode exploring American cherry and its unique role in the creation of the Susie Sainsbury Theatre by architect Ian Ritchie of ritchie*studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Season three of Words on Wood kicks off with an exploration of tree diseases through the lens of ash, looking into the risks posed to this tree species across North America and Europe by the invasive emerald ash borer insect and the fungus responsible for ash dieback disease. How do these threats spread through forests and affect timber and, once they have struck, what happens to the dead and dying trees? We speak to Sheridan Coakley, founder of SCP Furniture, about the recent One Tree project, challenging designers to create a piece using a felled tree suffering with ash dieback, and Emma Hudgins - an expert on invasive species. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To celebrate the launch of Perpetuum Mobile, and the return of Milan Design Week, host Oli Stratford speaks to Benedetta Tagliabue, the director and head architect of the international firm Benedetta Tagliabue - EMBT Architects. Showing as part of the INTERNI Design Re-Generation exhibition event at the Università degli Studi of Milan, Perpetuum Mobile – The Dancing Furniture of Enric Miralles & Benedetta Tagliabue's home, brings together recreations of nine of the furniture pieces and objects that the architect designed alongside his partner Benedetta Tagliabue for their home in Barcelona, Spain. The exhibition includes tables, seating and shelving designed between 1992 and 1999, and reproduced in sustainable American hardwoods, but never put into commercial production. Although each piece is unique, they all demonstrate Miralles' vision of the ‘house in motion' – a domestic space in which each piece of furniture does not have a defined place or a set purpose, but can be moved or modified to meet the needs of the moment.Perpetuum Mobile – The Dancing Furniture of Enric Miralles & Benedetta Tagliabue's home.Designed by Benedetta Tagliabue – EMBT Architects, in collaboration with Fundació Enric Miralles.Supported by the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC). Dates6–13 June 2022VenueAula Magna Hall, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Festa del Perdono 7, 20122 Milano See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A bitesize episode exploring American cherry and all of its unique properties, featuring UK based designer Mac Collins. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Faced with the challenges posed by illegal logging, a global consortium of organisations has now turned to science to find a solution. The World Forest ID is a new initiative that uses georeferenced wood samples to be able to analyse any timber and discover where exactly it was harvested. In this episode, the podcast talks to the people behind the project and dives into the development of this new technology, examining how greater information about provenance may lead to better governance of the world's forests. Words on Wood is hosted by Oli Stratford and India Block and produced by Evi Hall. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A bitesize episode exploring American hard maple and all of its unique properties, featuring Danish designer Maria Bruun. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

While technology and digital processes accelerate and permeate design, a number of designers have turned towards traditional craft processes to find contemporary modes of expression. Designer Stephen Burks and Orhan Niksic of Bosnian furniture brand Zanat join the podcast to talk about their approaches towards traditional woodwork and how 21st-century design can find fresh social resonances in timeworn techniques. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A bitesize episode exploring American red oak and all of its unique features. Host Oli Stratford speaks to designer Tomoko Azumi about her experience working with the timber in her project for Legacy, where she designed a beautiful steam-bent boat seat for Kwame Kwei-Armah, artistic director of the Young Vic Theatre. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Wood is an ancient material, but one that is still providing designers with new processes, forms and techniques. In this episode, the podcast talks to designers Sam Hecht, Yves Béhar and Elissa Brunato, all of whom have worked with wood as a cutting-edge material that can continue to reinvent itself.This episode was hosted by India Block and Oli Stratford and produced by Evi Hall. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A bitesize episode exploring American tulipwood, its properties and commentary from architect Alison Brooks on its use in The Smile, created for London Design Festival in 2016. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This second season of Words on Wood sees Disegno's editors Oli Stratford and India Block navigate the intersections between the worlds of forestry and design and architecture, focusing in on topics including timber construction; experimental uses of wood and cellulose; a world wide timber tracing network; and a look at how designers and makers are bringing fresh relevance to traditional woodcraft practices. With architecture under more pressure than ever to improve the sustainability of buildings, Words on Wood looks at the potential for timber structures to reshape the field. Given the opportunities and challenges facing the construction of tall timber buildings, what role does wood have to play in the future of our built environment? Engineer Andrew Lawrence and architect Lina Ghotmeh discuss the complexities of the issues. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In the conclusion of the first season of Words on Wood, we explore how using timber in architecture and design can positively impact our mental, emotional and physical well-being. With special guests architects Alex de Rijke, Asif Kahn and Amanda Sturgeon, author of Creating Biophilic Buildings. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In the third episode of Words on Wood we explore the challenges facing the design and timber industries to cut out illegal logging, and how architects and designers can respond, with guests Formafantasma, Constance McDermott and Rupert Oliver.This episode was hosted by Kristina Rapacki and Oli Stratford and was produced by Evi Hall. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This episode dives into the significance of forests to climate change, their role in reducing carbon in the atmosphere, and the importance of carbon sequestration for architecture and product design, with guests Andrew Waugh, Galina Churkina and Sean Sutcliffe.This episode was hosted by Kristina Rapacki and Oli Stratford and was produced by Evi Hall. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A look at some of the fundamental issues surrounding forests, and how these impact upon the timber that eventually ends up in buildings, products and furniture.This introductory episode moves between discussion of small-scale forest management with UK-based designer/maker Sebastian Cox, through to the decisions being taken in large-scale forest management in the U.S. with Jameson French, CEO and President of Northland Forest Products. This episode was hosted by Kristina Rapacki and Oli Stratford and was produced by Evi Hall. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.