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Against the Grain: Mass Timber in the Home by William Richards

Against the Grain: Mass Timber in the Home by William Richards

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Against the Grain: Mass Timber in the Home
Contributor(s): Richards, William (Author) , Castenson, Jennifer (Foreword by)

SBN: 076436832X    EAN: 9780764368325
Publisher: Schiffer Publishing   
US SRP: $50.00 US 
Binding: Hardcover
Pub Date: December 17, 2024
Physical Info: 0.9" H x 11.1" L x 8.6" W (2.8 lbs) 192 pages

While headlines are focusing on mass timber for commercial "plyscrapers," here are creative, stylish solutions for smaller residential projects that retain the material's carbon-capturing and strength benefits.

By focusing on a few handpicked examples of single- and multifamily projects through an architectural and cultural lens, the author adds a vital dimension to the story of timber that's stronger than steel--a story that's still in the early stages of being written by architects and builders but will soon be the leading edge of design and construction.

Each of the 12 global projects is accompanied by detailed stories capturing the genesis and challenges of the project, as well as floor plans and full-color architectural photographs. Several of the projects included here were designed by courageous architects who built their own houses first using mass timber--ideal advisers for clients looking to navigate using prefabricated engineered wood products.

The projects included here faced the formidable variables for mass timber--from sourcing to shipping to transportation to renting the crane, to coordinating the delivery, to finding a skilled contractor who can physically assemble the panels. However, the reward is also clear in this timely look at a green material everyone will be seeing more of in the coming years.


William Richards is a writer, an architectural historian, and the author of several books about architecture, communities, design, materials, and sustainability. He holds a PhD in the history of art and architecture from the University of Virginia.
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