A one-of-a-kind residence utilising all-timber Glulam and Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) is currently under construction at Merrawarp Rd Ceres (near Geelong Victoria).

The concept design for the ‘Royd Clan’s House’ was partly inspired by the boulders and the remains of the previous house.

Architect, Nadine Samaha, from Level Architekture said she wanted to create a structure which emulated these boulders coming from the ground.

“Strong winds on the hill consolidated the idea of fragmenting the house in pavilion clusters which reduces the wind turbulence and appear as boulders,” she said.

“Scattered stones from the remains of the previous house are brought into the existing structure as support for internal stairs. This concept also responded to the need for playful architecture for the clients’ active young boys.”

The objective of using just timber provided a challenge for Nathan Benbow of Vistek engineers and Rob Mansell from Hyne Timber in the design of the house structure, which comprises Glulam portal frames arranged in one of the primary axes of each pavilion.

The floor and roof diaphragms as well as the inclined wall of each pavilion are constructed with CLT to create a shear wall perpendicular to the portal frames.

Glulam beams and CLT panels were fabricated with CNC machinery to ensure all elements could be assembled with a high degree of precision on-site, which is crucial for a structure with a unique and complex geometry.

The total volume of timber in the project is 40 cubic metres of Glulam and 180 cubic metres of CLT – which in Australian pine plantations will be re-grown in just 17 minutes.

The Ceres project will be a highlight of the Project Panel session program at the ‘Timber Offsite Construction’ conference in June. Introduction of building project discussions is a new feature at the event and offers an opportunity to engage with all the key participants in construction projects. Delegates will gain first-hand experience from design and construction professionals that demonstrate the high levels of expertise available for timber and mass wood buildings in Australia.