More ‘timber & tin’ and a return to the ‘Queenslander’ tradition of house design would help combat global warming according to outspoken Gold Coast architect Michael Leo.
He will be telling an international wood design conference in Brisbane later this month the once world-renowned iconic wide-verandah structure has been replaced with “obese mansions for the suburban squattocracy”.
“Reviving our Queenslander tradition combats global warming because timber and tin use minimal low-embodied energy wood products, with beneficial greenhouse gas results,” says Leo. “And their hypar roof and walls will also enhance rainwater harvesting.”
Also featuring at the WOOD DESIGN 08 conference on 18 November is British designer Luke Hughes who says architects should use more commonsense and rely less on green building regulations and timber certification trends.
Hughes, whose company has designed and made the furniture for 54 Oxbridge colleges, the UK Supreme Court and dozens of museums, cathedrals and royal palaces, thinks architects should be more questioning of what is meant by ‘sustainable design’.
Wood Design 08 is being held at the Sebel & Citygate Hotel, Brisbane on 18 November and will include announcement of the 2000 Australian Timber Design Awards.
Event details: www.timberdesignmag.com
