Designing Timber issue 10 for online - Flipbook - Page 10
———— IN BRIEF ————
TIMBER TRANSFORMS A COMMUNITY
FOOD HUB IN NORTH LONDON
The site at Wolves Lane in Haringey was
once a council-run plant nursery. Since
2017 it's been run by a consortium of
community organisations to grow food
and plants.
Three new barn-like community buildings
have been built there, using natural and
sustainable materials. Providing space
for teaching, meeting and food storage,
the new buildings' design was led by
a partnership between Studio Gil and
Material Cultures - two architectural
practices who specialize in participatory
design. A palette of timber, clay, straw and
lime was adapted; all natural materials
that can be locally sourced and easily
maintained and adapted.
A collaborative design
Timber frame and straw bale
The brief was developed through
a series of visioning exercises with
the client organisations about their
aspirations. This process resulted in the
creation of three separate buildings
with di昀昀erentiated functions: a ‘hall’ for
community events; a ‘classroom’ with
teaching and o昀케ce space; and a food
distribution and storage building, all
arranged around a public garden and
working yard.
The structural engineers were TDUK
members Tisserin Engineers, who were
involved from the early stages of the
project. They advised on and designed
sustainable solutions for the site including its timber frame and straw-bale
construction.
It was important for the buildings to
be tools for demonstrating the value
of natural materials, throughout the
construction process and in the honest
expression of material and structure in
the completed buildings.
IN BRIEF
DESIGNING TIMBER
10
NOV/DEC 2025
The construction system consists of a
lightweight timber frame in昀椀lled with
straw bales, sourced from a farm close
to London. Lime-rendered elevations
are partially overclad with larch lath
timber screens, providing additional
protection, while the roofs are clad in
a combination of zinc and, on two of
the buildings, lightweight agricultural
galvanized steel.
