Tall Wood Mass Timber Workshop for Big Builders and Architects in Korea
Public awareness of environmental issues is growing quickly in South Korea, and the construction industry continues to look for more sustainable strategies. Whilst mass timber is gaining traction in South Korea, there still exists a number of challenges and obstacles that need to be overcome, such as uncertainty around the fire performance causing doubt amongst industry stakeholders. It is Canada Wood Korea’s priority to work with key industry stakeholders to address those issues.
Canada Wood Korea and the Architectural Institute of Korea (AIK) signed an MOU in November 2022 with the intention to provide technical expertise and support for the accelerated adoption of innovative wood building technologies in Korea’s construction sector. According to the MOU, the main emphasis is placed on a higher level of cooperation in awareness and technical transfer programmes, on the organization of courses and seminars, as well as the exchange of knowledge, experience and expertise to engage with Korean large builders and architects. The agreement stems from the common belief of the two parties in the importance of the integration of the wood building system in Korea’s mainstream midrise to the tall building market.
Our first joint tech transfer workshop was held in Seoul and focused on Tall Wood Mass Timber Structure (TWMT), including the use of Nail-laminated timber and Wood infill wall system in hybrid with concrete structure. The workshop targeted AIK member companies, primarily large builders and architects. Officials from the Seoul Metropolitan government also attended a workshop in order to learn how the construction of wood buildings can help Seoul achieve its target of achieving a carbon-neutral city by 2025. One of the demo projects the city government is working on is the Dongdaemun Library building which will be built with mass timber.
Speakers are industry experts from leading architecture firms, XiGEIST, a subsidiary of GS E&C, and Simpson StrongTie, with a wealth of knowledge on their specialties in architucture design, prefabrication and structural connection design.