Underutilised British timber species inform the material palette of Clearfell House.

Innovative demonstrator project, Clearfell House is an experimental timber structure that facilitates community engagement with British woodland.

Developed as part of Central Saint Martins’ ‘Regenerative Construction’ unit on the M-Arch Architecture Course, a group of 33 M-Arch Architecture students investigated the production and application of bio-based materials, forming Clearfell House.

This project was led by research and design practice, Material Cultures - who focus on the bio-regionality of materials and low embodied carbon construction.

With our editorial and event focus on sustainability, and conversations moving towards approaching the new UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard, we were keen to learn more about this ultra low embodied carbon project, designed using a material palette drawn from British forestry systems.

The structural frame is made with Ash and Larch species that are both compromised by climate change and the spread of disease. The lengths of the Ash and Larch boards are limited by what can be feasibly grown within British woodlands, necessitating a splice joint between the two types of timber.

Each timber is employed differently - the Ash sits under the external envelope of the building, protected by the elements, whilst the more resilient Larch protrudes from and buttresses the frame.

It is insulated with wood fibre manufactured from timber thinnings, and is clad in thermally modified Brimstone Pine. Cladding this way highlights the potential of lower-grade British construction timber in external cladding applications.

Situated in Dalby Forest, Yorkshire, this new building for Forestry England is a teaching tool, a multi-functional space for learning, and a leading example of a regionally focused, bio-based construction project - outlining the potential of resilient forestry practices for the British landscape.

Clearfell House presents an opportunity for moving away from extractive processes, and instead exploring materials and building systems for a new model of regenerative land management.

'Clearcutting', 'clearfelling' or 'clearcut logging' is the term coined for a forestry practice in which trees in an area are uniformly cut down as part of a careful forest management. As such, the site for Clearfell House was chosen as a place for critical reflection on the impacts of different forestry practices on our landscape, with a spectacular view of Dalby Forest.

The building was designed by Material Cultures, with structural design by Structure Workshop. Clearfell House was prefabricated in the workshops of Central Saint Martins by MArch students, led by Henry Stringer. It was then erected on site in Dalby Forest by Yorkshire Oak Frames.

Discover more about the low embodied carbon build, Clearfell House here.

Photography credits belong to Henry Woide. Find more of Henry's images on Instagram.