A COLLABORATIVE WORK FROM THE DIEZ OFFICE AND OMC°C FROM GERMANY, WHICH IS AN ‘URBAN COOLING STRUCTURE’ MADE OF GLULAM (GLUE-LAMINATED TIMBER)

TEXT: MONGKON PONGANUTREE
PHOTO PETR KREJCI EXCEPT AS NOTED

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Each year at the London Design Festival, the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) showcases a special project created with prominent designers. This year at LDF, AHEC collaborated with the Diez Office, directed by leading German designer Stefan Diez, to produce a design highlighting American red oak’s potential in the form of glue-laminated timber, known as glulam.

Vert is a pavilion, or it can also be called an installation. The idea is an innovative urban cooling structure developed by the Diez Office in collaboration with the urban greening experts OMC°C and showcased at the London Design Festival in September. As cities grapple with rising temperatures and diminishing biodiversity, Vert offers a modular solution that integrates sustainable design with environmental benefits.

Stefan Diez | Photo: Ed Reeve

The structure is crafted from engineered red oak glulam, a durable and sustainable material with timber triangles supporting suspended biodegradable nets. These nets provide a framework for climbing plants that offer cooling shade, absorb CO2, and enhance biodiversity by creating habitats for insects. The plants, which grow quickly and require minimal root space, help reduce the urban heat island effect and can be harvested for bioenergy or recycled.

Manufacturing at neue Holzbau_Photography by Petr Krejci_8_low res

Vert’s modular design allows flexibility, making it adaptable to various urban settings. Its triangular shape ensures structural stability, minimizing material use while withstanding wind loads. By using red oak, which is underutilized in Europe despite being abundant in North America, the project promotes sustainable forestry practices and diversifies timber choices in design and construction.

Photo: Ed Reeve

Vert_Completed structure_Photography by Petr Krejci_15_low res

This innovative structure can cool the surrounding area by up to 8°C, providing a cooling effect more significant than that of a 20-year-old tree. It produces as much biomass as an 80-year-old lime tree in just one season. Vert aligns with London’s climate goals, offering a model for green, sustainable urban spaces. It not only cools and beautifies urban environments but also contributes to biodiversity and climate resilience. Vert is another example of cross-disciplinary collaboration, combining design, architecture, and environmental science. It aims to create practical and sustainable solutions to address climate change in urban areas.

Stefan Diez mostly creates industrial design and product work. On the other hand, it’s interesting to think about Vert as a more experimental endeavor, similar to a large-scale product. It seems to be a prototype with variations in size, number of modules, shape, functionality within a space, and installation sites. with flexibility in size, number of modules, shape, functionality within a space, and installation locations. It can also integrate with the city’s needs for various events and activities, in addition to serving as a greening system for urban environments.

americanhardwood.org

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A COLLABORATIVE WORK FROM THE DIEZ OFFICE AND OMC°C FROM GERMANY, WHICH IS AN ‘URBAN COOLING STRUCTURE’ MADE OF GLULAM (GLUE-LAMINATED TIMBER)

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