Insight1 min read
Timber in Contemporary Iranian Architecture
Can engineered timber find a place in Iranian construction?
Iran has little forest, and timber in construction is usually confined to doors and windows. Yet in the north of the country, building in wood has deep roots.
The Rasht experience
In the Rasht rain house we used glue-laminated timber made from plantation forests in the north. Prefabrication halved the construction time.
Challenges
- No national code for multi-storey timber structures
- Fire safety concerns
- A limited, fragmented supply chain
Even so, for low-rise buildings in the northern climate, timber is a rational, low-carbon choice.
