Blog Post

Advanced Wooden Architecture Prevents Earthquake Damage

  • By nat rosasco
  • 07 Mar, 2016
According to the Auckland Wood Smart Construction Seminar , in order to ensure public safety, buildings have historically been designed to prevent collapse in the event of an earthquake. Clearly, using this ‘strength-based’ approach toward engineering is vital, but what if we could do more to save the actual buildings themselves? The 2011 earthquakes in Christchurch, New Zealand caused massive damage to the South Island city. One thousand buildings were knocked down because that was less expensive than repairing them. Fortunately, The University of Canterbury engineering professors Andy Buchman and Stefano Pampanin, with assistance from senior lecturer Dr. Alessandro Palermo, have designed ways to construct more resilient buildings. Known as low damage design, this type of construction employs concrete, steel, and now, thanks to new research, wood, which provides substantial benefits to the environment and the building community.
Conventional building design uses shear walls, which counterbalance the lateral load of a building. These walls hinge at the base, and if an earthquake occurs, irreparable damage may also occur. On the other hand, low damage systems allow for controlled damage that can be repaired. The Wood Smart Construction Series seminar packet states, “Low damage systems allow the shear walls to rock and re-center avoiding damage to the base of the wall. In frames systems[,] beams and columns can rock together and avoid damaging beam hinging mechanisms.” Professor Buchman offers a further explanation to this design in a Rethink Wood YouTube video. He says that if an earthquake occurs, “whatever happens to the building, it’ll flip back into position,” as if it were on a spring. Buildings can thus quickly return to their original use or be repurposed for post-disaster relief after a serious seismic event.
Low damage systems for wood designs are based upon those conceived for concrete ones. They use Pres-Lam, or prestressed laminated timber, along with other wooden materials to create beams, columns, and walls that are prefabricated. Tendons are run through hollow beams with some deviated. This creates a suspension bridge-like system within the beam that allows the building to flip back to its original state.
The first building constructed using low damage wooden design was a three story arts and media building in a polytechnic in Nelson, New Zealand (pictured at the top of this page). More and more such buildings are popping up in New Zealand, including university buildings, office buildings, and even a community center, all ranging from one to four stories. Buchman explained that some of the structures are hybrid buildings, meaning they’re created from a combination of wood, concrete, and steel.
In terms of utilizing wood versus concrete and steel, the Journal of Commerce notes, “Wood construction means rapid rebuilding and relatively easy improvisation if changes need to be made mid-construction.” Using wood is not only quick though; it’s also sustainable, renewable, and economical, making it a highly attractive option. However, many stakeholders involved in the building process continue to believe using wood in low damage buildings is a risk. At the International Wood Symposium in early 2014, Buchanan discussed ways to overcome this, including completing further research and spreading this knowledge to experts in the construction field.
With the combination of materials and novel construction methods promoted by Buchanan and his colleagues, it appears that wood is becoming a game changer when it comes to architecture. The future of low damage building will be a sustainable one, and we’re excited to see it grow.
To learn more about other types of wooden buildings, specifically wooden skyscrapers, and the benefits they offer to both the building industry and the environment, please see our past post, A Look at Wooden Skyscrapers.
By nat rosasco January 22, 2019
Reclaimed Table's huge selection of one-off, custom table tops are being sold at deep discounts at our Villa Park showroom. Find the durable tables you need for your next project, at prices you won't come across again!
By nat rosasco July 17, 2018

Chicago’s iconic Navy Pier has always been a popular attraction since it opened just over 100 years ago in 1916. It currently welcomes 9 million guests per year. As explained on the Navy Pier website, the Pier was designed by architect Charles Sumner Frost and was originally based on architect’s Daniel Burnham’s “the People’s Pier” in his 1909 Plan of Chicago . It was originally known as “Municipal Pier,” but was renamed in 1927 in honor of the World War 1 Navy personnel who were housed there. 

As we blogged about a couple of years ago , Navy Pier has been undergoing renovations in honor of its “Centennial Vision” to reimagine and enhance the pier. While updating the pier with new programming and a greener landscape, this vision has also been attracting more local eateries ( like Tiny Tavern ) and shops, creating a space that’s more inviting to local Chicagoans.

After providing pieces for the first phase of the remodel last year, we were pleased to continue to be part of this project for the recently completed phase two. Partnering with Gensler, we provided white oak tables and benches near the main entrance and for the brand new, 200,000 square foot Family Pavilion that features over 50 businesses. Fortunately, these pieces were created not only with their visual aesthetic in mind, but also to impressively withstand this sort of high traffic area.

We also built the reclaimed red and white oak blade signs flanking all of the restaurants and shops, which creates a unified look within the complex. Much like the Pier, these signs have an interesting, rich history behind them. The red and white oak wood used to make the signs were actually horse fences on a farm in Mercy County, Kentucky that dates back to the late 1800s. Mercer county was one of the first settlements in the state, and the farm itself, Shawnee Springs, was originally over 2,000 acres. In the 1970s the farm was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. We knew the Navy Pier project was the right one for this specific wood-- historic wood for an historic landmark. (See our other applications of reclaimed red and white oak Kentucky horse fence here .)

Check out photos of our tables, benches, and signs at the recently updated and unveiled Pier below. And if you’re in the Chicagoland area, you can check them out for yourselves in person, along with a whole host of entertainment on the Pier.

Interested in some durable tables and benches for a high-traffic area? Contact us here to get started on your next project.

By nat rosasco June 18, 2018

When it comes to aging bourbon, Booker’s small batch bourbon has the process literally down to a science. Currently produced by the Jim Beam distillery, it was Jim Beam’s grandson, Booker Noe, who founded this brand in 1992 with bourbon from barrels he personally selected.

According to the Booker’s Bourbon website, Booker was actually raised at a Kentucky distillery and brought his family’s six generations of master distillery knowledge to his bourbon batches.

How does Booker’s perfectly age their bourbon?

As we pretty much all know, bourbon ages in wooden barrels. When the weather becomes hot and humid, like it does during those sticky Kentucky summers, the wood expands and absorbs the bourbon, allowing for a chemical interaction between the bourbon and the wood. In colder weather, the wood contracts and the bourbon escapes the barrel’s walls. This interaction changes the spirit’s taste and color. The longer bourbon is in the barrel, the smoother the taste, (up to a certain point, that is). 

Barrels are kept in rackhouses where temperatures can easily be regulated. Rackhouses were originally built out of stone with several wooden floors and an exposed dirt basement to control humidity and large temperature swings. The windows were designed to keep the buildings well-ventilated.

By nat rosasco January 6, 2018
Our own Frank Sullivan stopped by the WGN studios to talk reclaimed wood, explain our process, and, of course, show off some of our fine products. Thanks for having us!
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