david-correa.com

Timber Wave is a full-scale timber prototype that investigates the relationship between geometry, structure, and material behavior through a fabrication-driven design approach. The project is organized by a network of geodesic lines that define the positioning of linear timber slats across a doubly curved surface. By aligning elements along paths of minimal curvature, straight members are able to approximate complex form while maintaining structural efficiency and constructability. A diagrid structural system emerges from the intersection of these slats, enabling effective load distribution and overall stiffness with a reduced material footprint. Critical to the system are hygroscopic joints that exploit timber’s moisture-responsive properties to achieve precise, self-tightening connections during assembly. These joints minimize the need for mechanical fasteners while reinforcing the continuity of the diagrid. Timber Wave demonstrates how computational geometry, material intelligence, and digital fabrication can be integrated to expand the formal and structural possibilities of contemporary timber construction.

Design & Development: Oliver David Krieg, David Correa

Project Leads UBC:

AnnaLisa Meyboom
School of Architecture & Landscape Architecture UBC

Jason Chiu
UBC Centre for Advanced Wood Processing

Dean Gregory, Campus and Community Planning

David Gill
UBC SEEDS Sustainability Program

Fabrication Expertise:

Jörn Dettmer
UBC Centre for Advanced Wood Processing

Johannes Schneider
Wood Sciences UBC

Built by UBC Architecture Students: Laurence Crouzet, Brandon Da Costa, Salar Davari, Mark De Souza, Laurie Elfassy, Niloufar Goodarzi, Philippe LeQuellec, Yanru Li, Shijia Liu, Ee Jay Loo, Shannon MacGillivray, Alexander Preiss, Chaitrali Salvi, Sean Wallish, Qin Lin

Industry Participants: Clayton Blackman, Aaron Brakke, Michael Budig, Alexandra Cheng, John Cirka, Zahra Falamarzi, Elton Gjata, Noemi Hirata, Oliver Lang, Stuar t Lodge, Deagan McDonald, Warren Scheske, Jordan So, Kenneth Tracy, Cody Tucker, Babak Vakilzadeh

Funding:
Forest Industry Innovation
Perkins+Will Vancouver
Perkins+Will Building Technology Lab

UBC SEEDS Sustainability Program

Related Publications:

Correa, D., Krieg, O. D. and Meyboom, A. (2019) ‘Beyond Form Definition: Material Informed Digital Fabrication in Timber Construction’, in Fabio BianconiMarco Filippucci (ed) Digital Wood Design: Innovative Techniques of Representation in Architectural Design [Online], Springer International Publishing, pp. 61–92. Available at https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783030036751?wt_mc=ThirdParty.SpringerLink.3.EPR653.About_eBook#otherversion=9783030036768.