Matt Milton

Timber, health and wealth: the mental and physical benefits of timber buildings
by Matt Milton|01 October 26|Design
How can buildings help people to live better lives? That was one of the questions being asked last week at ‘Health=Wealth’ event, hosted by architects and TDUK members Waugh Thistleton. Kirsten Haggart, Director at Waugh Thistleton, introduced a fascinating new publication of theirs, titled simply Wellbeing Report, a part of...
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Designing a bridge? Build it from timber
by Matt Milton|25 September 26|Design
An Introduction to Timber for low-carbon Bridges is a great, informative new document from the Net Zero Bridges Group. We speak to architect Ezra Groskin, who has designed many a timber bridge, to hear all about it. When net zero construction is mentioned, it’s usually in the context of buildings,...
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A multi-material future: how to design with a palette of biomaterials
by Matt Milton|24 September 26|Design
Timber is a robust, low-carbon building material that has been used for centuries. It’s not surprising that designers who use timber are often also interested in other biomaterials - such as hemp, bamboo or rammed earth. We hear from three ingenious designers who have found that timber works very well...
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TDUK welcomes government allocation of almost £10 billion for social and affordable homes
by Matt Milton|27 August 26|Design
Timber Development UK (TDUK), the trade association for the timber supply chain, has welcomed the announcement of nearly £10 billion of funding being allocated to build over 70,000 social and affordable homes across England. A much-needed industry stimulus David Hopkins, CEO of TDUK, said: “This news comes as a welcome...
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Bridport House: an extension and refurb to weather the sea air
by Matt Milton|17 August 26|Design
A single-storey extension, together with extensive internal reconfiguration, has dramatically improved a house in Bridport, Dorset, around 1.5 miles from the English Channel. The works included the addition of a dedicated wine room and comprehensive future-proofing measures throughout the residence. All existing fenestration was replaced with high-performance aluminium frames and...
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Deeside brings affordable timber homes to Yorkshire
by Matt Milton|17 August 26|Design
Magna Rise is a 68-home affordable residential development in East Cowton, North Yorkshire. The scheme addresses long-standing rural housing need in a village that has experienced limited investment and population decline in recent years. Deeside Timberframe was appointed to design, manufacture and erect the full timber frame structure for all...
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Timber connections – an introduction
by Matt Milton|14 August 26|Design
A connection consists of two or more timber members joined with one or more mechanical fasteners. Connections are important in timber structures because they provide continuity to timber members, as well as strength and stability within structure. Connections are a critical factor in the design: the strength of the connectors...
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The Thornton Building: timber in its DNA
by Matt Milton|02 August 26|Design
A three-storey, mass-timber office building, the Thornton Building provides workspace for over 200 staff of EMBL’s European Bioinformatics Institute. Completed in summer 2024, the building is an essential part of the masterplan for the Wellcome Genome Campus at Hinxton Hall near Cambridge.  Thornton Building exterior; © Peter Landers Its flexible...
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A beginner’s guide to metal web joists
by Matt Milton|08 July 26|Design
High performing, cost-effective floors can be easily achieved by using correctly designed and installed metal web joists. But what is a metal web joist? This article provides all the information you need to understand the form and function of these extremely useful timber products. They consist of two parallel chords,...
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What did we learn at the UK Timber Design Conference 2026?
by Matt Milton|06 July 26|Design
A day of inspiring discussion, debates, presentations and learning, the 2026 UK Timber Design Conference addressed many of the key issues - and opportunities - facing today's construction sector. From robotics and automation to the challenges facing timber housing, and from timber re-use to cutting-edge connection products - not forgetting...
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