Waugh Thistleton Architects

  • Home
  • Waugh Thistleton Architects
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...
continue reading
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...
continue reading
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...
continue reading
Walkable timber villages & towns are the future in timely new placemaking document
by Matt Milton|15 July 25|Design
How shall we live? That's the question asked by a new placemaking report from Human Nature, which proposes a model for affordable, sustainable UK villages and towns - with timber and other biomaterials playing a key role. "Today there is no carbon budget left for high embodied carbon materials, for...
continue reading
UK must embrace timber construction to meet climate and housing goals, say industry leaders
by Liam Macandrew|14 July 25|Design, Policy
Built environment leaders delivered a unified message - ‘timber can meet climate and housing goals now’  - at the recent UK Timber Design Conference in London. Sustainable developers, architects, engineers and construction experts are calling on the Government to supercharge its housing goals by backing timber in construction – fully...
continue reading
Multi-storey, maximum timber: could MultiMax revolutionise sustainable housing in the UK?
by Matt Milton|30 June 25|Design
How can the UK deliver the huge amount of housing it needs without overshooting its net zero targets? The MultiMax Playbook and Patternbook provide a timber-related solution: one that is equitable, sustainable, genuinely affordable, and a transformational benefit to its community. “Multi-storey, maximum-timber” is how its creators, WeCanMake, describe this...
continue reading
New research project launched to maximise efficient use of timber
by Liam Macandrew|18 June 25|Design
Timber is one of the few renewable and scalable materials capable of decarbonising construction. It’s lightweight, machinable, and low impact—making it an ideal alternative to high-carbon materials like concrete and steel. New research seeks to make it even more effective. While timber is renewable, there is only so much that...
continue reading
Measuring Mass Timber: proof that mass timber buildings cut carbon in half
by Matt Milton|03 March 25|Design
Measuring Mass Timber is a report - free to download - that convincingly demonstrates the many benefits of mass timber. It examines five different mass timber buildings, of varying type and purpose, in detail; working with the designers to apply rigorous, consistent analysis to each. The key takeaways are great...
continue reading
Commercial Timber Guidebook
Commercial Timber Guidebook published: a game-changer for timber building design
by Matt Milton|20 November 24|Build, Design
New industry guidance reflects consensus on good practice to support adoption of large-scale timber offices in the UK A major collaboration between property developers, insurers, and technical experts has led to the launch of the UK’s first Commercial Timber Guidebook. The guide, which aims to promote the use of structural...
continue reading
Commercial Timber Guidebook
The Commercial Timber Guidebook
by Matt Milton|20 November 24|Build, Design
The Commercial Timber Guidebook has been developed to address the common concerns that face timber construction. These typically include durability, moisture, fire safety, and as a result, the challenge of obtaining sustainable property insurance. These issues are compounded by a lack of comprehensive guidance specific to mass timber construction.
continue reading