On November 1, Alex de Rijke – founding director of de Rijke Marsh Morgan Architects (dRMM) and Dean of the School of Architecture at Royal College of Art in London – will present a lecture entitled “Timber is the New Concrete” at the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design.

Date: November 1, 2011
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: The John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design, 230 College Street, Room 103

At dRMM, Alex focuses on design innovation. Through his research into new materials and modern methods of construction, Alex has pioneered cross-laminated timber panel construction in the UK, Norway, and Australia. He has presented dRMM’s work on the relationship between design and emerging construction types – particularly engineered timber – in Europe, South America and Asia.

dRMM regards engineered timber as one of the most interesting, sustainable high-performance materials of the future. It believes that as the political and global energy crisis develops and carbon emissions become legal issues, the 21st Century will be the era of renewable timber.

Alex has taught at the Architectural Association (AA) in London, at the Aalto University in Helsinki, and as guest professor at the School of Architecture in Düsseldorf. He has served as External Examiner at the AA, London Metropolitan, and Oxford Brookes universities, and was educated at the Polytechnic of Central London, the Academie van Bouwkunst in Amsterdam, and the Royal College of Art.

dRMM’s work has received notable recognition. It's building No. one Centaur Street won RIBA’s ‘London Building of the Year’ in 2003. In addition, its transformation of Kingsdale School in London won the Wood Award for Structure in 2004 and the Royal Fine Art Commission’s ‘Building of the Year’ Award in 2005. This project was also highly commended at the British Council for School Environments Industry Awards for ‘Inspiring Design’ in 2009. dRMM’s Clapham Manor School won the Mayor’s Award for Excellence at the London Planning Awards 2011 and was shortlisted for the 2010 Stirling Prize.

This lecture  is being presented by Ontario Wood WORKS!