Life Sciences Trust, Scottish Borders

For many years, David and Peter have been closely involved with a series of timber buildings constructed in the Pishwanton Woods for the Life Science Trust. The buildings are typically fabricated using locally harvested timber elements hand crafted on site by apprentice carpenters under the guidance of a local master craftsman. 

The structures  include a timber dome, constructed using the gridshell principle, to create a column-free span over a craft workshop; a green oak framed laboratory set out in an arc shape on plan; and more recently, a series of timber framed pods are being constructed for student accommodation. Given the forest setting and the number of tree roots in the ground, the student accommodation buildings are designed to touch the earth lightly and are generally raised up on on limecrete footings to clear the forest floor. The timber joists are fabricated using numerous small elements forming the webs so as to minimise cold bridging and materials required.

Architects: Christopher Day (concept design) and Richard Shorter (detailed design)