“Ville en bois” Conference cycle
Working Space © LAST / EPFL / Olivier Wavre
The “Ville en bois” conference cycle, organized by Wüest Partner in collaboration with Espazium and the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), focuses on discovering new ways of using wood in urban areas. Prof. Emmanuel Rey was invited to present the research of the Laboratory of Architecture and Sustainable Technologies (LAST) in the opening of the event held in this context on March 11 at the Université de Fribourg.
The use of wood in buildings is increasingly conquering the urban environment and thus opens up new opportunities to improve the housing stock in ecological, economic, and socio-cultural terms. During events in the “Ville en bois” series, Swiss and international experts are invited to present recently successfully completed wooden construction projects and innovative approaches in this field.
In his lecture, Prof. Emmanuel Rey focused on presenting how the integration of this local and bio-based material in contemporary architecture interacts with multiple issues linked to the transition to sustainability. To illustrate his point, he has presented the results of two recent research projects: Working Space, which aims to facilitate the sustainable vertical extension of administrative buildings, and Advanced Active Façade, which has enabled the development of a new construction system for the facades of low carbon residential buildings.
Chaired by Marc Frochaux, editor-in-chief of TRACÉS, a round table also offered the opportunity for intensive and stimulating exchanges between the various guest speakers and the multiple participants active in the various fields of the built environment.