The University of Pretoria, in 2019, set an ambitious task for its designers and manufacturers. They were required to develop a hub where scientists from Africa and global scholars could collaborate. Like-minded and highly motivated, the energetic team employed to build this structure, created a sustainable and aesthetic environment, conducive to the research and critical thinking required by the academics.
Universal Plywood’s MD, Brad Anderson, advocates that wood’s versatility, easy application and cost effectiveness make it ideal for such ambitious projects in the future and there’s so much that can be done, since timber is a healthy way to build with the right kind of footprint, replacing steel with wood.
A combination of digital technology and parametric design made it easy to cut the puzzle pieces and assemble the complex designs on site.
Multiple layers of thin wood glued together with adhesives decrease the chance of the timber warping, bowing, or shrinking; thus, LVL beams, and Birch Plywood were ideal products for heavy roofing.
Structures such as decks and pergolas were constructed from Lunawood Thermowood, which is contemporary, aesthetically stylish, and dimensionally stable. Lunawood is known for its ability to resist decay and decay-causing bacteria, as well as for being non-toxic and resin-free, and for being suitable for use indoors or outdoors in any climate.
Doors, mid-walls, and room dividers were made of Cross Laminated Timber (CLT), while furniture, structural beams, and sound panels were built from Birch Plywood. Both products are exceptionally strong, and sustainable, and are versatile in their application.
Universal Plywood stocks timber for all exterior and interior usages with warehouses in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Bloemfontein, Ballito, and Durban.
Related products: WISA-Birch, WISA-Birch Special
