HOW else should Coillte Teoranta, "Woods Limited" house itself but in an all timber office building, almost surrounded by a forest?
Claimed to be the first of its kind in Ireland, the State forestry company's new regional headquarters near Newtownmountkennedy, Co Wicklow, has been causing quite a stir.
According to Mr John McLoughlin, Coillte's environmental officer, some passers by thought it was a new class of alien spacecraft, particularly when its enormous curving roof structure was exposed. Others dropped in to ask when "the apartments" were going on sale and still more were fascinated by the whole idea of building in timber.
In Denmark, Norway or Sweden, indeed, in any other timber growing country, nobody would even notice, because such construction is so commonplace. Even in Germany, where the technology of wood is long established, they use 60 times more glue laminated timber in buildings than we do in Ireland.
"Glulam", as it's known in the trade, is the key to structural stability in a timber building. In the Newtownmountkennedy project, Coillte and its design team have made use of the most common species of tree planted in Ireland, the much reviled Sitka spruce, to make the Glulam structural skeleton which supports the building.
"There was a time when Sitka was regarded as suitable only for pulp, if even that", said Mr Michael O'Brien, the company's regional manager. "But this building reflects a growing confidence in Irish timber and design.
It is a tangible demonstration by Coillte that we are developing a wood culture in Ireland."
The complex, which will cater for a staff of 45, was designed by architect Mr Duncan Stewart, who is best known as the presenter of Our House, the RTE television series, in collaboration with Mr Malcolm Jacob, a structural engineer. Built by JDS Construction, it is due for completion in November.
Nearly all the timber came from Co Wicklow, Sitka spruce for the Glulam beams (made by Inverspan in Arklow), Douglas fir for the exterior cladding and Lodgepole pine for the soffits. Sheeting and cladding inside is oriented strand board, manufactured by Louisiana Pacific at its new plant in Waterford.
Native grown oak will be used for flooring in the reception foyer and library, while the circular staircase, yet to be installed, will be made from Irish elm.
Contrary to a perhaps widespread public view that any timber building would burn like a tinderbox, Mr Jacob stressed that it conforms fully with the fire regulations. "In fact, its performance in a fire is better than steel, which tends to buckle in the heat, so there's ample time for people to evacuate the building".
According to Coillte, Ireland will become a net exporter of timber by the turn of the century, for the first time in 300 years. The company is now producing over two million cubic metres of timber annually, with a value of £200 million, and hopes that its new offices will encourage more people to think about timber as a building material.
