International Wood International Wood 2008 | Page 32

“For this area, we wanted the essence of an
outdoor application. It’s unfinished, unstained,
unsealed, and it’s quite beautiful.”
Guy Hagstette, AIA, Discovery Green Conservancy
Ipé makes perfect sense for the walls and floors of a second-
floor open-air restaurant because of its durability and natural
resistance to mildew.
Other Durable Hardwood Options
T
he wood for the Discovery Green project was sourced through
Lodge Lumber in Houston, who in turn relied on help from
Naturally Durable, headquartered in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
There they found a wealth of expertise in Paul Fuge.
“This project faced some challenges in obtaining the large
volumes of FSC certified wood in the time frame allowed,” says Fuge.
“High-demand species like ipé can be more expensive if FSC certifi-
cation is required.
“For projects like this, ipé is the standard species requested. In
some cases, just because it’s what people know. There are other alter-
natives for these kinds of applications. Cumaru (Dipteryx odorata)
is being specified more, as is manchiche (Lonchocarpus castilloi)
from Guatemala, pucté (Bucida buceras) from western Brazil and
northern Bolivia, garapa (Apuleia leiocarpa), purpleheart (Peltogyne
spp.), tigerwood (Lovoa trichilioides, syn. L. klaineana) and mas-
saranduba (Manilkara spp.). They are all very minor species in the
general flow. But from nothing five years ago, they actually now have
a presence.
“All of these and a dozen others are used in Northern Europe,
where it’s wet or cool most of the time, not hot and dry,” says Fuge.
“We have a fairly violent climate in many places in this country,
and to function well, these other woods need to be kiln dried before
they’re used. Ipé has taken hold because it’s more forgiving in its air-
dried state. It doesn’t check or twist. It basically performs within the
parameters of expectations.
“All of these woods weather to a nice gray color,” says Fuge. “You’d
have to be an expert to tell the difference.” n
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wood
Ipé makes perfect sense for the Tree House walls and floors because of its
durability and natural resistance to mildew, says Lawrence Speck, FAIA, who
oversaw the building architecture for PageSoutherlandPage. Unlike many
other woods that are more porous and have issues with moisture, mildew,
and staining, ipé weathers remarkably well in the Houston climate.
“This was very much a public project with a client who wanted a very
warm place, very friendly, not cold, not stark, not too crisp,” says Speck. “So
the choice of wood was very important for us to get the feeling we wanted.”
Ipé was also used in horizontal planks for the top half of the interior
walls of the administrative building above brick. Western red cedar was
specified for most of the buildings’ ceilings.
“The park is tremendously popular with the public,” says Hagstette.
“We’re scrambling trying to keep up with the level of activity. Personally,
my favorite part is the lake with all the piers and decks around it. It’s only
1-1/4 acres, but when you’re on it, it transports you away to where you forget
you’re in an urban place.” iw