EVENTS
“ Can creative intervention reconnect the complex networks , thus re-calibrating our relationship to , both our physical and virtual context ?” he asked , providing some inspiring evidence in favour of his case .
A SWISS TREE IN AFRICA
There was much excitement over the arrival of the Bloch tree in South Africa and Johannes Hedinger , founder of Com & Com in Switzerland , took to the stage to explain the significance of this tree and why it is travelling the world .
Together with Marcus Gossalt , Com & Com has formed a trans-disciplinary project that combines contemporary art with traditional popular culture – Bloch , which aims to foster dialogue between people , sharing traditions , customs and stories for different cultures .
A ‘ Bloch ’ is the lowest , branch-less piece of a large tree trunk . According to an Appenzell custom , bearing the same name , the stump of the last spruce to have been felled in winter is drawn back and forth between the two villages , Urnäsch and Herisau , by 20 men . At the end of this daylong procession , the Bloch is then auctioned off to the highest bidder in Urnäsch square . As a rule , someone from the region will acquire the Bloch and use it to produce a special piece of furniture or tiles and shingles . In 2011 , Swiss art duo Com & Com was one of the first non-local companies to purchase a Bloch tree trunk at a historic peak price of CHF3 000 .
Since then , Bloch has been on its journey travelling around the world , making at least one stop in every continent . Its trip to South Africa marked its arrival in Africa , its fourth continent .
Hedinger showed some pictures of the Bloch ’ s adventures so far , taking everyone through the laborious task of getting it to South Africa and all the challenges involved .
Despite numerous setbacks , the Bloch finally arrived in Cape Town just in time for the Wood Conference and was on display across from the conference venue at the Westin hotel where local artists were engraving their mark into the trunk .
After the conference , delegates were invited to a welcome reception at the Westin in celebration of the Bloch . Local musicians were playing in front of the tree and a festive atmosphere concluded the busy day .
DEMOCRATIC BUILDING MATERIAL
Before the coffee break , architect Richard Stretton showcased a variety of interesting projects done in timber ( local and international ). His theme was ‘ Timber – the democratic building material ’ and he explained how timber is an accessible building material .
Stretton believes there is a lot more we can be doing with timber , especially in the affordable housing sector . “ South Africa is way behind in timber construction but we have the advantage of being able to learn from the rest of the world . It would be easy to start ,” he said . “ Timber is the future of architecture in South Africa .
CERTIFICATION
After the break , Abe Stears of the South African Technical Auditing Service ( SATAS ), an accreditation authority currently holding certification for 75 % of the locally manufactured structural timber . Stears spoke on ‘ The importance of certification on imported timber ’, addressing the issue of confusion between certification and accreditation .
Manufacturers now have a choice which certification body and test facility to use and they must take responsibility for this , Stears explained .
He also touched on the importance of imports and a comparison between South African structural timber grades and European ones .
TREATMENT
Bruce Breedt , executive director of the South African Wood Preservers Association ( SAWPA ), addressed delegates on ‘ The importance of treatment on local and imported timber ’. He looked particularly at timber preservation and the difference between locally grown and imported structural timbers .
After touching on the species differentiation and characteristic differences specific to treatment , he also looked at current regulatory and compliance requirements in South Africa .
BUSTING TIMBER MYTHS
Ben Paine of Log Homes considered why timber isn ’ t more popular locally in his talk ‘ Misconception on timber housing in South Africa ’.
20 APRIL / MAY 2017 //