Re-SPLAM

Re-SPLAM. Reclaimed — Spatial Laminated Timber Pavilion. How will we build differently in a circular economy? What new systems have to be invented to make efficient use of scarce resources? Made entirely of locally reclaimed timber, Re-SPLAM is a proof of concept for an optimized, lightweight structural system that enables material reuse. , , Rethinking Timber , Re-SPLAM [Reclaimed Spatial Laminated Timber] is a pavilion that demonstrates how smaller wood elements salvaged from homes across Chicago can be repurposed and engineered into a larger structural system. Tapping into an abundant but often overlooked reserve of existing building materials, this circular approach not only prevents timber from being landfilled and preserves its sequestered carbon, but also eliminates the need for new raw materials. , , This wood was harvested throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries from forests in the Midwestern and Western United States before finding its home in Chicago's neighborhoods. The pavilion is a prototype for a system that, if applied at a large scale, could greatly reduce our burden on a scarce global resource while meeting the needs of future generations. , , Designing for Efficiency , SOM optimized the geometry of the pavilion to place wood where it is most efficient. Timber pieces with different dimensions, species, ages, and conditions are assembled into a single composition that achieves structural performance competitive with a concrete slab at just one fifth of the weight. , , Continuing SOM's decades of research in timber construction, Re-SPLAM builds on the concept for the 2021 Chicago Biennial SPLAM Pavilion, a winner of Fast Company's World Changing Ideas Award. Designed and engineered by SOM in collaboration with students from Washington University in St. Louis's Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts, the pavilion was built by Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council and Norcon with contributions from Rebuilding Exchange and Simpson Strong-Tie. , , [Box with graphics:] , The Re-SPLAM Lifecycle , Timber harvested from U.S. forests: old-growth from the Midwest; mid-century from Southern and Western states , , Sustainable structural system built form Reclaimed Spatial Laminated Timber , , Timber salvaged from building deconstruction , , Timber used to build homes in Chicago neighborhoods across different decades , , [Captions beside photos:] , The pavilion's wood spans three eras: dark Douglas fir from the northern forests of Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, salvaged from a building in Lincoln Park; honey-colored mid-century southern yellow pine from Georgia, reclaimed from a house in LaGrange; and lighter, more recent yellow pine from the Northwestern regions. , , SOM used 3D models and custom algorithms to find the most efficient form in response to typical floor loads. The placement of reclaimed timber members follows the optimized shape of the slab. The sparse geometry and variable depth of the slab reflects this approach: material is used only where it is needed.