A limited time showroom for ModWood flooring that must embody the company and provide an education experience.The ModWood Forest Showroom was designed to showcase their product while making a meaningful, educational
ModWood Forest
Project Overview
With the destruction of forests in the name of construction being a problem plaguing an already destructive industry, the brand ModWood stands out as an alternative, providing a sustainable, environmentally-friendlier option. Building on the circular economy, recycling plastics and wood waste from other industries to form their product, they save waste from being dumped and trees from being cut down. This concept was to be converted to an interactive, physical showroom that educates users of the product and it’s benefits, and the harm of the lumber industry.
Goals & Methods
One major aspect of the project was to create an educational space, this was carried out in several methods.
Placards are placed around the space, providing information on harms of the lumber industry and the importance of circular, sustainable design, alongside the product specs and the benefits of ModWood. A tactile approach is carried out within the oversized “log tunnel” as you enter the space.
Booklets providing information on the product and the space are located in hidden and semi-hidden-interactable ares of the space, encouraging touch and discovery in the space.
The inclusion of biophilic forms in the site was achieved through the mimicking of trees with the ModWood panelling, wall and garden bed shape, ‘tree’ location and pathing amongst them, and the forest catwalk.
Passive design strategies and features have been achieved through the inclusion of transparent sunlight panels on the roof, openable modifications to the upper windows, openable adjustments to the full-height windows, and a bi-folding front fascia. These together allow for airflow through the space and sunlight throughout the day. Further, the concrete itself has been retained in full view of the sun for heat retention, vital during the colder months, and an open ceiling for heat removal during warm months.
Product Integration
The showroom utilises the ModWood KlevaKlip system, a method of hidden brackets as a mounting system. This not only provides a practical advertising method to show potential clients, but allows the site to be completely dismantled. It works in collaboration traditional construction for the supporting frames, allowing all ModWood boards to be repurposed in the future.
Nightingale Floorboards
The only boards modified would be the ModWoods converted to the Nightingale Floorboards, as shown in the diagram below. This would provide an organic bird sound as users traverse the space, voiding any need for technology to bring the feeling of nature audibly in to the space.
