Larch, slowly
A lecture to architecture students on timber that outlives us.
Lena Caduff, partner
Larch, slowly
Written by
Lena Caduff, partner
Entry 010 · Lecture · 11 Apr 2025 · 32 min · By Lena Caduff, partner
A lecture to architecture students on timber that outlives us.
The tree is older than the drawing
The larch we use for the Albula frame was about 180 years old when it was felled. Whatever we build with it should be expected to last at least that long. That changes how you detail a joint.
Cut in winter, by the moon
Our timber is felled in the weeks before the new moon in December, when the sap is lowest. Whether or not you believe the moon matters, wood felled in deep winter dries more slowly and cracks less.
Leave it untreated
Larch protects itself with resin. Paint traps water behind it. We leave every external surface bare and let it go silver within three winters.
Design for the second owner
Every timber building we draw can be taken apart with hand tools. If the next generation wants to move it, extend it or reuse the beams, nothing is glued and nothing is hidden.
This text is an edited version of a lecture given to architecture students in spring 2025.
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