At the start of the tour, Oliver Wilton highlighted the historical use of cork in construction, which began around 1891, although it was used extensively much earlier in other industries, most notable the bottling of spirits and champagne. He further highlighted the sustainable growth, harvesting and production process of the modular cork blocks developed specifically for Cork House. Oliver showcased the collaborative efforts of a diverse research group that was involved in its experimental stages, including the Bartlett School of Architecture UCL, the University of Bath and Arup. The experimental research was partly funded by Innovate UK and Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council EPSRC.
Oliver first outlined the complexities of a typical, modern, external building skin and the built-up layering of its components. Using an assortment of materials, each component provides a different technical function within the overall construction of the built-up wall. This was in contrast to the simplicity of using a single component - cork – providing all the multiple technical functions in the typical building skin. In the house, the cork material provides both the internal and external finishes, the insulation properties and a watertight envelope.
The tour continued with Matthew Barnett Howland describing the development process of Cork House. He described the genesis of the use of the material as it, “embodies a strong, whole life approach to sustainability, from resource through to end-of-life. Expanded cork is a pure bio-material made from cork forestry wastage. The bark of the cork oak is harvested by hand every nine years without harming the tree or disturbing the forest. This gentle, agro-industry sustains the Mediterranean cork oak landscapes, providing a rich biodiverse habitat that is widely recognised”.
Matthew described the simplicity in the construction methodology; a construction system easily stacked like “Lego,” blocks and dry-jointed so that all 1,268 blocks of cork can be reclaimed at end-of-building-life for reuse, recycling, or return to the biosphere. As part of the development process, a number of prototype “blocks” were produced and used in constructing smaller versions of the project, one of which was called Cork Cabin, assisting in the testing of the processes before proceeding to build the final house.
Dido Milne completed the evening’s comments by focusing on the experiential aspects of the design. The aesthetic character of the cork, its tactile qualities and, of course, its aroma. The cork skin of the building gives it a specific tactile quality whilst the corbelled form of the successive roofs provides a distinctive architecture. The interior continues the expression of simplicity in the overall concept by also using cork as the primary material, accented by timber ring beams overhead, timber floors and storage spaces, with a hint of colour accented by copper pipes and bronze finishes in the kitchen. The overall design is a celebration of cork and sustainable internal finishes that are both paired-back and elegant. The results speak for themselves - an exemplar in sustainable construction and a finely crafted building nestled in its landscape.
The AIA UK Chapter continues to host its virtual building tour series for the 2021 season based on Winners of AIA UK 2020 Excellence in Design Awards. The series offers architects and interested parties the opportunity to visit notable buildings that have particular design interests in the UK and abroad. Follow this link for further information to participate in the next tour of Leeza Soho by Zaha Hadid Architects on 08 April 2021.
Written by Gregory Fonseca, AIA
