Wood Building in Portugal

Abstract

The culture of construction in Portugal does not consider integral wooden structures as one of the most suitable solutions to meet the demands placed on project owners, designers, and builders. Although wood has been used in most roof and floor structures in the past, the twentieth century was the time when reinforced concrete and metallic structures became the most used and widespread solutions. It was only in the last two/three decades that there was a greater interest in wooden structures, and in Portugal, albeit in small numbers, a notable set of works that used wooden structures appeared.It is important to briefly mention the reasons why in Portugal wood is not traditionally a natural choice. On the other hand, it is interesting to analyze the generic reasons for wood to now become a desirable material from the perspective of the building owners and the designers. Cultural factors, the climate, the relationship with the forest, the construction market, and the technical education of the designers allow us to answer the first question. The evolution of wooden construction products, the existence of a globalized market for products and ideals, and the emergence of the concept of environmental sustainability will allow us to respond to the second.Despite the phenomenon of the revival of wooden structures that has been happening worldwide, especially in countries with relevant tradition in this field, and the effort that has been evident in Portugal to follow this trend, there is still no change in the construction landscape that can be considered significant. Can recent projects where relatively innovative solutions have been risked in the Portuguese market set themselves as examples to bring about a change in the future? Could the potential of wood in terms of sustainability, comfort, aesthetics, and performance stand in opposition to traditional fears in terms of durability, safety, maintenance, and costs? Observing some of the recent works, with wooden structures, will allow to answer some of the questions raised.An analysis of the construction universe demands that we accept that different types of construction/architecture have different problematics. Small buildings (pavilions, pergolas, shelters), single-family dwellings (modules, catalogue houses, custom houses), low-rise buildings (restaurants, offices, agriculture, industry), medium-height buildings (housing, offices, and equipment), buildings in height (housing and offices), large naves (sports halls, swimming pools), and bridges are some of the typologies where wood has emerged as an integral structural material or at least as a dominant solution. In the impossibility of making an exhaustive study of all types, the choice of some representative case studies allows us to observe the challenges that arose in each situation, from conception to construction. The motivations of each designer, as well as their perspective for the future, will help to understand what is happening with wood construction in Portugal.KeywordsWood-housesPortuguese-architectureSustainabilityForestStructuraltimberClimateWooden-structuresBioclimatic-strategiesPoliciesEuropeancodesCulture