Fabric First

Images, Tom Stark
Words, Colin Baillie.

Fabric First

There’s always been something appealing to me about simple and low-tech ways of building. Technology moves fast, but there are many elements of building that should be inherently simple. If we make buildings that are very highly insulated, breathable (vapour permeable), and well orientated on their site, the demand for energy can be minimised. Not just in terms of heating, but also potentially passive cooling and ventilation when a rapidly warming climate is considered.

A ‘fabirc first’ approach isn’t just about maximising the quantity of insulation, although that’s fundamental. It’s about considering the carbon footprint of all materials, their thermal mass, their suitability for the building, their lifecycle and suitability for reuse, as well as the logistical and ecological implications involved in sourcing. Pragmatic thinking must be involved, and the approach can’t be dogmatic or formulaic. As a result, we find that it’s important to continually reappraise existing assumptions, and also to be transparent and self-critical.

When it comes to bio-based and natural building methods, straw and timber construction is hard to beat – in terms of carbon footprint, local availability, and performance. Straw bale construction is ultra-low tech in principle, and we think it’s a really interesting way to build. But it has limitations. Compressed straw and timber structural panels are an excellent alternative, that combine a very simple and low tech build-up, with modern off-site construction. This greatly streamlines the process of construction on-site, and opens up wider possibilities in terms of form and language.

On one of our current projects, a new farmhouse in Perthshire, we’ve set out to embed this building system into the design from the outset. Along with a covering layer of timber fiberboard, and a deep Douglas-fir roof structure filled with blown-in recycled newspaper, we’re aiming for ‘Passivhaus’ levels of insulation in every building element. Achieving this with all natural materials is possible, and we’re taking cognisance of both cost and buildability to guide our design process, placing fabric choices at the centre, and designing responsively.