MTC promotes wood as preferred building material of the 21st Century

KUALA LUMPUR: Enjoy the healing forces of the forest as you "walk into the woods" at the International Architecture, Interior Design and Building Exhibition (Archidex) at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from 19-22 July 2017.
This year the Malaysian Timber Council (MTC) engages a prolific architect to create an amazing timber booth that incorporates the "Chidori" technique where timber planks are connected through a joint system without the use of glue or nails to resemble the green surroundings of a forest.
In a move to raise awareness of the qualities of Malaysian timbers, MTC commissioned Ar Anwar Salleh, who is the principal of Anwar Salleh Architect, to design the Council's exhibition booth with the theme "walk into the woods".
The booth will be a cubical lattice structure that will showcase the Chidori joint system which is derived from old Japanese toys. It will be made of seven commonly used timbers - Balau, Rengas, Kasai, Jelutong, Kembang Semangkok, Merbau and Keruing.
"Timber will be the new wonder material in architecture in this part of the world," said MTC CEO Datuk Dr Abdul Rahim Nik.
"It has taken its place in Europe, the US and Australia as climate change mitigation demands for materials with low energy consumption and reduced carbon footprint. The advent of engineered timber products are enabling architects around the world to build bigger and higher structures. We want our local architects and construction industry players to relook timbers' use as a building material," he said.
Archidex, which is an annual event, is jointly organized by the Malaysian Institute of Architects (PAM) and CIS Network Sdn Bhd. The exhibition serves as a platform for exhibitors to showcase the latest in architecture, interior design and the building industry. It also brings together local and international professionals from these areas to learn about the latest in the market.
MTC's presence at Archidex enables the Council to establish contacts and network with specifiers and manufacturers while creating trade opportunities.

There will be over 550 exhibitors at Archidex this year and about 36,000 visitors are expected at the fair. — Bernama