Award-winning Austrian architect Hermann Kaufmann visited Australia in September to speak to architects and engineers at the WoodSolutions 2011 seminars.
The seminars, which were held in Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne, were aimed at building design professionals, with presentations by leading international and local speakers on the structural and aesthetic use of wood taking place. The program combined practical information on topics such as durability, energy efficiency, finishes and fire resistance with case studies.
A central theme of Kaufmann’s work is investigating the role of modern wood structural design and construction in sustainable buildings – a subject driven by both legislation and demand in the European market. Kaufmann discussed their development and attendees were able to see how similar principles could apply in Australia.