From Forest to Frame: Historical Baroque Meets Modern Timber

The backdrop for the afternoon was the Neues Schleiermacherhaus, a radical reimagining of an 18th-century Baroque building by dRMM Architects, a London-based practice with expertise in sustainable architecture. With a primary structure of mass timber and powered by geothermal energy, the building provided physical proof of concept. Tonia Tkachenko and Jonas Lencer of dRMM took to the stage to showcase the building’s realisation, demonstrating how blending historical preservation with modern bio-based material research can drastically reduce embodied carbon.

Debunking Myths

The afternoon's keynotes focused on moving timber construction from a niche architectural choice to a scalable, industry-wide standard. Paul Bostanjoglo (Built by Nature Germany / Bauhaus Earth) outlined how Germany’s robust forestry sector and deep-rooted building culture position the country to be a global leader in scaling nature-based construction. Dr. Pablo van der Lugt (TU Delft) provided a rapid-fire overview of modern mass timber innovations across Europe. He dismantled persistent myths surrounding timber construction and highlighted how circular, certified bio-based materials are essential for a true climate turnaround.

A Cinematic Vision

Following the networking sessions and deep dives into material science, attendees were invited to a special screening of the documentary Our Future: Built by Nature (2025). Narrated by Kevin McCloud and featuring voices like Sir David Attenborough and Brazilian Environment Minister Marina Silva, the film originally premiered at COP30 in Belém. It follows the supply chains of six groundbreaking projects from the forest floor to the final frame, asking a critical question: How can the way we build our homes actually help solve the climate crisis?

Would you like to host a screening and support the Principles for Responsible Timber Construction promoted by the film? The film is currently on tour in Europe. Non-commercial in-house or public screenings can be requested at Built by Nature.

The event concluded with guided tours of the Schleiermacherhaus, allowing attendees to see, touch, and experience the materials discussed throughout the day. By bringing together the entire value chain – from foresters to financiers – "From Forest to Frame" proved that the tools for a climate-positive construction transformation are already in our hands.

This event was supported by PEFC.