Kashdan Brown Architects :

Julia & Julian Kashdan-Brown EXTRACTION

Extract too much, and the system will collapse!

 

The design, with horizontal holes drilled through its heart, will represent the demands on the natural resources of timber by countries across the world. Further underpinning the design ideology, it highlights the need for reforestation / afforestation and a drastically reduction in deforestation, if we want to avoid ‘collapse’.

 

Extraction “is a direct physical representation of the demand for timber across the world and how uncontrolled and unmanaged extraction of this timber will result in over-depletion of this valuable resource. The fragility of the final piece illustrates consequent worldwide environmental instability”.

 

“Its precariousness should strike alarm into any viewer”!

Timber Supply

All timber for the Timber Trade Federations Conversation’s about Climate Change timber exhibition is sourced through TTF Members in line with the TTF Responsible Purchasing Policy. This is a risk management framework for the continuous improvement of TTF Members’ awareness of their obligations as a timber trader / operator – monitored through a streamlined reporting, data collection and annual audit process, enabling robust analysis. More information on the RPP can be found here

 

More on Julia and Julian’s intended CONVERSATION can be found here.

James Lathams

Julian and Julia’s Extraction design was connected with TTF member James Latham, with over 260 years of expertise and innovation. They have made strong strides to stocking products originating from sustainable and correctly managed forests in line with social, environmental and economic criteria. As the first signatory of TTF’s Responsible Purchasing Policy and a strong environmental policy, it felt like a essential pairing to connect a project raising awareness of resourcing sourcing and exploitation with a company who actively promote responsible sourcing and have a plethora of knowledge and expertise in the area.

 

More information on James Latham’s Environmental considerations, certificates company performance can be found here

 

WORKSHOP: Charlie Palmer Models

VPA COUNTRY

Timber for this project has been sourced from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DROC) – the second-largest country in Africa & part of the Congo Basin. The Congo Basin, one of the most important wilderness areas on Earth and the world’s second largest tropical forest at 500 million acres.

 

Recognised as one of the most biologically diverse countries on the planet, the potential for FLEGT success is large. Deforestation in the DROC is largely attributed to clearing for agriculture, uncontrolled bushfires, cattle ranching and for production of charcoal. Political challenges, the size of the country, civil unrest and exploitation of resources have resulted in a challenging VPA process. Negotiations started in 2010 but have not progressed significantly due to social and political challenges.

 

More information on Democratic Republic of the Congo VPA status and forestry sector can be found here

RESOURCE EXTRACTION

Trees are the only renewable building material and are important for carbon sequestration and measures to combat climate change.

 

By choosing to specify and use sustainable, responsibly sourced timber, businesses are helping to preserve and grow the world’s forests and combat climate change. There are incredible success stories of the preservation of managed forests, supporting biodiversity and preventing deforestation. One of the most significant is the preservation of gorillas in the Congo by the actions of Interholco – connected to TTF member Danzer.

 

Resource extraction is the process of withdrawing materials from the natural environment, accounting for around half of the world’s carbon emissions and 80% of biodiversity loss (UN). Today, resources are being extracted three times faster than in 1970, with the population only having doubled during that time (Global Resources Outlook). Growing by 3.2% per year, the world consumes more than 92b tonnes of materials. Resource extraction and trading accounts for the vast majority of global economic growth, however since environmental conscious has grown since the 2000’s begun, resources have become more expensive to extract due to diminishing rates of return and environmental implications have become harder to ignore.

 

It is essential to decouple economic growth from material consumption and resource extraction. Without change, resource demand will more than double to 190 billion tonnes a year, greenhouse gas emissions can be predicted to rise by 40% and demand for land by 20% (Global Resources Outlook).

 

The original design submitted proposed the column with 195 horizontal holes drilled through the heart, to represent the demands on natural resource of timber by the 195 countries of the world.  * However, fabricating this project has led to slight editions and therefore 195 holes will no longer be drilled as this would hinder the structural integrity too greatly.

 

Without proper governance and sustainable forest management in place, there will inevitably be overexploitation of resources. Maintaining balance between harvesting and regrowth is essential in all forests. ­­­The reforms outlined in each country’s FLEGT Voluntary Partnership Agreement commit them to a legal, enforceable management framework. Without these laws in place ­and wider sustainable forest management from all commodity supply chains, forests will continue to face many threats to their existence.

Through Conversations about Climate Change, the TTF FLEGT project team are drawing light to species from countries engaging with the EU FLEGT Action Plan against illegal logging and deforestation, creating a greater awareness of sustainable forest management, the role of specifiers and material provenance and hope to encourage a greater integration of FLEGT within procurement policies.

 

It is essential for the future of our planets health that we balance the demand for materials, food and commodities with the need to keep these incredible habitats standing. This exhibition was formulated to convey the message that timber harvesting from sustainable forest management sources, will actually keep the forests standing – providing governance and legal reforms are in place. More information of the TTF’s FLEGT project and relevant articles can be found here.