INTERVIEW WES DEGREEF
We sourced everything locally: the trees we cut became beams, the roof tiles came from a nearby village. The earth we used for bricks cost nothing as it came from the site itself, just labour hours. We trained about thirty local draftsmen and provided them with an income for two years while also learning a new technique.
FOCUS ON NATURAL MATERIALS
The use of bio-based materials is on the rise amongst designers. Wood, earth, flax, and hemp: many centuryold, natural products are rapidly coming back in vogue. Studies show that they create a better indoor climate and even have the potential to reduce stress for its users. Amongst all bio-based materials, wood especially is undergoing a true renaissance as the construction material of choice.
FORBO FLOORING SYSTEMS HIGHLIGHT
The size and complexity of the hospital program presented a unique challenge to the designers of Swiss architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron. Following an international competition, the Pritzker Prize winning architects were selected to take on the challenge of designing both the research facility and the hospital itself.