The history of timber construction

The first wooden buildings

Timber construction has its roots in antiquity. Its development has always accompanied the development of mankind. The first known wooden buildings in Central Europe date back to 2500 BC. It was precisely at this time that the inhabitants of these regions erected the first pile dwellings. These were houses that were raised above the water with the help of long piles, thus guaranteeing the safety of their inhabitants.

At this time, Central Europe was covered by extensive forests. Wood was therefore always available in abundance. This availability was the main impetus for the construction of wooden buildings. Various techniques were developed over the course of time. Building with wooden piles is an example of this. Venice embodies the most magnificent and long-lasting example of this type of construction technique.

This building technique was particularly widespread in the Alpine region. We can still find examples of it today in city museums and in the valleys of our region. The log house standard, one of the most common standards today, was developed based on this ancient technique.

The half-timbered houses

The first half-timbered houses appeared around 1200 AD. These buildings consisted of wooden frames, the spaces between which were filled with clay. In this way, less wood was needed and it was possible to experiment with architectural forms. It was soon possible to distinguish between the typical Central European half-timbered houses on the basis of regional characteristics. A distinction can also be made between Saxon, Alemannic and Franconian buildings, as each type has its own characteristic features.

The construction technology of half-timbered houses, like that of pile dwellings, has been taken up again in recent years and brought up to date. This resulted in the construction standards for frame structures, which are one of the most common building solutions.

From the 18th century to today

Despite its widespread use, timber construction was gradually abandoned for a long time (approx. 300 years). It was not until the 18th century that timber construction techniques were gradually rediscovered. This turned out not to be easy. The need to once again master the use of wood in construction gave this sector a strong impetus for renewal. The sector owes a great deal to this impetus, because in addition to the rediscovery of ancient techniques, modern building standards were developed to meet current requirements.

Thanks to moderate costs, rapid construction and low energy consumption, timber construction has now firmly established itself in a competitive market that is currently undergoing a profound transformation.

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