What would the built environment look like if the health of our landscapes were prioritised over the demands of industry? Constructive Land exhibition showcased the research project hosted by the Forest School of Central Saint Martins, examining the future of the British landscape in the context of the climate crisis.
In order to move forward into a decarbonised built environment, we need to radically rethink the way we relate to our natural resources. Over two weeks the Forest School hosted a series of conversations and workshops, in dialogue with the Constructive Land research, which has investigated and tested the production and application of new biobased materials drawn from sustainably managed forests and regenerative landscapes.
The research is structured around three strands; Mosaic Landscapes, which examines different land management practices, Resilient Systems, which develops innovative timber building methods and Clearfell House, an experimental timber structure built with two disease-stricken British timber species, Ash and Larch.
The Forest School invited staff and students from across Central Saint Martins to use this exhibition as their classroom, through which to showcase the growing concern for our Forests within art and design education.
Constructive Land is led by Material Cultures and CSM, supported by Forestry England and Dalby Forest, and funded by the SOM Foundation, Vastern Timber and the Forestry Commission’s Woods into Management Forestry Innovation Fund. The Constructive land research in this exhibition is produced by 1st Year students on the MArch Architecture Course.
A key collaborator is Forestry England, who are the country’s largest land manager, looking after over 1500 forests, welcoming more than 630million visits per year, while caring for the nation’s forests for people, nature and the economy. The foundation of the organisation is a sustainable management of the nation’s forests which are a world-class sustainable living treasure that help us respond to the challenges we face in society. Our lead collaborators at Forestry England are Louise Fedotov-Clements, National Curator of Contemporary Art, and Petra Young, Funding & Development Manager, supporting the programmes in Dalby, Yorkshire.