Engineeers in the Woods was a four-day residential event in Hazel Hill Woods, Wiltshire, which saw engineers from across the industry coming together to design and build timber structures to support community activities in the woods.

DMag Graduate Engineer Harry Spears was part of a team building a timber seasoning store using wind-felled and rough-cut timber. The carefully engineered structure drew on the principles behind Leonardo da Vinci’s self-supporting bridge, relying on interlocking geometry and gravity for its vertical load path. Using natural logs, each was slightly different, which lent itself to a splayed structure that opens out towards the front. Hessian rope acted as tension-only bracing, providing stability and preventing the structure’s natural tendency to lean backwards.

Harry said:

A key lesson learned was to inspect the timber before installation. A knot at mid-span in one of your key load-carrying members can, unsurprisingly, be a problem. You can probably spot the moment of realisation!

As it is a lightweight structure, we used a spreader beam pinned with rebar “pegs” as the ground-bearing element, intended to be replaceable as it eventually rots. However, to extend its lifespan (and have some fun), we decided to char it, creating a layer of carbon that limits oxygen exposure and helps reduce decay. A coat of linseed oil would have improved this further.

A passion of mine is seeing an idea move from sketches and discussions into a full-scale structure, especially seeing as this will have a practical use within the woodland. Having taken part in build projects before, it was incredibly satisfying to approach one with a group of engineers, work through challenges together, and observe first-hand how other engineers think and solve problems.

 

It was a wonderful chance to spend time with the wider group of engineers, architects and makers, sharing knowledge, learning new skills, and contributing to a project that supports the ongoing conservation work of Hazel Hill Trust. It was a brilliant experience and a reminder that some of the best engineering happens when you get out into the real world and start building.

A massive thank you to The Engineering Club, Hazel Hill Trust, and everyone involved in organising the event. Looking forward to seeing how we bring the learnings out of the woods, back into engineering in the built environment.

Photos credit: William Walsh