20.11.19. Architect’s studio, London

Andrew Waugh is the co-founder of award-winning architecture practice Waugh Thistleton. In this episode we  discuss why he decided to design tall buildings out of wood – or cross-laminated timber to be precise.

In a wide-ranging conversation he lays out in no uncertain terms the issues the construction industry faces over sustainability; what it needs to do to avoid environmental calamity; and how CLT can provide some of the answers. En route he touches on the perceptions of the material and worries around wooden buildings post-Grenfell.

Not only that but he also explains how growing up in Milton Keynes led to his fascination with cars (he’s the proud owner of an electric one now); ponders on why he was such a lousy student; unpicks the influence British Library architect Sandy Wilson had on his career; and remembers what it was like designing hyper-fashionable bars and clubs in Shoreditch during the ’90s, while finding time to hang out with a generation of artists that became known as the YBAs.

Find out more about Waugh Thistleton 

MultiPly was a project Waugh Thistleton did with AHEC at the V&A in 2018. Image: Ed Reeve.

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Murray Grove in East London is a nine-storey tower constructed entirely from pre-fabricated solid timber. 

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An interior view from Murray Grove. All images courtesy of the architect. 

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