Q3 2021

27 Q3 2021 BUILD Most Innovative Sustainable Architecture Practice - Belgium Becoming a beacon of hope for both environmental sustainability and social improvement within its company and sector, Wood Architects is an architectural firm leading the charge into the future. Having achieved its 2020 ambition to prevent the release of 1000 tonnes of carbon by way of its project work, it now turns its attention on the rest of 2021 and which milestone it wishes to hit next. relatively small team working on big things, Wood Architects is made up of one intern assistant, 2 junior architects, 2 senior project architects, and 1 office assistant, consistently looking for new and passionate colleagues to join it as it continually grows and expands. Fundamentally, the philosophy behind the work it accomplishes is in tackling climate change through its builds, and its wood-based constructions are all completed with this at the core of its being, from the initial consultation right through to the final nail. Wood is its core medium – and like it, being the only construction medium that is totally circular – Wood Architects also seeks to make itself a one-of-a-kind and totally unique business. Thus, its goal for the past decade has been to continually grow and push this further, taking its exemplary design philosophy and the greatness of its work to yet more clients as it begins to make waves in its field, taking its place as a true pioneer in pushing the building industry towards a better and brighter future. This has remained the goal since its founding. However, over time, it has matured into this mantle, proudly finding its market segment amongst private customers and real estate investors both. It doesn’t serve public buildings or municipal projects yet due to what it sees as a conflicting design philosophy with the Belgian government’s present priorities; it is however gearing up for when this might become a possibility, always excited to push towards what is next instead of settling for what already exists. Furthermore, many of its clients and customers find it online – this has allowed Wood Architects to build up a solid base of clients through this medium. Clients who find it through such means often encounter the vast backlog of stunning reviews and testimonials left by past satisfied clients, or come to it through its network of word of mouth testimonials from the same demographic, allowing them to get an idea of the kind of work Wood Architects does even prior to the first consultation. During this consultation, Wood Architects is always quick to mention how it will always seek to tread lightly to its clients. This A Jun21427 is something it has become widely renowned for in its industry, choosing its wood and materials in a sustainable manner from reliable and trusted sources, forever aiming for climate-neutral architecture. Moreover, internally, it cultivates this trust and reliability within its team. This is another thing that clients can fundamentally benefit from by way of its exemplary working method, empowered by the flat hierarchy that ensures every team member feels equally valued and able to voice their opinions on various elements of projects or operations. Going forward, it will be pushing this forward further by incorporating the 17 Sustainable Development Goals within its own office, something its committed and passionate team are excited to make a reality. For Wood Architects, the biggest challenge to its growth has been learning to work in a BIM environment – the sector is fast changing, increasingly digital, and requires modern solutions to presentation – and so it invests significant effort into the challenge of keeping a finger on the pulse of its industry, dedicated to keeping abreast of trends and developments. Throughout, it will continue pushing for better sustainability in its industry, as well as continually bettering the health of the working environment within its own team. Company: Wood Architects Contact: Piet Kerckhof Website: wood-architects.be