Photo: Versatility is one of many advantages offered by wood-iD. For example, the solution can quickly transform an office space (photo) into a classroom.

In the middle of the blueFACTORY innovation park stands a three-story structure made entirely from 24 timber blocks measuring 7.6 meters by 3.8 meters. It may look like a tower of Lego® bricks, but this experimental, modular building, designed by wood-iD, not only can house up to a dozen small- and medium-sized firms but also serves as a laboratory for Fribourg’s new centre of wood expertise and innovation. As Yanick Joliet, Project Manager for blueFACTORY, explains, “The aim is to pool entrepreneurial and academic expertise in order to leverage the wood-related knowledge and skills available right here in Fribourg.”

Its versatile, aesthetic and renewable qualities have made wood an essential natural – and where possible homegrown – material for sustainable building projects. In addition to its practical features, like swift on-site assembly, flexible layout and ease of use, wood-iD has impressive green credentials. “We have added a living facade and used secondhand materials. We also tested a carbon footprint tool developed by the Smart Living Lab,” notes Axelle Marchon, co-founder of the start-up Enoki, which came up with the idea behind the project. Her colleague Loïc Simon adds, “Some of the technical features like the ability to transport and store the modules in 2D instead of 3D offer huge space-saving and CO₂ reduction potential.”

Learning by doing

JPF Entreprise Générale SA and JPF-Ducret SA, which oversaw the technical side of the project, are delighted with the end result. It is the product of first-rate team work and experimentation. According to company Director Jacques Pasquier, “The use of different types of slabs and flooring meant that we were able to conduct extremely instructive static, thermal and acoustic tests.” The next step is bringing this promising modular, high-quality, sustainable and user-friendly building concept to market.