Heat treated, from process to applications
Polytechnic
of Turin
EVENTS
On March 6, at Atelier in Mantua, we hosted a morning event focused on heat-treated poplar, fir, and ash. Three types of wood, one process, thirty years of applied research.
THE MATERIAL
Vacuum heat treatment profoundly alters the chemical structure of the wood: improved biological durability, dimensional stability increased by 40–50%, and a permanent color resulting from the process itself, not from pigments. No added chemicals.
The session also featured samples created using the Yakisugi technique—the surface charring of cedar that has been used for centuries in Japan to protect the wood from the elements. Two processes that differ in technique and origin, yet share the same underlying principle: transforming the wood at a deep level without adding any chemicals.
We have been working with these wood species for over ten years. As early as 2015, we were collaborating with the CNR in San Michele on the Bio4ever project, dedicated to the study of bio-based materials for building envelopes. Using the same wood for windows and doors, wainscoting, and facade cladding creates a seamless connection between interior and exterior.
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CULTURE
Following the theoretical session at the Atelier, the morning continued with a visit to the Sonnabend Collection at the Palazzo della Ragione and a tour of the Governolo factory.
Theory, art, production.
