Format Engineers

Last week we attended the film screening and panel discussion on the 'Future of Timber'. This event was organised by Evolving Forests to launch their website and film, funded by Built by Nature. The film highlighted the opportunities to get more timber into building and importantly what this means for our forests.  Sylva’s Director of Operations, Paul Orsi, joined the panel with Kate Davies of Architectural Association's Hooke Park, James Solly of Format Engineers and Tom Bedford of UK Hardwoods Ltd. There was a real interest from the audience and the panel on how to better connect tree growers and timber users. This is not a new issue but nevertheless one that we have not resolved. There was also discussion on the need for more complex and resilient forests and the issues that causes for the timber supply chain. We’d like to thank Evolving Forest and Jez Ralph for inviting us to the event. https://lnkd.in/dUr-vJrc

Yesterday, we opened door number 13 of our Advent Calendar to reveal Format Engineers! If you're looking for a unique blend of creativity and technical expertise in structural design, look no further. Format Engineers are a team of designers with backgrounds in structural engineering, coding, mathematics, and architecture. This diverse skill set allows them to approach structural challenges with intellectual rigor and boundless imagination. Their mission is to push the boundaries of structural design in architecture. By combining traditional engineering principles with innovative digital tools, they create elegant and efficient solutions that are both aesthetically pleasing and structurally sound. Want to know who's behind door number 14? Check out below! #AdventCalendar #StructuralEngineering #ArchitecturalDesign #Innovation #DigitalDesign

Tan House footbridge in Wokingham, South East England, was a collaboration between Network Rail, WSP and ourselves. The use of repurposed steel has been the centre point of the design process and has been made possible through the use of creative digital techniques that facilitated a refinement of the typology to match the available stock of old steel. The bridge is a great example of how the design to minimise embodied energy can inform the typology of a structure and not just its material or the size of its cross sections. The project shows how low cost public infrastructure works can be delivered with a bespoke solution and one which is absolutely suited to the site rather than a standard design being imported from elsewhere. Tan House bridge achieved a low carbon number of 677kgCO2e/sqm, a SCORBS rating of A. #bridge #bridgedesign #bridgeengineering #structuralengineering #embodiedenergy #infrastructure #rail #lowcarbon #structure

A Dream Come True! I’m over the moon! 🌌✨ I had the incredible opportunity to share the story of Nebula Shroom Grove with a crowd of brilliant minds I’ve admired for years. This experience embodies everything I love: the fusion of art, architecture, technical ingenuity, real-time rendering, cutting-edge technologies—and above all, the amazing people who made it possible. Together, we brought Nebula Shroom Grove to life at Burning Man, the world’s biggest celebration of creativity and art. I’m deeply grateful to the Epic Games team for capturing the heart and soul of this journey in a stunning Spotlight post. It perfectly conveys the emotions, hard work, and passion that went into this project. 🎥 Don’t miss the full Post: https://lnkd.in/eKDkftxD Huge thanks to 🎮 Epic Games Team: Tracey Christina Rob Simon Shawn 🌿 Understory: Ana Lina Claudio 🔧 Engines: Format Engineers 🏗️ Fabrication: Dante D2B 📐 Geometry Delivery: Théophile Alfredo 📡 Pixel Streaming: Palatial 💡 Lighting Design: Vanesa Cristian 🤝 Support: ArchiTech Network Heatherwick studio SpaceForm Technologies Wonder Works Limited Treasury Burning Man Project Let’s keep dreaming and creating together! 💫 #UnrealEngine #Twinmotion #Architecture #Art

Bracklinn Falls Footbridge was a winner at the IABSE Awards 2024! Out of an incredibly strong international shortlist, we were delighted to win the "Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge" category at the IABSE - International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering awards this week. Another recognition for a superb team that managed to create a special structure. Client: Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Lead designers and structural engineering: Cake Engineering Architecture: BEAM Architects BRIDGE DESIGNERS Client's technical advisor: AECOM Independent check: Format Engineers Fabrication and Main contractor: Cake Industries Installation sub-contractor: Big Cat Construction

On the peak of Mount Storfjellet, in the town of Hammerfest, within Finnmark County in Norway, a pair of modular biophilic warming huts allow visitors to experience the great outdoors from a new perspective. Commissioned by the Den Norske Turistforening (Norwegian Trekking Associarion), SPINN Arkitekter partnered with Format Engineers to create the wooden cross-laminated timber shell and the 77 unique exterior panels that adorn it. The firms used state of the art 3D mapping technology to understand the dynamic site they were working with. Using a combination of drones and photogrammetry software, the shapes for the structures were created. The structures went through rigorous simulation testing, to make sure that they were able to withstand powerful winter arctic storms, extreme wind conditions, and structural forces caused by snowfall. The construction of the two huts were a community effort that involved many volunteers and over 1500 hours of transportation and construction to and on the site. The modular structures, can hopefully be used as a test subject for minimal impact units within the natural environment in other regions of the world. We’re all in this together

We've been really happy to contribute a small part to Evolving Forests new project, The Future of Timber. Check out their work at https://lnkd.in/dUr-vJrc

Bridge and Infrastructure projects can take a while to come to fruition and our Tan House foot bridge in Wokingham, Berkshire is no exception. The sad demise of SH Structures led to a delay. But… we walked over the bridge for the first time last week and it looks amazing. It’s nearly there. The client team of Network Rail, WSP and ourselves are extremely pleased and we are looking forward to the official opening in early November. A large proportion of repurposed steel was used in the structure with a correspondingly low SCORBS energy rating. When the bridge is officially open we’ll upload the photos of the completed structure with technical details of how the low carbon content was achieved… #bridge #bridgedesign #steel #structuralengineering #design #wokingham #lowcarbon

Looking forward to talking on the 16th. We'll be dicsussing how nature can give us ways of simulating efficient and low carbon bridges, buildings and art.

We're pleased to see the Tanhouse bridge stairs successfully installed! Well done to the team for getting the project completed in tricky circumstances after the demise of SH Structures