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. 

There’s some important stuff in here. You can learn more about Waugh Thistleton’s work here: waughthistleton.com

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