Architects: Alison Brooks Architects
Area: 136 m²
Year: 2016
Photographs: Alison Brooks, AHEC, Guy Bell, Paul Riddle
Other Participants: Arup, American Hardwood Export Council
Architect in Charge: Alison Brooks
City: Greater London
Country: United Kingdom
The Smile, an installation by Alison Brooks Architects, was developed with the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC), Arup, and the London Design Festival. Displayed at Chelsea College of Art from September 17 to October 12, the curved timber structure is 3.5 meters high, 4.5 meters wide, and 34 meters long, demonstrating the potential of cross-laminated American tulipwood (CLT). As the first ‘mega-tube’ made from large-scale hardwood CLT panels, it allows public interaction while showcasing advanced timber engineering. CLT, typically made from softwood spruce, features cross-layered construction for strength and precision machining, enabling faster assembly and greater efficiency. AHEC and Arup have tested North American tulipwood, proving it stronger than spruce with a refined aesthetic. The Smile, built from 12 massive CLT panels, each up to 14 meters long, marks a significant step toward commercial hardwood CLT applications.
I wanted to make something enigmatic — something that didn’t look like a building at all but invited people to enter and explore. It offered a playful, immersive sensory experience. The form itself is a public invitation to test if the pavilion will rock. Framed views at each end of the arc invited visitors to walk further up the slope or run down.
Interview with Alison Brooks of Alison Brook Architects
Alison Brooks Architects worked with the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC), Arup, and the London Design Festival to showcase The Smile, a cross-laminated tulipwood structure, at Chelsea College of Art’s Rootstein Hopkins Parade Ground from September 17 to October 12.
The Smile is among the Festival’s Landmark Projects, designed for public interaction and exploration. This curved, tubular timber structure stands 3.5 meters high, 4.5 meters wide, and 34 meters long, functioning as a beam that lifts at both ends. Highlighting the structural and spatial capabilities of cross-laminated American tulipwood, Alison Brooks’ design is the first ‘mega-tube’ constructed using large-scale hardwood CLT panels.
Cross-Laminated Tulipwood
Cross-laminated timber (CLT) is an engineered wood material used for constructing walls and floors in buildings. It consists of layered wood fibers arranged at right angles in each successive layer, creating a panel with equal strength in both directions, similar to plywood. Weight for weight, CLT is stronger than concrete and can be machined with high precision, making it well-suited for prefabrication and rapid assembly, reducing construction time by up to 30%. Typically, CLT is produced using softwood spruce, commonly recognized as the Christmas tree. In collaboration with Arup, the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) has been exploring the use of fast-growing North American tulipwood for CLT. Testing has confirmed that tulipwood CLT is significantly stronger than spruce while also offering a more refined appearance.
The Smile is the first project globally to incorporate large hardwood CLT panels, with the entire structure consisting of just 12 massive tulipwood panels, each measuring up to 14 meters long and 4.5 meters wide. Producing these panels in a CLT manufacturing facility represents a significant advancement, demonstrating the material’s potential for commercial construction applications.
Project Gallery
Project Location
Address: Chelsea College of Arts’ Rootstein Hopkins Parade Ground, University of the Arts London, 16 John Islip Street, Chelsea, Greater London, SW1P 4JU, United Kingdom
Location is for general reference and may represent a city or country, not necessarily a precise address.
