The Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) is proud to join forces with the Mass Madera network and Built by Nature in presenting a trilogy of short films that document the growing focus on our built environment as a climate solution. These films showcase the ongoing efforts in Spain to promote the use of mass timber as a primary building material.

Over half of the world’s population currently lives in cities, and this is expected to grow to nearly 70% of us by 2050 (Source: Cities4Forests). We urgently need to find ways of building and renovating our cities that work in unison with nature and put timber and other bio-based materials on a level playing field with carbon-intensive materials like concrete and steel.

Chapter I: MATERIAL

Why wood? Because it is a carbon reservoir, because it can be industrialized, because it can be built very quickly. – Daniel Ibañez, IAAC Director and Mass Madera Promoter.

Traveling across Spain to visit factories, forests, and government institutions, the films, featuring the participation of IAAC Founder Vicente Guallart and Director Daniel Ibáñez, discuss the changing practices within the market and highlights the different roles each part of the value chain plays in unlocking timber construction in Spain, including financiers, city procurement leaders, academics, designers, and European and national sector networks.

As the fourth-largest economy in Europe, Spain’s ability to set precedents and lead by example is clear. The citiES 2030 mission brings together Spanish cities in a collaborative framework established by the Fundación Biodiversidad of the Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica y el Reto Demográfico and implemented by EIT Climate-KIC together with the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. Complementing this work, Spanish timber buildings network, Mass Madera and Built by Nature bring together leaders and pioneers in the built environment to identify and overcome barriers to timber use at a national and city level.

Access Climate-KIC’s guide to bio-based materials in cities (in English, Spanish and Italian) HERE and take a look at the other two films.

Chapter II: CITIES

Chapter III: FINANCING

Thanks to: Built by Nature, Climate-KIC, Laudes Foundation, Green Finance Institute, Triodos Espana, Cromwell Property Group, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Urbanitree, Begoña Fernández Ruiz, Ayuntamiento de Madrid, C40 Cities, Nihao Films, Xavi Camprecios.