Left: door view from back. Right: the precision, computer controlled process of making the door.

Over the course of the next few months, the three principals at the Toronto, Canada based office of Williamson Chong Architects (WCA) will be traveling to Europe and Asia on a $50,000 grant they won from the Canada Council’s 2012 Professional Prix de Rome in Architecture. The purpose of the trip is to research what cutting edge wood research and technologies are being developed abroad. Why this fascination with wood you may ask? As Mr. Williamson puts it, “It’s what people are talking about right now… To see even the most general charts of the embedded energy of wood, compared to materials such as concrete and steel, is to be immediately [persuaded] that it’s a renewable resource with the lowest carbon footprint–a really fantastic material.” via theglobeandmail.com

WCA is doing some very interesting work with wood already. Shown above is an investigation in 3-dimensional patterning afforded through oblique laminate construction techniques and the subtractive process of computer numerically controlled (CNC) milling. You can view similarly cool works with wood paneling, counter tops and more at williamsonchong.com.