The Barangaroo urban renewal project on the western edge of Sydney Harbour, is said to be one of the most ambitious redevelopments in the world today.
Owned by the NSW Government, and managed by the Barangaroo Delivery Authority, the precinct seeks to instill pride, and inspire innovation for generations. As such, the landmark location sought to be a global reference point of design excellence and sustainability.
The builder, who are renowned for creating places that are truly beautiful, contacted Britton Timbers during the design phase.
“Barangaroo is set to become a preferred destination for leading global organisations in the Asia Pacific. When the builder were designing three Barangaroo commercial towers to house these organisations, they called us to consult on timber,” said Britton Timbers Director, Dominic McNeil.
"They wanted timber in the foyers, boardrooms, and eateries. They also wanted a dramatic end grain floor in the lobby and inside the lifts. It had to be incredibly stable, lightly coloured and attractive."
Britton Timbers recommended Quarter Sawn American White Oak.
“It was the perfect choice for Barangaroo. It is distinctive, hard wearing, very stable, beautiful and exclusive. There are only two mills in the world that currently produce it, one of which is Frank Miller Lumber in Indiana USA.”
Britton Timbers are the exclusive stockists in Australia for Quarter Sawn American White Oak from Frank Miller Lumber.
"The quarter sawing process cuts the board on a 90-degree angle. Logs are quartered before they are cut. Instead of resulting in a back sawn grain, like traditional sawing, it exposes the medullary ray, a flake-like grain – it creates a board that is very stable and beautiful."
Frank Miller Lumber selects individual trees for harvest. In the mill, they cut the logs into quarters and then they saw alternating faces of the quartered log from the inside out, while turning it end-for-end on a carousel between each pass through the saw.
Britton Timbers knew Quarter Sawn American White Oak was the perfect choice, but to convey that to the builder, they flew the Frank Miller Lumber Architectural Specifier representative, Criswell Davis, out from the US to present the timber’s credentials. It was specified. The timber was cut specifically for the job and then brought across from the US.
"The builders design approach is to create spaces that foster opportunity and encourage healthy and sustainable lifestyles. We think they’ve delivered this in spades with the use of Quarter Sawn American White Oak. Commercial buildings can be in danger of feeling a bit cold. The use of timber brings warmth and life to the space. It’s sustainable and it allows for design innovation. The result is an environment of beauty."
