# Documentary Captures Studio in the Woods 20th Anniversary Timber Live-Build A new film documents the 2026 architectural workshop at Hooke Park's forest campus. - **Source:** [architecture archives | designboom | architecture & design magazine](https://brifing.si/source/1e716da2-18e6-4704-96a6-818e7860b99f) - **Published:** 2026-11-04 - **Topic:** [Business](https://brifing.si/c/business) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/54619d63-e3f0-4bb3-bc51-a2c012fe8315 ## Two Decades of Live-Build Studio in the Woods celebrated its 20th anniversary with a summer school session at the Architectural Association’s Hooke Park campus. Founded by Piers Taylor, Meredith Bowles, Kate Darby, Gianni Botsford, and Peter Clegg, the program offers a hands-on pedagogical alternative to traditional design education by focusing on real-world, site-specific timber construction projects. ## Four-Day Intensive Cycle The 2026 workshop convened fifty students and specialists for an intensive four-day build cycle. Operating without predetermined briefs, participants designed and assembled three structural interventions named Crossing, Lookout, and Horizon. These projects tested material optimization, reciprocal framing, and direct fabrication methods using timber harvested and milled directly from the surrounding woodland area. ## Multidisciplinary Teaching Roster The program integrates architectural theory with structural pragmatism through a diverse teaching body. Instructors include Niall McLaughlin, Lina Ghotmeh, and Architecture 00, alongside master timber framer Charley Brentnall. Structural engineers Tim Lucas and Toby McClean provide technical oversight, ensuring that joinery craft and material testing remain grounded in rigorous structural calculation and field-based safety. ## Documentary Film Mentorship The 2026 iteration introduced a specialized film mentorship directed by Nyima Murry and Jim Stephenson. This initiative aimed to lower barriers for underrepresented students, selecting Tong Hao, Jaime Nelson, and Hamani Altraiji. These fellows received technical training in visual storytelling and sound recording before documenting the assembly of the three timber installations. ## Capturing the Construction Process The resulting short film, titled Crossing, Lookout, Horizon, serves as a permanent record of the collective live-build methodology. The student filmmakers tracked the real-time manipulation of timber and the ambient acoustics of the forest. By embedding within the working forest, they captured the structural trials and physical effort required to erect the pavilions. ## Material Optimization and Fabrication The workshop emphasizes in-situ milling, where raw timber is processed on-site to create structural components. This direct fabrication approach forces participants to engage with the physical limitations and properties of the wood. By bypassing traditional supply chains, the program highlights the potential for sustainable, site-specific architecture that utilizes local forest resources effectively. ## Collaborative Design Dynamics The program relies on a broad network of practitioners and structural engineers to guide teams through the construction process. By pairing architectural vision with the expertise of timber framers, the workshop ensures that complex designs remain buildable. This collaborative environment fosters a unique synthesis of design intent and practical, hands-on structural execution. ## Legacy of Pedagogical Innovation Studio in the Woods continues to influence architectural education by prioritizing physical engagement over digital modeling. The 2026 session demonstrates the enduring value of learning through direct material interaction. By documenting these efforts, the initiative preserves its methodology, providing a blueprint for future workshops that seek to bridge the gap between theory and practice. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.designboom.com/architecture/live-build-documentary-11-timber-pavilions-studio-woods-workshop/ — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._