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Timber in the City: Interior Design and City Environment Development with Wood Materials

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A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Architectural Design, Urban Science, and Real Estate".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025 | Viewed by 15887

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Danijela Domljan

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Guest Editor

Department of Furniture and Wood in Construction, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Interests: furniture design; interior design; user-centered design methods; design thinking; well-being; ergonomics; user’s health; interdisciplinarity

Dr. Dina Stober

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Guest Editor

Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
Interests: integral design; building information modeling; parametric modeling; visual perception; participatory design; urban design

Dr. Vjekoslav Živković

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Guest Editor

Department of Furniture and Wood in Construction, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Interests: modified wood; physical, mechanical and surface properties of wood construction products; reuse and recycling of wood construction products

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The trend of urbanization has significantly changed the environment in which people live, work, and move. The intense need for new construction and closed spaces has stimulated innovations in the fields of materials, structures, technology, building forms, and interior design.

Traditional materials and resources such as wood became less competitive with the development of new materials whose use ensured faster and more efficient construction and furnishing. New materials, constructions, and technology have achieved certain benefits but also expressed several negative environmental impacts.

In addition to research that measures the environmental effects of the use of building materials, part of the research focuses on measuring the effects on human health and well-being in interiors.

Interior design, whether it is for residential or public buildings (such as schools, offices, hospitals, hotels, and others), and the choice of materials and styles in interiors significantly influence human behavior and a sense of comfort.

The symbiosis between natural, biophilic design and wood is closely related to better mental and physical health and contributes to the well-being of the individual.

Historically, wood has always been used as a traditional material in construction and furniture making, but the impact of wood and how wood is used in indoor design influence physiological, emotional, and cognitive indicators of well-being. Additionally, the human experience of wood in interiors and the development of the city environment are still not sufficiently researched.

This Special Issue welcomes all case studies, empirical and/or interdisciplinary research, and new methods of applying wood in interior design and city environments.

The scope of the paper includes but is not limited to:

Wood in the interiors of residential and public spaces (education, health, administration, religion, sports, recreation buildings, etc.);
Wood structures and architecture;
Wood product design;
Product and building design solutions (aesthetics, construction, energy efficiency, technical optimization);
Quality of living in building interiors;
Benefits of wood on human health;
Reuse and Recycling of Wood Construction Products
User’s perception of materials in interior design;
Environmental impacts of wooden products;
Traditional wooden products and structures in interiors;
Elements and principles of design;
Biophilic design;
Technology developments in building information modeling of wood structures;
Interdisciplinary research.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Danijela Domljan
Dr. Dina Stober
Dr. Vjekoslav Živković
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Buildings is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

interior design
wood products design
city environment
trends in wood application
environmental
perception of wood
human-centered design
health
human behavior
well-being
biophilic design
multisensory stimulation
traditional wooden structures
design theory
BIM

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Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

24 pages, 9019 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Emotion Drives Material Innovation—A Method for Investigating Emotional Reactions to Wood Materials

by Shenghua Tan, Pin Gao, Ziqiang Fan, Nan Lin and Zhiyu Long

Buildings 2025, 15(6), 846; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15060846 - 7 Mar 2025

Viewed by 280

Abstract

The furniture market is being conquered by the variety of wood-based composite materials to the detriment of solid wood, which is considered expensive, but research has yet to explain definitively why these two materials receive such disparate evaluations. This study aims to evaluate the perception of wood by proposing an emotion-oriented research method. It combines the esthetic appeal of wood products, the subjective emotions of the subjects, and physiological emotions. We evaluated different wood materials using a multisensory evaluation method that combines vision and touch during the experiment. Seven specimens of solid wood and three of wood composite materials covered with synthetic veneer with similar characteristics were evaluated, and we used subjective evaluations and physiological responses (electroencephalography and electrodermal activity) from twenty participants. Our analysis identified significant correlations between subjective assessment and physiological responses, highlighting the influence of material appearance on emotional reactions. Notably, rough-textured materials elicited higher positive affectivity than smooth-textured ones, and bright materials were associated with more positive emotions. This research elucidates the impact of material components on emotional responses, offering insights into processing techniques that enhance the value of wood product design. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Timber in the City: Interior Design and City Environment Development with Wood Materials)

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16 pages, 13223 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Innovative Solutions: Comparative Study of Laboratory and In Situ Measurements of Thermal Properties of Bark Insulated Exterior Walls

by Vjekoslav Živković, Andrija Novosel and Hrvoje Krstić

Buildings 2025, 15(5), 810; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15050810 - 3 Mar 2025

Viewed by 229

Abstract

The study aimed to investigate the thermal storage potential of oak tree bark as a natural and easily accessible material and to examine the possibility of incorporating this raw material into external prefabricated walls. The U-values of oak tree bark were compared with mineral wool (MW), which is a standardized and well-known insulating material. Oak tree bark, a residual material, is mainly used as an energy source. However, in light of actual green policies at the European Union (EU) level, raw wood and its components, e.g., bark, should be used for long-lasting products and not as an energy source. According to the Croatian Technical Regulation on the Rational Use of Energy and Thermal Insulation in Buildings, the maximum U-value for external walls in Croatia is 0.30 W/m²K. Here presented test results show that the U-values of the experimental wall compositions were 0.22 W/m²K for the wall with mineral wool (MW) and 0.29 W/m²K for the wall with oak tree bark. Despite mineral wool having a thermal conductivity (λ, W/mK) 53% lower than the experimental tree bark, walls with bark fulfill the national insulation requirements; therefore, they present an alternative and sustainable insulation option. Furthermore, the Blower door test (n50 value) of the bungalow was measured to be 3.75 h^−1, proving the potential of tree bark as an alternative eco-friendly insulation material in exterior walls. However, further investigations are necessary in order to create and optimize the panel, its thickness, density, adhesive technology, the size of bark particles, production parameters, etc., as these influence properties of the final product to be placed on the market. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Timber in the City: Interior Design and City Environment Development with Wood Materials)

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12 pages, 1713 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Classroom Interior Design: Wooden Furniture Prototype with Feedback from Students and Teachers

by Nastja Podrekar Loredan, Eva Prelovšek Niemelä and Nejc Šarabon

Buildings 2024, 14(7), 2193; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14072193 - 16 Jul 2024

Viewed by 1662

Abstract

Studies indicate that natural wooden materials positively affect students’ well-being in classrooms. In addition, students spend a considerable amount of their time in classrooms predominantly seated, making school interiors a suitable place to reduce sedentary behaviors of children. A mixed team of experts in human factors, architecture, design and engineering designed a prototype wooden standing desk for indoor use and formed focus groups with students and teachers to gather feedback on the development process and to evaluate the suitability of the prototype. The prototype desk was well received by the primary school teachers and students. The students appreciated plywood as the main material for the construction of the desk; however, they criticized that the wooden tabletop should be more resistant. The height adjustability of the desk and the tiltable tabletop were the most appreciated features of the prototype. Further studies should be conducted to investigate the optimal material, shape and color of the school desk, especially the tabletop, and additional efforts should be made to design furniture that promotes a less sedentary classroom and improves students’ well-being at school. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Timber in the City: Interior Design and City Environment Development with Wood Materials)

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17 pages, 6691 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Relationship between Different Proofs of Load-Bearing Capacity, Fire Resistance of the Cross-Section and the Price of Solid Softwood

by Jurko Zovkić and Zlata Dolaček-Alduk

Buildings 2024, 14(7), 1898; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14071898 - 21 Jun 2024

Viewed by 751

Abstract

The impact of ultimate limit state checks on the fire resistance of the cross-section (element) of softwood structural timber is analyzed in this study, which was found to depend on the cross-sectional area, strength class or material quality expressed through the actual price. The limit state method and the reduced cross-section method were used to obtain numerical results. The established practice suggests that, if the ultimate limit state is satisfied, the softwood structural timber will meet fire resistance according to the load-bearing criterion of 30 min (R30). This study shows that this is not entirely correct and is not always applicable. The main results of this study are precisely related to the above, and it will now be possible to provide much more precise answers to questions related to fire resistance according to the load-bearing criterion. Certainly, the price, which plays a significant role in achieving a certain or required fire resistance, should not be overlooked. This study provides the possibility of optimizing the choice of the cross-sectional area, fire resistance and price, depending on the state of stress to which the cross-section (element) is exposed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Timber in the City: Interior Design and City Environment Development with Wood Materials)

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20 pages, 20026 KiB

Open AccessArticle

User Preferences on the Application of Wooden Wall Coverings in Interiors Made of Oak Veneer Residue

by Domagoj Mamić and Danijela Domljan

Buildings 2024, 14(6), 1795; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14061795 - 13 Jun 2024

Viewed by 885

Abstract

Guided by the principles of visual perception and basic design, this research was conducted to examine users’ preferences on how they perceive natural unique wood phenomena of Pedunculate Slavonian Oak veneers (Quercus robur L.) such as color changes, wood rays, sapwood, and knots, which in the production and technical sense represent defects and wood residue, but could be used in the design of sustainable and ecological wall decorations. The goal was to detect samples with the most positive attributes and to observe their connection with activities and functional space if they are viewed as wall coverings in the interior. The results confirm that discoloration and wood rays are considered the most harmonious (“prettiest”) decors. Discoloration is associated with quiet cognitive or medium-intensity activity that can be used in libraries, hotel rooms, and classrooms. Wood rays are connected with very quiet activity in ambulance waiting rooms or religious buildings and museums. Knot decors are considered the most natural and are recommended for interiors with very or medium-intensive activities such as restaurants, cafes, and hotel receptions, but attention should be paid to the way the wall decors are arranged on the walls. Sapwood–hardwood decors are the subject of further research and improvement concerning the relationship between the dark and light parts of the veneer. In conclusion, the results provide useful guidelines for manufacturers with a large veneer residue in production and who want to design decorative wall panels, as well as for designers and architects designing interiors for a specific purpose and function where certain user behavior and psychological stimulation are desired. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Timber in the City: Interior Design and City Environment Development with Wood Materials)

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17 pages, 3760 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effects of Wooden Furniture Color, Floor Material, and Age on Design Evaluation, Visual Attention, and Emotions in Office Environments

by Yongchun Mao, Puhong Li and Pingting Hao

Buildings 2024, 14(6), 1498; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14061498 - 22 May 2024

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2015

Abstract

The selection of floors and furniture in offices can impact the interior environment and potentially influence employees’ emotions and health. This study aims to investigate the effects of floor material, furniture color, and age on design evaluation, fixation duration, and time to first fixation. Twenty-four younger adults (M = 21.9, SD = 1.75) and twenty-four older adults (M = 48.1, SD = 6.85) participated in the experiment, where they viewed four different designs: wood floor—brown furniture (WF-BF), wood floor—dark furniture (WF-DF), tile floor—brown furniture (TF-BF), and tile floor—dark furniture (TF-DF). Participants also evaluated the designs and their emotions. Results showed the main effects and interactions of floor material, furniture color, and age. WF-BF performed the best in design evaluation, fixation duration, and time to first fixation, and also scored highest in joy, admiration, fascination, and desire. Older adults favored the texture of wood, while younger adults showed better acceptance of TF-DF. This study provides insights for interior design in office environments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Timber in the City: Interior Design and City Environment Development with Wood Materials)

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15 pages, 4043 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Structural, Exterior, and Interior Medium of Wood as a Holistic Museum Experience: A Case Study of OMM (Odunpazarı Modern Museum)

by Meryem Yalçın and Esin Fakıbaba Dedeoğlu

Buildings 2024, 14(3), 649; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14030649 - 1 Mar 2024

Viewed by 2121

Abstract

The fundamental research inquiry in this study revolves around wood materials’ diverse facets, including structural identities, contextual considerations, interior and external spatial applications, and their user experiences. To address this research, a comprehensive literature review, case study, and survey were conducted. The objective being to elucidate technical, functional, sensory, perceptual, and psychological impacts of wood in a sample structure where it is the primary material in the overarching user experience. The Odunpazarı Modern Museum (OMM), conceptualized by architect Kengo Kuma and inaugurated in 2019 in Eskişehir, stands as a testament to the historical significance of the timber trade in the region. The deliberate choice of wood as the primary construction material serves as a tribute to this historical narrative. The conspicuous incorporation of wooden lath materials into both the external and interior spaces signify a conscious reference to the region’s historical heritage and aligns with sustainability principles in design. Factors such as form characteristics, dimensional distinctions, spatial arrangements, and the extent of surface interactions collectively contribute to the compelling effect of this integrative approach. Within the confines of the museum, unconventional partitioning is implemented, and the strategic arrangement of masses results in multiple facades, even in the absence of overt wooden surfaces. The exterior impact of the wooden shell complements its interior application. For this reason, OMM enabled the understanding and explanation of all dimensions of the wooden material, including physical, technical, and psychosocial. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Timber in the City: Interior Design and City Environment Development with Wood Materials)

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17 pages, 2703 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Trends, Problems, and Solutions from Point Cloud via Non-Uniform Rational Basis Spline to Building Information Modelling: Bibliometric and Systematic Study

by Dina Stober and Nikolina Raguz-Lucic

Buildings 2024, 14(3), 564; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14030564 - 20 Feb 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1728

Abstract

Building Information Modelling (BIM) has found applications not only in the planning and designing of new buildings but also in project monitoring, record-keeping, and analyses of existing structures. In addition to its primary application, information modelling spreads to other areas, developing solutions for their specific uses. This study engaged a mixed-method literature review according to the extent of the pool of knowledge for two research steps between three concepts—from point cloud to NURBS and then from NURBS to BIM. In the first step, the keywords point cloud and NURBS were analysed using scientometric methods. In the second step, a systematic analysis of the content of works obtained with the keywords NURBS and BIM is presented, extracting problems and proposed solutions for information transfer technology. The results of a quantitative analysis identified major trends, (1) research is distributed in interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary areas and historical (heritage) modelling is the highlighted one, (2) development of technologies for object surveying, and (3) the application of data in different engineering fields, while a qualitative analysis points at problems in (1) model building, (2) interoperability, and (3) automatization. Solutions such as mixed models, multi-layered models, a mix of formats, or bridging elements (semantics, proto-model) are proposed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Timber in the City: Interior Design and City Environment Development with Wood Materials)

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23 pages, 5950 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Creation of “Sacred Place” through the “Sense of Place” of the Daci’en Wooden Buddhist Temple, Xi’an, China

by Minglan Zou and Azizi Bahauddin

Buildings 2024, 14(2), 481; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14020481 - 8 Feb 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2507

Abstract

After the Industrial Revolution, new technologies and architectural forms gradually replaced China’s wooden construction system, which had lasted for thousands of years. The architectural narrative also turned a new page. As pieces of architectural and cultural heritage and as the residence of “gods”, wooden Buddhist temples carry the indelible imprints of history and religion and have become a healing place or spiritual home for people living in urban areas. In order to preserve the local cultural context and explore the creation of a spiritual “sacred place”, this study traces the spiritual and cultural value of Xi’an’s wooden Buddhist temple through ethnographic qualitative methods of text analysis, observation and interviews. The case study examines the metaphorical symbolism of the architecture’s “sense of place” and religion in terms of architectural structure and components, and the advantages of creating a “sacred place” are examined based on the characteristics of wooden materials. The results show that the design elements of wooden Buddhist temples connect cultural identity and collective memory, which are inseparable from religion, and because of the material properties of wood, they sublimate the sacred atmosphere of religion. Moreover, identifying the “sense of place” and the atmosphere of sacred spaces through the structure, components, and material characteristics of wooden temple architecture offers a new perspective that focuses on architectural emotions and creates a new topic of “sacred places”. Such temples have the potential to enhance human spiritual health and well-being. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Timber in the City: Interior Design and City Environment Development with Wood Materials)

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19 pages, 3070 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Human Preferences for the Visual Appearance of Desks: Examining the Role of Wooden Materials and Desk Designs

by Dean Lipovac and Michael D. Burnard

Buildings 2023, 13(7), 1680; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13071680 - 30 Jun 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2288

Abstract

Visually pleasing materials and furnishings may be an important component of pleasant, restorative indoor spaces, where people can rest, relax, and recover from stress. We conducted two studies to examine human preferences for different wooden desk materials and designs. In Study 1, 77 participants evaluated the visual appearance of 20 wooden materials and 18 desk designs, in which desk elements and their arrangements were systematically varied. The three highest rated wooden materials and desk designs from Study 1 were combined in 18 new desks evaluated by 80 participants in terms of visual appearance in Study 2, where we systematically varied the type of material, amount of material, and desk design. The results show that preference for different materials and desks varies greatly from person to person, but several evaluated items are on average preferred to others. Study 1 shows that certain materials, desk elements, and the arrangements of those elements received higher preference ratings than others. Study 2 indicates that the type of material, amount of material, and desk design all play a significant role in human preference for the visual appearance of desks. Researchers and designers can build on these findings to create aesthetically appealing indoor environments that have the potential to positively impact human wellbeing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Timber in the City: Interior Design and City Environment Development with Wood Materials)

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