“I’d happily work with wood every day of the week”
As part of the decision to build a sustainable and healthy school, the frame and interior of the new Lillsidanskolan are being built in wood – a material choice that has also gone down well with the project’s installers and carpenters.
A feeling, a specific scent and an experience
Due to be completed in 2026, Enköping’s new school will have a flexible layout that can be adapted to the size of different age cohorts. The focus here is on well-being, with the health of both the pupils and the climate high on the agenda.
Wood as a working material
Does the decision to build the school in wood directly affect anyone other than the future users? Absolutely, says Pelle Olsson, installation manager at Martinsons.
“I’ve been assembling wooden buildings for over 30 years and I’ve never met a carpenter who doesn’t like the lovely work environment that wood creates. It’s about a feeling, a specific scent and an experience for both body and soul. Wood makes a warm and welcoming impression, not only on those who’ll be living, working or learning in the building, but also on all of us working on site during construction,” says Pelle.
Pelle Olsson and Anton Berglin
Perhaps the natural properties of wood are what us humans find so attractive. Wood as a material conjures up the forest and inviting mountain cabins, as well as suggesting that the developer is thinking about the climate. Environments with plenty of visible wood are often considered and described as ‘safe and calm’, feelings that are particularly important in the world of education, for example. A structure using engineered wood such as CLT also allows for quieter construction sites, which is good for the builders and for neighbours.
Less stress on a great worksite
Construction company Inredning & Konstruktion Berglin & Co AB has practical responsibility for bringing Lillsidanskolan into being.
Assembly supervisor Anton Berglin and carpenter Elias Wagenius both really enjoy projects with lots of wood.
“It’s easy to keep the site clean and tidy, and we don’t have to worry about silica dust or additives that are also harmful to health. A natural material is more appealing to work with, not least because it’s attractive and pleasant to look at. I think there’s a greater sense of calm on wood projects, the environment is less stressful − using screws is impact-free and sawing is nice and quiet. If I had the choice, I’d happily work with wood every day of the week,” says Anton.
Elias agrees that wood generally creates a pleasant and stimulating working environment, which helps people feel good about what they do.
Elias Wagenius
“It’s hard to explain the various aspects that come into play, but wood basically gives us a great place to work. It’s by far the easiest and most convenient material, both to work on and to handle. Screwing into wood is easy and if something goes wrong, it can be rectified on site there and then. Assembly often runs smoothly and with the large cross-laminated timber elements, we also see quick results, which leaves quite an uplifting feeling after a hard day’s work.”
Facts about Lillsidanskolan
Lillsidanskolan is being built with a post-and-beam solution in cross-laminated timber and glulam, designed and delivered by Martinsons. The choice of material stems primarily from the ambition to minimise the building’s climate footprint, but it also brings a number of other benefits. Not least, it contributes to a healthy indoor climate in the school, due to the natural moisture-regulating properties of wood.