Wooden columns

Today, the tree trunks were mounted on the deck of GTB Lab in a few hours using steel connectors. The Dutch National Forest and Nature Reserve cut eight Douglas trees for GTB Lab as part of sustainable forest management. The use of the entire tree trunk presented the consortium with a rare challenge. Engineers and structural engineers are used to working with straight parts whose wood quality can be easily assessed. Now it had to process eight unique products without a single straight edge.

Tree trunks ready to be assembled.	Bottom side prepared for connection.	Connectors between floor and tree trunk columns.
Lifting log.	1 ton Douglas tree trunk lifted with apparant ease.	Moving tree trunk to its assembly point.
The foot connector is already mounted.	Walking log. Sliding trunk over connector.	Deepening of the pre-drilled holes to make them suitable for mounting. Placing fastening bolts.
Lifting top connector to its assembly point.	Sliding top connector over trunk.	Placing fastening bolts.
Top connecting piece ready for assembly of wooden roof structure. Lower connector anchors tree trunk columns.	The tree trunks blend into their green surroundings.	All the tree trunk columns have been put together. The next step is the roof structure.