Timber housing has always been found in areas that have forests, but as a material, wood is no longer the reserve of log cabins or other vernacular dwellings. Today's wood houses are found not only in the woods but also in the city, and housing types range from the traditional to the experimental. Wood Houses celebrates this diversity. In the introduction, the author explores a number of important themes, such as the development of vernacular traditions in timber housing, timber frame construction, environmental benefits and concerns associated with the material, use of wood in an urban setting and fire prevention. The book is then divided into five themed chapters. Projects from around the world, selected because they exemplify innovative uses of this popular material, are illustrated with photographs and architectural drawings.

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Ruth Slavid is Special Projects Editor for The Architects' Journal. She is the author of Wood Architecture (Laurence King, 2005).