The students of the Master in Advanced Ecological Buildings and Biocities have begun to prepare the wood that will be used to build the final project. To develop this process, each of the participants assumes a specific task that they then rotate in order to learn from all the stages that need to be taken into consideration.

This effort represents a subsequent stage to the sustainable management of the forest where Valldaura Labs harvests approximately 40 trees each season. Every specimen is individually and carefully selected based on the Collserola Natural Park and Valldaura estate Forest Management Plans. This selection has the intention to accelerate the development of the regionally appropriate mature ecosystem evolutionarily optimized to enhance biodiversity, carbon sequestration, air purification and resilience.

After you have the logs, you need to organize a multi-stage process. It begins by selecting the logs to be cut to be taken to a first cleaning station. This stage is important because any stone stuck in the bark can damage the hacksaw. In the same way, sand can quickly deteriorate the edge of the saw. To do this cleaning, pressurized water is mainly used.

Later, in order to trace the use of each wood piece to its origin, an intricate marking system is used with patterns and colors along the cross section of each timber piece. This ensures that the particular markings and mapping strategy will remain intact even after the wood is cut into boards and distributed later for various uses.

When it is already marked, the log is taken to the cutting machine. Due to its circular section, the trunk is unstable at the beginning, so it must be carefully fixed to the structure. After the first cuts to eliminate the bark and irregularities, the cutting of the slats or the pieces that are required begins.

Finally, each piece that is cut must be put out to dry. For this, a series of spacers made from the residual pieces are used to allow air to pass between the slats. This drying process is essential and you have to wait weeks before the cut pieces can be used. As this time passes, the students will dedicate themselves to designing the final prototype.