CUTEK® wood protection products are formulated to enhance the look and life-span of wood in an environmentally friendly way. Because of these attributes, CUTEK® Extreme became the protective coating of choice in the award-winning Taylor and Hinds Architects design – Krakani Lumi. Showing that there is no need to sacrifice effectiveness or mask the wood’s beauty,CUTEK® Extreme provides eco-friendly AND powerful wood protection.
Krakani Lumi or ‘Place of Rest’, is located in William National Park, Tasmania. Commissioned by the Aboriginal Land Council, it serves as a standing camp for guided walks between Wukalina (Mt William) and Larapuna (Eddystone Point).
Traditional half-domed aboriginal shelters, made of arched branches and sheets of bark were the inspiration for the interior curved walls. Tasmanian blackwood, coated in CUTEK® Extreme with a Black Ash CUTEK® Colortone, provides a rich hue that showcases natural variation in grain and color, adding depth and warmth to the shelters. Penetrating deep into the wood, CUTEK® Extreme allows the grain to not only be seen, but felt, with the surface unmasked.
Enveloped within natural flora, Krakani Lumi respects and responds to the landscape. Minimizing the impact on native flora and fauna during construction was important. Individual buildings were partly fabricated offsite and airlifted into place by helicopter. Small hollows were designed within the wall cavities to shelter of native birdlife and hollow-dependent marsupials. The easy and low impact maintenance of CUTEK® Extreme – no sanding or stripping required; simply wash and recoat – made it the logical choice and aligns with the “minimal environmental disturbance” mantra of the project.
Krakani Lumi has a focus on energy efficiency, self-sufficiency and sustainability. The camp is off-grid; powered by solar and with its own water supply, yet design ingenuity facilitates a comfortable stay. The concealed pulley mechanism in the sleeping huts being just one example. This focus is further augmented by the use of wood as the almost exclusive building material. Locally sourced structural wood– Blackbutt, Tasmanian Blackwood and Tasmanian Oak – were utilised for their durability, appearance and narrative. Exposed to the harsh Tasmanian coastal environment, this natural material also provides low embodied energy and high thermal efficiency. Protecting with CUTEK® Extreme combats the often damp and wet conditions that lead to wood deacy (cupping, warping and splitting) to improve the long-term dimensional stability and overall long-term sustainability of the wood structures.
CUTEK® Extreme supports the environmentally friendly philosophy and design aesthetic of Krakani Lumi. It aligns with the low impact, eco-friendly ethos whilst showcasing and protecting the beautiful local wood. The stunning design visual is partnered with CUTEK®’s excellent protection against the prevailing extreme weather conditions.
For an environmentally conscious wood coating that does not sacrifice effectiveness or mask beauty, choose CUTEK® Extreme.
