IJTNS International Journal of Technical and Natural Sciences IJTNS 2671-3500 2671-3519 Balkan University Press 366 Research Article Innovative Design with Engineered Wood Products in Contemporary Architecture Miloshevska Janakieska Marija IBU 31 12 2024 4 2 45 55 CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Macedonian vernacular architecture prominently featured wood as one of the primary and widely utilized building material, owing to its abundance, versatility, ease of construction, and captivating aesthetic allure. Therefore, the wood industry in Macedonia has a long tradition of producing a wide range of wood and wood-based products. Despite a rich and prosperous history, the wood products sector has experienced a consistent decline in profitability, diminished capacity to enhance value through downstream manufacturing, and a decline in overall competitiveness over the past two decades. Engineered wood products (EWPs) are building materials that have been used since the early 1980s as replacements for, or in conjunction with, concrete and steel. They provide increased design flexibility for ambitious construction and advanced manufacturing technologies. This study will present modern and contemporary architectural designs using EWPs. Furthermore, it will introduce conceptual project proposals from students, showcasing innovative design ideas that leverage the advantages offered by EWPs as exceptional building materials.

 Engineered wood products (EWPs) design projects con temporary architecture References Akpan, E. I., Wetzel, B., & Friedrich, K. (2021). Eco-friendly and sustainable processing of wo od-based materials. Green Chemistry, 23(6), 2198–2232. https://doi.org/XXXX Biophilic Design. (n.d.). 14 patterns of biophilic design: Improving health and well-being in the built environment. Terrapin Bright Green. Retrieved May 8, 2025, from https://www.terrapinbri ghtgreen.com/reports/14-patterns 10.1039/d0gc04430j Kellert, S. R. (2018). Nature by design: The practice of biophilic design. Yale University Press. https://doi.org/10.12987/9780300235432 10.12987/9780300235432 Kitek Kuzman, M., Klaric, S., Barcic, A. P., Vlosky, R. P., Janakieska, M. M., & Groselj, P. (2018). Architect perceptions of engineered wood products: An exploratory study of selected count ries in Central and Southeast Europe. Construction and Building Materials, 179, 360–370. https://doi.org/XXXX 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2018.05.164 Miloshevska Janakieska, M., Ayrilmis, N., & Kitek Kuzman, M. (2021). Architects’ perceptions of engineered wood products: An exploratory study of selected countries. In Proceedings of the International Conference of Applied Sciences, Engineering and Mathematics (pp. 32–38). International Balkan University. Svajlenka, J., & Kozlovska, M. (2020). Evaluation of the efficiency and sustainability of timber-ba sed construction. Journal of Cleaner Production, 259, 120835. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. jclepro.2020.120835 10.1016/j Svajlenka, J., & Kozlovska, M. (2021). Factors influencing the sustainability of wood-based constructions’ Sustainability, 13(23), 12950. https://doi. org/10.3390/su132312950 10.3390/su132312950