Recommended Free Tools
The sustainable London development is The William, a planned mixed-use scheme on Queensway in Bayswater. Foster + Partners’ design was reported to use a cross-laminated timber (CLT) structure, with BREEAM Outstanding and operationally zero-carbon performance described as targets—not confirmed results. The project should not be confused with the nearby Whiteleys redevelopment.
What is The William?
The William is a planned development on Queensway Parade, opposite the Whiteley department store in Bayswater. It is a separate project from the Whiteleys redevelopment, though both are associated with Foster + Partners.
ArchDaily’s November 2022 project report describes a six-floor scheme combining offices, shops and 32 homes, including 11 described as affordable. General Projects, the developer, gives the project’s area as 150,000 square feet.
How timber is used in the design
ArchDaily reports that the design uses CLT for the structure. General Projects describes the development as built entirely out of CLT; that is the developer’s description, not an independently verified account of every material in the building. Available project information does not establish the final timber supplier, timber volume, certification chain or construction progress.
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallCrashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minute#1 Best Overall
CLT is an engineered wood product made by bonding layers of timber at right angles. In a building, it can form structural elements rather than serving only as a visible finish. The reported approach for The William therefore puts timber at the core of the design, but the available information does not provide a detailed structural schedule that identifies every timber component.
Why choose timber for a London development?
Engineered timber can provide a structural alternative to more conventional systems, while its prefabricated components can be manufactured to precise dimensions. But the project-specific case for The William should not be inferred from another building: the available reports establish its planned CLT structure, not a quantified comparison of construction time, cost or carbon against a different design.
Rank #2
Foster + Partners’ completed Canary Wharf Crossrail Place project illustrates a different application. There, the practice designed the roof and external facades of the station’s overground structure. Timber Development UK describes a 310-metre spruce glulam diagrid roof, partly open above a landscaped rooftop park and covered in part with ETFE cushions. Its case study says timber was selected for its strength, adaptability, efficient machining along complex curves and nautical associations. It also says the lighter timber roof and ETFE covering reduced loads on the main structure compared with steel and glass alternatives.
That precedent helps explain how engineered timber can serve distinct structural and architectural purposes. It is not evidence that The William uses glulam, has the same design rationale or will achieve the same performance: The William is reported as a CLT-structure project, while Canary Wharf’s timber is a roof system.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Rank #3
- This set of massive timer framing chisels are useful for large timber framing work when working on very deep mortises, where blade strength is required
- 3 piece set contains the following sizes: 1", 1-1/2" and 2"
- Comes with a 9 inch Ash handle and 10-1/2 inch blade. Overall length is 19-/2 inches.
- Forged from special Sheffield steel to ensure a perfect balance of toughness, edge retention and sharpness
- Come fitted with protective leather tip guard.
What sustainability goals have been reported?
ArchDaily reported in 2022 that The William was designed to achieve BREEAM Outstanding and was planned to have operationally zero-carbon emissions upon completion. These are design targets, not evidence that the building has been certified, completed or measured in operation. The information available here does not establish its current construction or certification status.
Nor is there a verified whole-life-carbon figure for The William. A carbon assessment would need to account for more than the presence of timber, including materials, construction, operation and end-of-life assumptions. The available project information does not support a numerical carbon comparison with Canary Wharf or a claim that The William has already achieved a particular carbon outcome.
Foster + Partners’ 2021–2022 CSER report records practice-wide work through a Lifecycle Carbon Group and discussions of timber, responsible sourcing and whole-life carbon. This is historical context about the practice, not verification of The William’s sourcing or environmental performance.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How The William differs from Canary Wharf Crossrail Place
| Project | Status in the cited reports | Timber system and role | Sourcing and sustainability evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| The William, Bayswater | Design and project reporting from 2022; current construction and certification status not established. | CLT structure reported by ArchDaily; the developer describes the development as built entirely out of CLT. | BREEAM Outstanding and operationally zero-carbon performance were reported as targets. No final supplier, timber volume, certification chain or whole-life-carbon figure is established. |
| Canary Wharf Crossrail Place | Completed station and Crossrail infrastructure reported in 2018 by WIEHAG. | Spruce glulam diagrid roof, with ETFE cushions; Foster + Partners also designed the external facades of the overground structure. | WIEHAG reports 1,000 cubic metres of PEFC-certified wood processed into 1,414 beams. Timber Development UK describes the roof as 310 metres long; WIEHAG calls it 300 metres. These are source-specific measurements, not a reconciled single figure. |
Canary Wharf is a completed public transport project with a landscaped rooftop park; The William is a mixed-use scheme with homes, offices and shops. Their timber systems and available evidence differ, so the projects do not provide a like-for-like carbon-performance comparison.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Coarse/Medium Blade (13" / 330 mm): Ideal for framing, treated lumber, laminates, logs, and timbers; perfect for heavy-duty cutting tasks in construction and tree work using a reliable hand saw design.
- Medium/Fine Blade (10-1/2" / 267 mm): Designed for precise cutting of plywood, particle board, molding, and 2x4s, ensuring clean and accurate results for carpentry and fine woodworking projects.
- Extra Fine Blade (8-3/8" / 213 mm): Best suited for cutting PVC and ABS pipes, flush cuts, particle board, and plywood, providing versatility for drywall installations and detailed woodwork.
- Double Edged Blade (10" / 254 mm): Perfect for intricate dovetail joints, moldings, particle board, flush cuts, and plywood, enhancing your toolkit with a compact hacksaw for precision tasks.
- Double Edged Mini Blade (5-1/2" / 140 mm): Ideal for detailed work such as dovetails, moldings, particle board, flush cuts, and plywood, offering a small and portable saw solution for on-the-go projects.
What is established—and what remains unknown
- Established in project reporting: The William is the Queensway scheme in Bayswater; its design is reported to include a CLT structure, 32 homes and a target of BREEAM Outstanding and operationally zero-carbon emissions.
- Attributed to the developer: General Projects gives an area of 150,000 square feet and describes the scheme as built entirely out of CLT.
- Not established: The current construction and certification status, final timber sourcing and volume, certification chain, and measured whole-life-carbon performance.
- Separate precedent: Canary Wharf Crossrail Place demonstrates Foster + Partners’ use of engineered timber in a completed glulam roof, but its materials and sourcing figures belong to that project alone.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
