The Energy Biosciences Building at University of California–Berkeley is about to turn two. Unless you count the wood in its stairs and ceilings—then, it could be as old as 125. The building’s characteristic teak, a dense wood species that withstands moisture exceptionally well, was salvaged by TerraMai from Indonesian houses and factories built between 50 and 125 years ago.
TerraMai teak can be left untreated for a rough, rustic look or finished to look like new. In the ceiling of the Energy Biosciences Building, the gleam of the finished wood brightens the daylit lobby.
The Oregon-based wood retailer, whose past clients include Google, Starbucks, and the High Line, worked with specialists at 9Wood and architects at SmithGroupJJR on the building’s unique ceiling, which flows uninterrupted from the interior to the exterior. The final product is a testament to wood’s stunning beauty—even a century later.
