Fire protection and architecture: Joint presentation in Carinthia
12.02.2026
As part of the continuing education series «Hot Topic: Fire Protection in Timber Construction,» Yves Schihin and Andreas Burgherr provided insights into planning, implementation, and built examples from Switzerland. The focus was on robust concepts, systematics, and the integral approach in multi-story timber construction.
Joint presentation with Yves Schihin and Andreas Burgherr
In the three-day course atCarinthia University of Applied Sciences as partof Interreg Slovenia–Austria LifeLongWood, Yves Schihin fromOxid Architektur and Andreas Burgherr fromTimbatec Holzbauingenieure Schweiz AG provided practical insights into fire protection and architecture in timber construction. Around 20 participants took an in-depth look at current developments as part of their continuing education.
Andreas Burgherr presented the fundamentals of fire protection in Swiss timber construction: the fire behavior of wood, typical damage patterns, protection objectives, and verification concepts. The focus was on the systematic handling of fire loads, cavities, and structural solutions. The key is a robust construction method that enables predictable and controllable fire behavior.
In the joint section,Yves Schihin presented selected projects from the last 15 years. Using completed residential and conversion buildings, he explained architectural strategies such as compact typologies, clear access systems, and targeted combinations of wood and mineral components.Andreas Burgherr commented on the specific requirements of fire protection solutions – from design to implementation, based on practical, first-hand experience.
The micro credential «BRANDAKTUELL– Fire Protection in Timber Construction» provided compact, practical, and interdisciplinary knowledge about fire protection in modern timber construction. The positive feedback confirmed the high demand for practical training in modern timber construction.
A particular highlight for the participants was the visit to the MA39 fire laboratory in Vienna with live fire tests.
Event impressions from Carinthia
© Images: Carinthia University of Applied Sciences | Organizer
Carinthia University of Applied Sciences | LifeLongWood Project | Micro Credential «BRANDAKTUELL - Fire Protection in Timber Construction»
The pilot project was developed and successfully implemented as part of the LifeLongWood project by Sonja Hohengasser (Professor of Architecture) and Richard Woschitz (Endowed Chair for Innovative and Sustainable Timber Construction). LifeLongWood is being implemented as part of the Interreg Slovenia–Austria program and is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The aim is to strengthen cross-border cooperation and tap into the potential of wood in terms of raw material use and vocational training.