This waterfront residential project demonstrates how western red cedar, with the right specification, can stand up to one of Europe's harshest environments.

Few climates punish cladding like Iceland's. Western red cedar earns its place in these exposed settings through natural chemistry.

Thujaplicins, a naturally-occurring chemical compound found in its heartwood, give cedar Durability Class 2 status without treatment, while its low density (around 370 kg/m³) brings dimensional stability that heavier species can't match.

Cedar moves less, holds its fixings and resists the checking and cupping that repeated wetting and drying provoke in less stable timbers.

With a face-fixed planed square edge (PSE) board – as in this project – that stability matters more so.

With no profile interlock to restrain movement, the timber itself has to stay flat and true, as cedar does.

Iceland Western Red Cedar 5 — Vertical boards create a clean, flowing aesthetic that elongates the building

Left uncoated, cedar weathers to a settled silver-grey.

An evolution rather than a decline, this process is caused by UV breaking down lignin. It's a pure cosmetic phenomenon, rather than an indicator of wear or decay.

Many designers value the grey aesthetic, but with the right coating, cedar's original colour can remain for years.