Near where I live is a tall, narrow house. Somewhat to the quirky side of pretty, with snow-white walls, cute bulging eye-windows, visible roof-gardens and stupendous ocean views it suggests some skinny mariner staring out to sea. But I wouldn’t live there for quids. Why? Because it’s concrete. …Timber buildings have a warmth, a softness. They move and creak, they sigh. They seem capable, at least, of loving you back. …Concrete is architecture’s snow queen, startlingly photogenic but ruthless, inflexible and ultimately conscienceless. …Yet it’s so on-trend. Concrete is the new black. We used to deride the concrete box. Now it seems we all want to live in one. …the revival of mid-century brutalism …The feel is emaciated. Comfortless. Gaunt. …cement being the third-highest producer of anthropogenic CO2 – is ecologically abysmal …Plus there’s an alternative. CLT is cross-laminated timber.