High-rise buildings made of wood
- Maike Kristina Harich
- Jun 11
- 4 min read
Of course, the most environmentally friendly building is the one that isn't built at all. After all, buildings account for up to 40% of global CO2 emissions. However, when construction is done, alternatives to common building materials are needed for sustainability. Wood is certainly the most obvious choice here, and is well-known and popular for single-family homes or vacation homes. However, wood construction is still relatively rare for apartment buildings and commercial properties. But there are now examples that show that wood is a perfectly suitable material for building multiple residential or commercial units on multiple floors.
As a renewable and locally available material, wood offers a good alternative to energy-intensive materials such as concrete and steel. It can reduce the climate impact of buildings by up to 50%, shorten construction time, and store carbon dioxide over the building's lifetime. It is also relatively easy to recycle. Of course, wood is not infinitely available and is a valuable and limited resource that must be managed responsibly.
Since I'm writing a personal blog, I can also voice my opinion and reveal that I don't particularly like high-rise buildings. To me, they quickly resemble cages in factory farming. Above all, however, I need quick access to a garden or outdoor space to feel comfortable. But luckily tastes and needs differ. And I'm currently changing my mind because I'm also aware that, in the interests of minimizing soil sealing, it makes a lot of sense to build upwards. Not to mention that reducing living space also saves resources - in heating alone. And with the increasing number of single-person households, a community in an apartment complex ideally promotes social interaction. Not to mention that in cities it will be financially fewer and fewer people who can afford a detached single-family home. After all, a lack of space drives up the price per square meter.
So, if we're going to build high-rises, then we want them to exude life and vibrancy through their architecture and, of course, their building materials. Greening is one option (more on that elsewhere), and wood as a building material is another.
Here are some examples of high-rise buildings made of wood:
Mjøstårnet (Norway)
The world's currently tallest wooden building is located in Norway. Mjøstårnet is an 18-story, mixed-use building in Brumunddal, completed in March 2019. At 85.4 meters tall, it is officially the world's tallest wooden building. Mjøstårnet translates as "the tower of Lake Mjøsa." The building is named after Norway's largest lake, located 100 km from Oslo.
Stockholm Wood City (Sweden)
Stockholm Wood City will be the world's largest urban construction project made of wood. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2025.
Cultural Center Sara & Wood Hotel (Sweden)
The Sara cultural center has been rising in the heart of the small northern Swedish town of Skellefteå since 2021. It is one of the tallest wooden buildings in the world and Skellefteå's new meeting place for concerts, performances, meetings, art exhibitions, events, and much more. Adjacent to the building is the 205-room Wood Hotel. The wood used is sourced exclusively locally, drastically reducing transportation requirements.
Just as I finished my article, a report about this very construction project appeared in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. It's well worth reading (but behind a paywall): https://www.faz.net/aktuell/feuilleton/kunst-und-architektur/hochhaus-ganz-aus-holz-in-schweden-gebaut-nachhaltige-architektur-19136696.html
Roots (Germany)
There are also projects for wooden high-rise buildings in Germany. In Hamburg, the "Roots" building is under construction and, at 65 meters, will be (provisionally) the tallest wooden building in the country. The 18-story building will form part of the entrance to the Elbbrückenquartier in Hamburg's HafenCity district. A total of 181 apartments will be built. The German Wildlife Foundation will also occupy a total of 4,000 square meters, including exhibition, office, and restaurant space. The complex, designed by the Hamburg architectural firm Störmer Murphy and Partners, is scheduled for completion in 2024.
roots | Hamburg - Garbe Real Estate
WoHo (Germany)
A skyscraper is planned in Berlin that will even reach 98 meters. The WoHo in Kreuzberg is a design by the Norwegian architectural firm Mad arkitekter, which won the city of Berlin's construction competition. Only the core and the basement are to be constructed of reinforced concrete; the rest is made of wood. The base composition, cantilevers, and projections in the tower create a sense of movement, which is complemented by the vibrancy of the green and clearly structured grid-like wooden structure of the facade.
Moholt (Norway)
The "Moholt" student village in Trondheim is a densification project. It comprises a total of five residential towers with communal facilities on the ground floor, such as a kindergarten, fitness rooms, a grocery store, a laundry room, and a hair salon. Pinewood is also the predominant material inside the building: Significantly lighter than the exterior, it covers the walls, stairwells, and part of the ceilings. The built-in furniture is also made of pinewood.
Sources: Wikipedia / http://www.visitsweden.com / Oona Horx Strathern (Zukunftsinstitu):
Warum Holz als Baustoff Zukunft hat
댓글