“Hybrid is the new way of building with timber”
Stefan Winter ranks among the leading experts on the use of wood as a building material. In an interview with UBM Development, the professor and trained carpenter explains why hybrid solutions are not a step backwards for timber construction and how long-lasting timber products can help to mitigate climate change.
Until recently, timber construction had almost completely disappeared from the urban landscape. Now, the development of new timber building materials as high-tech solutions has led to more and more buildings being built of wood, and in structures that are reaching ever-increasing heights. We are currently witnessing how urban space is being reclaimed. Alongside other biobased construction solutions, wood could be a key to achieving climate turnaround. “Reforest the planet, retimber the city,” says climate researcher Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, the visionary behind the initiative New European Bauhaus. It is an approach that Stefan Winter also wholeheartedly embraces – whether in his capacity as a professor at the Technical University of Munich, as an author of technical publications or – with his company bauart – as a structural engineer for multi-storey timber buildings such as Timber Peak, a current UBM Development project at the former customs port Zollhafen Mainz.
As the founder and managing director of bauart, you are responsible for the structural engineering of Timber Peak. It is the first high-rise office building in Mainz to be built using timber hybrid construction techniques. Does it make sense to use wood as a building material in urban areas?
STEFAN WINTER: Wood is an obvious choice for urban use, especially for multi-storey hybrid buildings, where we should be substituting as much material as possible with a more environmentally friendly material that can be produced with a low amount of primary energy. Of course, you can’t do that everywhere. With this project, we have an underground car park and structural elements that are in contact with the ground, where it doesn’t make much sense to build with timber. But it’s an outstanding material for every situation where it can be used. And it is wonderful that UBM Development is constructing Timber Peak, the first timber hybrid building in Mainz. That fits with the times.
The book description for the “Manual of Multi-Storey Timber Construction”, which you co-authored, states: “Hybrid is the new way of building with timber”. What does this mean?
In hybrid building, that is, building with mixed materials, we actually distinguish between three levels. First, there is the purely material level. We now have building products composed of combined hardwood and softwood. For instance, there is glued laminated timber with outer layers of beech – which are stronger – and coniferous timber on the inside. Or wood-reinforced timber which has been developed by us with coniferous timber lamellae on the outside and reinforced with beech veneer on the inside to strengthen the wood using internal and constant transverse tension.
The next level is the component level. This includes, for example, hybrid building components like timber-concrete composite slabs, in which a layer of concrete is poured over a layer of solid wood. That significantly minimizes the use of concrete in the ceiling and combines the benefits of both materials. Concrete helps to create non-combustible layers, for instance.
And at the third level, we refer to hybrid buildings. For instance, we might have a staircase tower and elevator shafts made of concrete, with the floors built around this reinforcing core consisting of a solid timber and skeleton construction.
Hybrid construction is therefore encountered on various levels, and there are actually thousands of potential combinations.
In other words, it doesn’t make sense to use only timber in multi-storey buildings?
We will not be able to build modern buildings entirely out of timber, as we once did with log cabins – and this is precisely what led us to say in this book: Hybrid is the new way of building with timber. We are convinced that there is no point in building entirely with wood, it will always be combined with other materials. Our resources need to be reployed where it makes sense to do so. And it’s simply a very good idea to use them together in a coordinated manner.
At what point would we call something a genuine timber construction?
For our purposes, we have defined it as follows: If more than 50 percent of the volume of a building’s shell is made of wood, then we can call it a timber construction. That is the minimum requirement. It’s not the same if you build a tower out of reinforced concrete and then add a timber facade – you can’t call that a wooden high-rise.
The Scandinavians are a bit more radical as far as that is concerned, they are using cross laminated timber to build lift shafts. What do you think about that?
We have done that ourselves as well, for Kampa K8 in Aalen, for instance – but in Germany we are facing resistance. Purely for fire safety reasons, we have only managed to gain approval for CLT stairwells in Germany up to building category 4. I would like this to be extended to include building category 5 as well.
In Aalen – where we just stopped short of classification as a high-rise – both stairwell shafts are load-bearing and structural. However, buildings that are tall and slender need concrete as reinforcement. I believe that a timber-framed facade – like the ones for the timber high-rises Treet in Bergen and Mjøstårnet near Lillehammer in Norway – is not really the best solution, neither architecturally nor spatially.
But I’m torn in two here – seeing it from the perspective of a timber construction engineer on the one hand and a fire safety engineer on the other. And when true high-rises are built, fire safety engineers argue the case for a shaft that will cope with a catastrophe. But here I could imagine a combination of the two in future: using reinforced concrete for the shaft and cross laminated timber for everything else.
Prof. Stefan Winter
completed an apprenticeship as a carpenter before studying civil engineering at the Technical University of Munich. In 1993, he founded bauart Konstruktions GmbH, which ranks among Europe’s leading engineering firms in timber construction. Since 2003, he has held the Chair of Timber Construction and Structural Engineering at the Technical University of Munich and has written numerous technical publications on the subject.
It seems as though the topic of multi-storey timber constructions and fire safety is being reinvented in each individual city – especially when they encounter this kind of project for the first time. Do you think existing knowledge could be shared here?
It’s always best to specify uniform rules. Right now, we are working on developing these uniform rules in Germany, called the Musterholzbaurichtlinie (model timber construction directive – supplementary specifications for the building regulations in Germany), as part of the evaluation of the research project TIMpuls. The new directive has been finished as a draft and it will hopefully be available soon. Discussions about fire safety will only die down when we have rules that are common knowledge.
But you are right, of course. It is because training is based more on reinforced concrete and steel construction. In the follow-up project TIMpuls dissemination, we are working specifically on further training programmes for professional fire departments, fire brigades, and local building authorities. All parties involved have to be trained and educated. The greater number of buildings built with wood in the future, the simpler everything will become.
It is like that everywhere. I know the people who did the engineering for Mjøstårnet (Ed. – until autumn 2022 the world’s tallest timber high-rise). You mustn’t think it was all done without discussions.
By now, everyone will have heard the shot being fired. We’re in a hurry, and in the construction sector we have a huge influence on what happens to the climate as a whole.
Stefan Winter, timber construction engineer and professor at Munich Technical University
Timber Peak is situated on filled ground at the tip of the harbour basin. Did that present a particular challenge?
The subsoil was indeed quite challenging. But the foundation piles required by this situation will be used for heating and cooling, which kills two birds with one stone. If you have to drill down deep anyway, you can also tap into geothermal energy, which is an excellent idea. Anything that provides multiple benefits is ultimately more efficient, cost-effective and environmentally friendly as well.
Another good idea – which was to equip all the UBM buildings at the Zollhafen with a central photovoltaic system – could not be achieved.
The land-use plans are often 20 or 30 years old. And the fact that these plans are upheld sometimes makes us despair. By now, everyone will have heard the shot being fired. We’re in a hurry, and in the construction sector we have a huge influence on what happens to the climate as a whole. But it still needs a lot of development in society, and here we need a change in policy. We need to start convincing people, to attract a broad public. Each and every one of us needs to understand that we must change the way we behave, and that we also need to rethink approaches to urban planning. I am convinced that in future we will design and develop buildings according to their ability to generate energy and cooling.
Timber construction is seen as a highly promising way of achieving the green building revolution and decarbonizing the construction industry. The EU has paved the way for this with the Green Deal and the New European Bauhaus initiative. In practice, however, there is often a lack of skilled workers and the producers of timber building materials are unable to keep up with the growing demand. How can we turn this situation around?
For one thing, the market naturally regulates a great many things. And the market has also already begun this adaptation process, with many traditional building companies now focusing very intensively on timber construction. People recognize the direction that this development is taking and are investing accordingly. This won’t happen overnight, but we are in the process of massively ramping up production capacity.
Moreover, the timber industry fortunately has relatively few recruitment problems compared to bricklayers and concrete workers. Timber construction is still an attractive career choice for young people. They are attracted by the craftsmanship aspect and the natural beauty of wood. At the same time, today’s carpentry profession offers digital work processes with software-controlled CNC machines – that’s a brilliant mix. Timber construction is without a doubt the building sector that has made the most progress in terms of prefabrication and digitalization.
If timber is used as a resource for more construction projects, could the supply dry up?
Firstly, the market here is influenced by global developments. Two years ago, the price of timber went through the roof because the U.S. suddenly screamed out for wood and a lot was shipped overseas.
However, it is naturally right to ask whether we can continue the product portfolio in this way, especially in the area of mass timber, i.e. cross laminated timber. We have been working on a research project called LaNaSys (Ed. – taken from the German name Laubholz- & Nadelholzsystem, meaning soft- and hardwood system) in which the cross laminated timber is further developed using a middle layer of hardwood. As the characteristics of hardwood are much better than those of softwood, you need less wood overall in order to achieve the same performance characteristics.
Timber construction must begin to use resources more efficiently. After all, sustainable forestry is also limited in its growth. At the moment there is a lot of planting around the world, but it naturally takes a certain amount of time before the wood is fit for cutting.
With ecological forest management and a sensible use of wood in long-term products, there is a realistic chance of actually combatting climate change and reducing the amount of CO2 in the air.
Stefan Winter, timber construction engineer and professor at Munich Technical University
And so you are not among the optimists who say that we could theoretically use timber to build everything?
I am a bit more sceptical because wood is not just a resource for construction purposes, we shouldn’t forget that. In the German state of Saxony-Anhalt, for example, UPM Biochemicals has built a factory where biochemicals are manufactured on the basis of wood. Their products include PET bottles, for example, and also organic soot for car tyres. In other factories wood is used to make textiles. About 1.5 million cubic metres of wood per year are needed for the first building phase of such a chemical plant, rising to 10 million cubic metres in the final phase. This would be about one seventh of our standard felling in Germany.
But I still believe there is enough wood for building if you try to conserve resources at the same time.
What about the state of our forests?
We have had widespread bark beetle damage not only in Germany, but also in Austria and Switzerland. We will have to consider new forest management measures for the future. But I remain highly optimistic that no matter what the forest yields, with modern processing technologies we can produce materials that, when used over long periods, can store carbon for 50, 100 or even 150 years.
The most unsatisfactory approach would be to say that we merely have to let the forests grow by themselves, without any help. Scientists have already provided evidence that the opposite is true. With ecological forest management and sensible use of wood in long-term products, there is a realistic chance of actually combatting climate change and reducing the amount of CO2 in the air.
Do you also see potential for decarbonization in other building sectors?
There are of course also exciting developments with other materials. Construction companies are working intensively on concretes with lower CO₂ emissions, with other aggregates and with low-density concretes. It’s always in crisis situations that people start to focus their engineering acumen on finding new solutions. Fortunately, there is also a great deal of engineering expertise today among young women who are interested in environmentally relevant topics and bring new creativity to the table. I am confident that we will see a host of inventions and advancements in the coming years.
Currently, timber hybrid high-rises are being built that surpass the 100-metre mark. What further developments do you expect to see in urban timber construction?
I can imagine hybrid high-rises being built up to the 300-metre threshold. From a purely technical point of view, I can’t think of any limitations. Wood is a material with an extremely good strength-to-weight ratio, which means that its weight is extremely low in relation to its structural properties. So I can envision wood primarily playing a role in the densification of existing urban landscapes. In Central Europe, at any rate, this will be a major focus for the industry, with additions, extensions, added storeys and other expansion projects. Our office has a regular influx of such projects – it’s like performing open-heart surgery, without the building being vacated during the construction work.
Most buildings in cities have a height of between six and ten storeys, which is a range where timber construction is a good choice – and not just in this part of the world. I also hope that the opportunity will be taken to make Ukraine one of the first truly sustainable countries when it is rebuilt.
What other challenges will the construction industry have to contend with in the future?
We will have to deal intensively with urban mining, in other words, with recovering materials that we have already used, including timber. In a large-scale research project with the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, we are currently analysing how to evaluate used timber for its performance properties. This also applies to other building materials.
Ultimately, and more than anything else, humanity must be convinced that the forests are an infinite resource as long as they are managed correctly.
Stefan Winter, timber construction engineer and professor at Munich Technical University
Surveys have shown that at present wood waste usually ends up on a rubbish tip because it is supposedly too expensive to perform structural engineering calculations and check for chemical treatment.
Costs are always relative and also dependent on availability. If I have enough green wood and it is also inexpensive, then that will be my first choice. But if I am faced with a shortage, then it becomes more attractive to reuse resources. If twenty-five years ago somebody like Karl Moser (Ed. – the first industrial manufacturer of cross laminated timber) had decided production was much too expensive, then we wouldn’t have 1.5 million cubic metres of cross laminated timber being manufactured in Europe today, and that number is increasing.
Of course, old wood from the 1950s that was treated with arsenic can’t be reused for construction purposes. But luckily, we got rid of chemical treatment in the early 1990s. Nowadays, we know this isn’t necessary, and that technical drying and sensible structural wood preservation are entirely sufficient.
In Portland, Oregon, an architectural firm recently salvaged 80-year-old wood from an industrial building and reused it in a different one (Project: Redfox Commons). The wood was in pristine condition.
Wood is actually indestructible as long as it stays dry. There is no carbonation like you get with concrete, and no corrosion like with steel. The best evidence here are the stave churches made of wood in Norway, and also the temples in Japan. They are around a thousand years old.
The current high demand for wood – as a ray of hope for the climate – is coinciding with a record level of global logging and deforestation. How will humanity overcome this conflict?
Sometimes humans can be really stupid, there’s no other way to say it. The power shift in Brazil gives us reason to hope that the reclamation of land for arable farming and cattle ranching will be curbed. At the end of the day, however, humanity will need to be convinced that our forests, when they are managed correctly, are an infinite resource. This needs to be achieved by means of educational measures, research work and training on the one hand, and through the political will to actually implement this on the other. Considering that is such a mammoth task, trying to face it on your own can sometimes be overwhelming. Any attempt to make progress needs you to take one small step at a time.
Can you give an example?
At Munich Technical University we have submitted a project called the “Intra-Africa Education Team for Sustainable Construction”. We would like to work with the KNUST (Ed. – Kwame-Nkrumah-University of Science and Technology) in Ghana, Johannesburg University and a university in Tanzania in order to set up relevant degree courses and create awareness for sustainable construction and ecological forestry. We have to understand that our life in Europe is at an insanely high standard, and that we have to use all our strength from the outset to support those who want to improve their own lives, so they can do this in a way that is environmentally sound.
What small steps can each individual take?
We have to work on reducing our carbon footprint. This is also a matter of education. Sometimes it is very difficult to teach people that a little less meat is healthy for them and good for the environment. Or that taking the train is in fact better than driving an SUV. We each have to start with ourselves.
So we can achieve this?
I wouldn’t say that humanity is completely incapable of failing here. But wood could be a key to tackling climate change. To quote Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, Director Emeritus of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research: “Reforest the planet, retimber the city.” I find this an excellent approach that I am happy to continue to support.
Interview: Gertraud Gerst
Translation: Rosemary Bridger-Lippe
Photos: Philipp Horak, Munich Technical University, Jeremy Bittermann, Lever Architecture
Visualizations: Sacker Architekten
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Stefano Boeri is regarded as a pioneer of biodiverse architecture. The Torre dei Cedri planned for the outskirts of Lausanne will be another of his spectacular towers. This time, the vertical forest will consist of over 80 trees.
A special kind of discovery world is taking shape in Gothenburg, where Swedish vehicle manufacturer Volvo is using timber construction and nature to create its World of Volvo. The components and engineering for Henning Larsen’s design are being provided by Austrian firm Wiehag.
Danish architects 3XN are operating a separate division called GXN that develops green innovations. In this interview, Kim Herforth Nielsen and Kåre Poulsgaard talk about behavioural design, carbon as a market driver, and their radical high-rise project in Sydney.
The Klimatorium in Lemvig, Denmark, devises strategies to counteract global climate change. Situated on the coast of Jutland, the building designed by architects 3XN has already achieved iconic status.
As Dusseldorf’s Theodor Heuss Bridge needs a complete overhaul, the team at RKW Architektur + put their heads together – and produced a spectacular new design. It is literally packed with potential.
The town of Jessheim is getting an impressive new centre. Designed by Norwegian firm Mad arkitekter, it promises to combine sustainable urban development with attractive indoor and outdoor areas.
Metropol Parasol has achieved a phenomenal rejuvenation of a neglected square in Seville. The iconic timber construction by J.MAYER.H architects is a prime example of successful intervention in public space.
The Forestias is one of the largest property development projects in Thailand. The highlight of this project by Foster + Partners is a 48,000 m² urban forest designed by TK Studio.
The Kajstaden Tall Timber Building in Sweden marks the beginning of a new generation of mass timber blocks. Using this building material saves around 500 tonnes of CO₂, and it also facilitates deconstruction later on.
There’s a rocket preparing to launch in Switzerland. The residential timber high-rise named Rocket in Winterthur’s Lokstadt neighbourhood will reach a height of 100 metres. The tower’s residents will be part of the 2000-watt society.
May we introduce Carl? Using timber for its facade besides the supporting structure, the apartment block is currently under construction in Pforzheim. Architect Peter W. Schmidt explains how this is being done.
Kautokeino skole in northern Norway is a project that seeks to embrace the uniqueness of Sami culture and educational style. The mass wood building is so hygge, you’ll want to check in for a few nights.
If you love the far north, you’ll love the Lyngen Alps. And if you love the Lyngen Alps, you’ll love the bungalows by architect Snorre Stinessen.
Canada’s megaproject Waterfront Toronto includes a new district called Quayside, an all-electric and climate-neutral community. Its highlights are a two-acre urban forest and the residential Timber House by architect David Adjaye.
The city of San Diego in Southern California has plans for a new district, one that will be entirely void of cars. Known as Neighborhood Next, it must be one of the most radical projects in the USA.
The new urban quarter Zwhatt near Zurich is designed to enable climate-neutral living at affordable prices. One of its buildings is a 75-metre-high timber hybrid tower known as Redwood, whose facade generates solar power.
Architect and biologist Timothée Boitouzet has used nanotechnology to give wood an upgrade. The new material “Woodoo” is translucent, fire-resistant, weatherproof and up to five times stronger than normal wood.
Timber construction can be decidedly high-tech, as illustrated by the head office built for SR Bank in Stavanger, Norway. Bjergsted Financial Park offers workplaces that are fit for the future, and it is among Europe’s largest engineered timber buildings.
So, what does "Noom" actually mean? While Sanzpont [arquitectura] and Pedrajo + Pedrajo Arquitectos don't exactly reveal this, their "Living the Noom" concept is pretty clear: it’s all about a fresh take on housing. With environmental protection and quality of life as a top priority.
HafenCity Hamburg is an urban quarter fit for the future. Its eco cherry on the top is the “Null-Emissionshaus” (Zero Emissions Building), which is completely carbon-neutral – and can be dismantled like a Lego house.
Snøhetta creates high-calibre architecture, including accommodation at high altitudes amidst Norway’s glaciers. The architects have enriched the Tungestølen mountain cabins with a special feeling of hygge.
Apple’s former design head BJ Siegel has developed a concept for a timber modular house. The urban prefab named Juno is designed for mass production – and hopes for success on the scale of the iPhone.
Communal vegetable patches, car sharing and a timber building that overtops many others. Sweden’s largest housing cooperative is celebrating its 100th anniversary with a project called Västerbroplan that shows how people will live in the future.
Bearing the name Tree House Rotterdam, Holland’s new landmark-to-be looks like a gigantic stack of wooden shelves with glass lofts added on top. It aims to take the sustainability of timber high-rises to a new level.
Three tonnes of lettuce and vegetables annually will be farmed on top of the We-House, a timber construction project in Hamburg’s HafenCity. The on-site restaurant serves meals for residents of this sophisticated eco-house at cost price.
The design for the urban office building Saint Denis in Paris shows the potential of parametric design in timber construction. Architect Arthur Mamou-Mani is a luminary in this new discipline, and we were able to meet him online.
Researchers at Cambridge University are helping to turn London’s spectacular vision of a wooden skyscraper into reality. The Oakwood Timber Tower is to rise 300 metres into the sky, almost level with the tallest building in the city.
Self-sufficiency is no longer a dream reserved for downshifters. The modular building system named The Farmhouse designed by Studio Precht allows residents to grow food in big cities.
Homerton College at the University of Cambridge has chosen the design by Alison Brooks Architects for a pavilion that combines modern timber construction with high-tech facilities. It is expected to be a future-facing answer to their needs.
The Swedish university city of Växjö has been named “the Greenest City in Europe”. Half of all its new buildings have been built with timber. But the city plans to go even further.
The Scandinavians have shown their pioneering strength once again, this time in the design for a new cultural centre. The Sara Kulturhus in Sweden’s Skellefteå is among the world’s tallest high-rise structures built entirely from wood.
When it comes to timber construction engineering, the United States has been lagging behind other countries. Ascent Tower in Milwaukee aims to change this. Topping out as the world’s tallest timber tower at a height of 284 feet, the building uses expertise and structural elements from Austria.
As many as 40,000 pieces of wood had to be fitted together for the gift shop in the National Museum of Qatar. The inspiration behind this award-winning interior design was supplied by a miracle of nature in Qatar’s desert.
Canada’s Earth Tower aims to outshine all existing timber high-rise buildings. Its energy concept means that this 40-storey skyscraper in Vancouver will be the world’s tallest passive house.
On the edge of the tropical rainforest in Mexico, a research museum will explore how nature and progress can be reconciled. Known as Xinatli, its sophisticated design takes a fresh look at circular building materials.
The eco-friendly residential project Roots will be the new landmark of Hamburg’s HafenCity and the tallest timber high-rise in Germany. Architect Jan Störmer reveals what its future residents will have in common.
The Danish office 3XN is planning to build North America’s tallest timber office building in Toronto. Called T3 Bayside, the complex will offer more than 500,000 sq. ft. of next-generation office space when completed.
Oslo was once built entirely of wood. The project chosen to redesign the area around its railway station heralds the return of this traditional building material to the Scandinavian metropolis. A spectacular office tower with an innovative hub is being developed, named Fjordporten.
Dutch architectural firm Gaaga has designed a residential building in Eindhoven that is distinctly people- and environment-friendly. Surrounded by trees, it is situated in the middle of a park.
The redevelopment of an above-ground Nazi-era bunker is Hamburg’s largest building project since the Elbe Philharmonic Concert Hall. With spectacular rooftop gardens and nhow Hamburg design hotel, this new landmark in the heart of the St. Pauli district is sure to become a magnet for visitors.
Japanese architect Kengo Kuma and Australian artist Geoff Nees teamed up to design the Botanical Pavilion – a wooden pavilion that is constructed like a 3D puzzle – without using any kind of glue or screws.
The round construction known as TECLA has created quite a stir. Having teamed up as 3D printing pioneers, WASP and Mario Cucinella Architects have produced the first CO₂-free housing prototype printed entirely from raw earth.
Japanese architectural firm UENOA has created a wooden office that has no need for bearing walls. Folded origami-style, the ceiling construction gives a whole new lightness to cross-laminated timber.
Sustainability is a top priority for the Powerhouse Company. In an interview, partner Stefan Prins explains why this means more than just a careful choice of materials and energy efficiency, and how essential it is to consider all the changes brought about by climate change when building.
The Life Cycle Tower One was the first timber high-rise in Austria and the prototype for a new type of serial construction. CREE founder Hubert Rhomberg explains the green building concept and why we have to learn to think in lifecycles.
Most people looking for a new home with a sustainable design need to have deep pockets. Rotterdam’s Pendrecht district aims to buck this trend courtesy of timber building Valckensteyn, the brainchild of the architects at Powerhouse Company.
In Düsseldorf, The Cradle is gradually taking shape. The timber hybrid office building is being constructed according to circular economy principles, and these will also govern its future use.
The Dutch city of Eindhoven will soon be home to the world’s highest “plyscraper”. The two towers – 100 and 130 metres high and known as the Dutch Mountains – are to set new standards in high-rise timber construction.
An entire residential complex in Berlin-Kreuzberg is to be built out of timber – vertically. With a planned height of almost 100 metres, WoHo is set to be Germany’s tallest timber building.
A mixed-use project in Sweden’s Gothenburg is being crowned by star architect Dorte Mandrup. The jewel in this crown is its use of timber. The new eco construction is intended to become an icon in sustainable urban architecture.
Designed by US architect David Rockwell, built according to WELL Building Standard principles. The Sage Collection by British furniture maker Benchmark is good for humans and the environment.
Swiss urban planning combines prominent architecture with ecological timber construction. Lausanne’s Tilia Tower is setting a high standard in future-proof urban development.
Munich’s Prinz-Eugen-Park is the site of the largest integrated timber settlement in Germany. And that’s not all – the city planners have even more in the pipeline.
Once Europe’s largest freight station, Brussels’ monumental Gare Maritime is now the largest European CLT project. Neutelings Riedijk Architects have transformed the historic structure into a covered district, giving it a sustainable new lease of life using cross-laminated timber.
The plans just unveiled for the new, 180-metre-high timber tower designed for the Sydney-based software giant Atlassian represent a milestone in environmentally friendly construction using this renewable raw material.
Charred is the new black. An ancient Japanese technique for conserving wood is all the rage in contemporary architecture. As well as looking sophisticated, this building material scores top marks when it comes to sustainability.
Prague’s Central Station has already undergone years of renovation work. The design by Henning Larsen aims to redevelop the district’s less desirable areas and transform the station into an attractive destination with a spectacular timber construction.
The new research and innovation centre built for Danone to the southwest of Paris, called the In’Cube, is an example of timber hybrid construction at its finest. Instead of banishing research behind closed doors, there is a focus on transparency.
The European Organization for Nuclear Research examines the structure of matter. Its latest construction is already underway: named CERN B777 and designed by Henning Larsen, the new research centre will be round and mostly made of wood.
Australia could be described as a late mover as far as sustainable construction is concerned. One of its timber buildings – the award-winning Macquarie University Incubator – shows how to reduce energy and resources on all levels.
The TUM Campus at Munich’s Olympiapark shows how a carefully planned timber project can save resources and the associated costs. Shortlisted for the DAM Preis 2024, it was formerly Europe’s largest timber construction.
São Paulo is home to Brazil’s “most sustainable McDonald’s”. It has a timber design and is presented as an educational project for sustainable building. For the company, the wooden structure is a “recipe for the future”.
The master plan named Ecotope was chosen by renowned Swiss education and research institute EPFL to fulfil an important requirement. Green spaces will flourish instead of blanketing the ground with bleak tarmac; circular materials will replace concrete and steel.
On the Norwegian coast, the office building Lumber 4 has been constructed in only twelve months – using wood. For the architects at Oslotre, the project shows that timber buildings are not just sustainable, but also economically competitive.
The new Torshavn ferry terminal is set to give the Faroe Islands a new architectural landmark with a hybrid timber-concrete design. With architects Henning Larsen on board, it also re-opens the harbour to the islanders.
The German city of Heilbronn is home to a remarkable timber structure. Innovation Factory 2.0 displays a new kind of aesthetics, both on the inside and outside. This sophisticated paradise for innovation displays precision craftsmanship from Switzerland.
For its new office building Luisenblock West, the German Bundestag chose a design using prefabricated wooden modules. Austrian module experts Kaufmann Bausysteme have been working flat out ever since. On hotels, schools and student halls.
Anybody looking to combine a skiing trip with some architectural gems will be in their element at the top of the Chäserrugg in Switzerland. A tour of this award-winning building designed by Herzog & de Meuron gives an insight into sustainable construction methods at a height of 2,262 metres.
Shortly after Lungau Arena opened its doors, it was singled out as an ambassador for exemplary and sustainable timber construction. This new sports facility goes far beyond economic and functional requirements.
A new entrance building has been designed for the Deutsches Technikmuseum in Berlin. With its striking lattice roof, the design by Austrian architectural firm Innauer Matt demonstrates that modern timber construction is a byword for progress through sustainability.
The new Raiffeisen Landesbank Kärnten building is a transparent timber construction with room for sheep on its roof. In this interview, querkraft architect Jakob Dunkl talks about the design and also the connection between sustainability and love.
German car manufacturer BMW is upgrading its resources. The company is building a new Talent Campus at its Munich headquarters to equip its staff for e-mobility and automation. With wood as the main construction material, the design is by local architecture firm allmannwappner.
The Marga Klompé Building at Tilburg University is the first academic building in the Netherlands to be built out of wood. Insulation made from recycled denim jeans is part of the circular design by Powerhouse Company.
Impact Hub Berlin is a community and coworking space that has taken recyclable construction from theory to practice. LXSY Architekten used timber construction and recycled building materials for the interior design in a converted old warehouse.
One hundred years after patenting of the Zollinger roof, this self-supporting timber structure is experiencing a renaissance. Designed to save materials, recyclable and easy to build, it has regained popularity for the construction of today’s factory workshops.
Copenhagen is fast approaching its goal of achieving carbon neutrality. Its former city architect Camilla van Deurs, recently appointed head of the Nordic Office of Architecture's new specialist area for strategic urban development, spoke to ubm magazine. about the biggest levers for reducing carbon emissions.
A supermarket designed as a net-zero construction that produces its own food for the region. This is the concept behind Rewe Green Farming and its prototype in Wiesbaden, Germany. Timber engineering is central to the company’s plan for similar stores.
The recent rebuild of Voisthaler Hut in Austria’s Hochschwab Mountains uses structural timber design with sophisticated architectural and ecological features. This energy self-sufficient mountain hut designed by Dietger Wissounig Architekten has been awarded the “Umweltgütesiegel” and also won the 2023 BIG SEE Architecture Award.
Although this design looks like a utopian dream, in Copenhagen it is set to become reality. Over the coming years, the Danish capital will be introducing timber-hybrid metro stations. The concept by JaJa Architects adopts a holistic approach and takes climate-friendly building below ground.
Not far from Amsterdam, fashion giant Bestseller is building Europe’s largest timber logistics centre – called “Logistics Center West”. Designed by Danish architects Henning Larsen, it aims to set new standards in sustainability and design.
Its design blends alpine architecture with the outline of a craggy mountain range. The Congress and Exhibition Centre in the municipality of Agordo in northern Italy reimagines aesthetic forms of expression in timber construction.
The Belgian city of Antwerp will soon benefit from a Japanese-inspired, timber-hybrid residential tower that is currently under construction. The building was designed by Pritzker Prize winner Shigeru Ban, who takes nature and wood as central inspiration for his designs.
Bremen’s Überseeinsel district is a new, green neighbourhood currently under development. Affordable, sustainable and attractive living space will be on offer in the Residential Greenhouse. It is designed to be a home for both people and plants.
There is a severe shortage of schools – 15,000 are needed in Europe alone. The easy-to-assemble kit from Stora Enso – called Sylva – can be used to create eco-friendly wooden schools that offer children a positive learning environment and architecture that gives them a sense of meaning and purpose.
CEO Mette Kynne Frandsen has worked for over 20 years to make Danish architectural firm Henning Larsen what it is today: a pioneer in creating sustainable yet iconic architecture around the world. She gave us an interview before leaving her position.
Climate change and social issues are closely intertwined, and climate-friendly timber construction is often still classed as a luxury segment. The timber housing project Seestadt Aspern in Vienna is an award-winning example of social housing construction, and also an Instagram hotspot.
The New Medical Clinic (NMK) in Tübingen combines Scandinavian timber construction expertise with architecture that puts people first. Its wholly sustainable concept was designed by White Arkitekter and HPP Architekten.
The PettCo is the name of a new neighbourhood development in Friedrichshain, Berlin, where Wilhelminian-style buildings are being renovated and made climate-ready, together with a sustainable new building. Six inner courtyards will provide new public space, urban farming included.
Stora Enso, the second largest forestry company in the world, will soon move into their new headquarters. The Katajanokan Laituri complex is set to be both a masterpiece of Finnish timber construction – and also climate neutral. Its aesthetics are reminiscent of grandmaster Alvar Aalto.
Architectural firm Pittino & Ortner based in Styria, Austria, is making a name for itself on two fronts: with its huge timber-hybrid book storage facility in Vienna and its café on Lake Thalersee near Graz.
Reusing old buildings helps to protect the environment and scarce resources. As the architects from 3deluxe in Wiesbaden demonstrate, this can be achieved even in the trickiest of settings, creating state-of-the-art workspaces in the midst of industrial history.
A competition entry submitted by architectural office Querkraft in Vienna shows the role that timber can play in increasing urban construction density. With extensive soil unsealing and greening, it also helps to create a cooling urban woodland in a Bielefeld district.
As sea levels rise and cities sink, there is a growing need for new solutions and new ways of thinking. Developed by a team of innovators, the Land on Water prototype paves the way for serial construction of sustainable buildings on water.
Industrial wastelands need new strategies to present workable options for re-use. The architects at Smartvoll are experts in this kind of development. One of their designs is an ecosystem for the former railway depot in Amstetten, Lower Austria, as living space for plants, animals and people.
Its roof looks like three pyramids atop a space of celebratory grandeur, a wooden construction reminiscent of timber-framed buildings. This is precisely what the architects at Maccreanor Lavington had in mind for the new dining hall at Ibstock Place School.
As the first church to be built in Copenhagen for 30 years, it may well become an icon. Ørestad Church is a sculptural timber construction designed by Henning Larsen. A kind of “Church 2.0”, it is also a modern community centre that reaches out to everybody regardless of their belief.
Following completion of Germany’s largest timber housing development in Munich, the city’s first timber hybrid office complexes are now being built. Developed by Accumulata, these projects will offer sustainable workplaces for the future and also construction materials that remain in the loop.
The high-rise for the future is built of wood and can be reconfigured at any time. A prototype called the Regenerative High-Rise has been designed by Haptic Architects and Ramboll to be freely adaptable. It is also a sign of a long life ahead for the concept of compact living in tomorrow’s world.
Wendelstrand near Gothenburg is a new community and housing development with social and ecological sustainability, sited in a disused quarry. The master plan and Lakehouse by the architects at Snøhetta show how urban planning and housing construction can be reimagined.
One of the world’s most spectacular timber engineering projects was recently completed in Sweden. Built for Stockholm’s Tekniska Museet, the Wisdome is a free-form structure using 20 kilometres of laminated veneer lumber. The design uses this kind of wood in an entirely new way.
Canadian celebrity chef and internet star Matty Matheson teamed up with architect Omar Gandhi to create a restaurant landscape consisting entirely of wood, from top to bottom. There is little sign of rustic, folkloristic romance here, though.
Completed in Gothenburg and made of wood, Nodi was named business building of the year 2021. It is another prestigious timber construction in the portfolio of White Arkitekter, the architects responsible for timber high-rise Sara Kulturhus in Skellefteå.
Jernbanebyen is being developed right in the centre of Copenhagen, based on plans drawn up by Danish architectural office Cobe. Formerly a railroad yard, the area is being transformed into an innovative green district. It will be partially car-free, with repurposed listed buildings and lots of new ideas for improving the quality of life.
Dense, green forests are often synonymous with calm, nature and unspoiled landscapes – but they also need care and attention. Such forestry operations can inspire interesting architecture, as shown by the Forest Administration Lodge in Czechia.
The teams at Berlin Waste Management are out and about day in day out, keeping Germany’s capital city looking good and ensuring resources remain in the cycle. Their new headquarters in Südkreuz have the same aspirations and are a prime example of sustainable ideas.
The new contender in the pursuit of the world’s tallest timber high-rise is called C6. Due for construction in South Perth, Australia, it will soar to a height of 189 metres. Residents will have access to a fleet of 80 Teslas as a special green benefit.
Their pioneering timber high-rise gained international recognition for the architects at White Arkitekter. Researcher and architect Jonas Runberger explains why computational design processes are so important for reaching climate goals.
Its facade is made from recycled aluminium, and the load-bearing structure follows a hybrid timber design. Named i8, this office building in Munich’s Werksviertel is committed to decarbonization and forms a link with the neighbourhood’s industrial past.
Marc Koehler and ANA Architects have joined forces to build the Netherlands’ most sustainable and affordable timber mid-range residential complex, with its own tiny forest. The name of this visionary project in the Amsterdam district of IJburg? Robin Wood.
Bangkok-based Plan Associates is one of Thailand’s elite architectural firms. In the north of the kingdom, they have created a new office building that harnesses the forces of nature.
Powerhouse Company has designed the new Amsterdam headquarters of IT giant IBM, delivering on the company’s vision for the working world of tomorrow: a sustainable building that is not so much a traditional office as a pleasant and healthy meeting place for sharing ideas.
MoDus Architects have restructured a hotel complex that has decades of growth behind it. The external space created by a new layer of timber on the outside of the Icaro Hotel brings together the existing buildings to form a uniform whole. On the inside, guests encounter plenty of affectionate references to Alpine clichés.
The fine wines from Château Angélus winery are now also produced in Libourne, France. Its new wine cellar designed by Eric Castagnotto looks like a church nave, which is probably no coincidence.
Rising energy prices won’t affect people who live in Atri, a building designed by Swedish provider Naturvillan. They will be wholly self-sufficient with solar energy, home-grown vegetables and a water treatment plant.
Situated on the Danish island of Bornholm, the Green Solution House hotel features smart rooms and real-time energy and resource monitoring. The hotel designed by 3XN/GXN has raised the bar with its climate-positive timber wing.
Sustainability is reaching new heights for the new design of Dock A at Zurich Airport. In the design competition organized by Flughafen Zurich AG, the jury selected “Raumfachwerk”, a project submitted by BIG, HOK and 10:8 Architekten consisting primarily of timber.
The filling station of the future will be not just fossil-free, green and clean, but also a place where motorway travellers can relax and recuperate. With this in mind, a modular, ultra-fast charging station built with timber has been designed by Danish architectural studio Cobe.
A luxury campsite at the foot of Vorarlberg’s Rätikon mountain range has been enlarged, with the addition of ten timber tiny houses. These hilltop chalets are a reinterpretation of the Alpine hut, and their design has won several awards.
Green densification, skywards: the firm 3deluxe is exploring possibilities for sustainable urban development. Its design for the new We the Planet House places a biotope above Manhattan – and demonstrates just how immensely cities can benefit from green rooftops.
The first five-storey hotel in mass timber design is located in Zillertal, Austria, created by celebrated Italian architect Matteo Thun. It is no coincidence that one of the leading players in structural timber construction is based only a stone’s throw away.
VALO is the name of a complex on the outskirts of Helsinki that combines hotel accommodation with office facilities. With a dual use that is both efficient and viable, the beds are folded away during the day, making way for fold-out desks.
Stefano Boeri is regarded as a pioneer of biodiverse architecture. The Torre dei Cedri planned for the outskirts of Lausanne will be another of his spectacular towers. This time, the vertical forest will consist of over 80 trees.
A special kind of discovery world is taking shape in Gothenburg, where Swedish vehicle manufacturer Volvo is using timber construction and nature to create its World of Volvo. The components and engineering for Henning Larsen’s design are being provided by Austrian firm Wiehag.
Danish architects 3XN are operating a separate division called GXN that develops green innovations. In this interview, Kim Herforth Nielsen and Kåre Poulsgaard talk about behavioural design, carbon as a market driver, and their radical high-rise project in Sydney.
The Klimatorium in Lemvig, Denmark, devises strategies to counteract global climate change. Situated on the coast of Jutland, the building designed by architects 3XN has already achieved iconic status.
As Dusseldorf’s Theodor Heuss Bridge needs a complete overhaul, the team at RKW Architektur + put their heads together – and produced a spectacular new design. It is literally packed with potential.
The town of Jessheim is getting an impressive new centre. Designed by Norwegian firm Mad arkitekter, it promises to combine sustainable urban development with attractive indoor and outdoor areas.
Metropol Parasol has achieved a phenomenal rejuvenation of a neglected square in Seville. The iconic timber construction by J.MAYER.H architects is a prime example of successful intervention in public space.
The Forestias is one of the largest property development projects in Thailand. The highlight of this project by Foster + Partners is a 48,000 m² urban forest designed by TK Studio.
The Kajstaden Tall Timber Building in Sweden marks the beginning of a new generation of mass timber blocks. Using this building material saves around 500 tonnes of CO₂, and it also facilitates deconstruction later on.
There’s a rocket preparing to launch in Switzerland. The residential timber high-rise named Rocket in Winterthur’s Lokstadt neighbourhood will reach a height of 100 metres. The tower’s residents will be part of the 2000-watt society.
May we introduce Carl? Using timber for its facade besides the supporting structure, the apartment block is currently under construction in Pforzheim. Architect Peter W. Schmidt explains how this is being done.
Kautokeino skole in northern Norway is a project that seeks to embrace the uniqueness of Sami culture and educational style. The mass wood building is so hygge, you’ll want to check in for a few nights.
If you love the far north, you’ll love the Lyngen Alps. And if you love the Lyngen Alps, you’ll love the bungalows by architect Snorre Stinessen.
Canada’s megaproject Waterfront Toronto includes a new district called Quayside, an all-electric and climate-neutral community. Its highlights are a two-acre urban forest and the residential Timber House by architect David Adjaye.
The city of San Diego in Southern California has plans for a new district, one that will be entirely void of cars. Known as Neighborhood Next, it must be one of the most radical projects in the USA.
The new urban quarter Zwhatt near Zurich is designed to enable climate-neutral living at affordable prices. One of its buildings is a 75-metre-high timber hybrid tower known as Redwood, whose facade generates solar power.
Architect and biologist Timothée Boitouzet has used nanotechnology to give wood an upgrade. The new material “Woodoo” is translucent, fire-resistant, weatherproof and up to five times stronger than normal wood.
Timber construction can be decidedly high-tech, as illustrated by the head office built for SR Bank in Stavanger, Norway. Bjergsted Financial Park offers workplaces that are fit for the future, and it is among Europe’s largest engineered timber buildings.
So, what does "Noom" actually mean? While Sanzpont [arquitectura] and Pedrajo + Pedrajo Arquitectos don't exactly reveal this, their "Living the Noom" concept is pretty clear: it’s all about a fresh take on housing. With environmental protection and quality of life as a top priority.
HafenCity Hamburg is an urban quarter fit for the future. Its eco cherry on the top is the “Null-Emissionshaus” (Zero Emissions Building), which is completely carbon-neutral – and can be dismantled like a Lego house.
Snøhetta creates high-calibre architecture, including accommodation at high altitudes amidst Norway’s glaciers. The architects have enriched the Tungestølen mountain cabins with a special feeling of hygge.
Apple’s former design head BJ Siegel has developed a concept for a timber modular house. The urban prefab named Juno is designed for mass production – and hopes for success on the scale of the iPhone.
Communal vegetable patches, car sharing and a timber building that overtops many others. Sweden’s largest housing cooperative is celebrating its 100th anniversary with a project called Västerbroplan that shows how people will live in the future.
Bearing the name Tree House Rotterdam, Holland’s new landmark-to-be looks like a gigantic stack of wooden shelves with glass lofts added on top. It aims to take the sustainability of timber high-rises to a new level.
Three tonnes of lettuce and vegetables annually will be farmed on top of the We-House, a timber construction project in Hamburg’s HafenCity. The on-site restaurant serves meals for residents of this sophisticated eco-house at cost price.
The design for the urban office building Saint Denis in Paris shows the potential of parametric design in timber construction. Architect Arthur Mamou-Mani is a luminary in this new discipline, and we were able to meet him online.
Researchers at Cambridge University are helping to turn London’s spectacular vision of a wooden skyscraper into reality. The Oakwood Timber Tower is to rise 300 metres into the sky, almost level with the tallest building in the city.
Self-sufficiency is no longer a dream reserved for downshifters. The modular building system named The Farmhouse designed by Studio Precht allows residents to grow food in big cities.
Homerton College at the University of Cambridge has chosen the design by Alison Brooks Architects for a pavilion that combines modern timber construction with high-tech facilities. It is expected to be a future-facing answer to their needs.
The Swedish university city of Växjö has been named “the Greenest City in Europe”. Half of all its new buildings have been built with timber. But the city plans to go even further.
The Scandinavians have shown their pioneering strength once again, this time in the design for a new cultural centre. The Sara Kulturhus in Sweden’s Skellefteå is among the world’s tallest high-rise structures built entirely from wood.
When it comes to timber construction engineering, the United States has been lagging behind other countries. Ascent Tower in Milwaukee aims to change this. Topping out as the world’s tallest timber tower at a height of 284 feet, the building uses expertise and structural elements from Austria.
As many as 40,000 pieces of wood had to be fitted together for the gift shop in the National Museum of Qatar. The inspiration behind this award-winning interior design was supplied by a miracle of nature in Qatar’s desert.
Canada’s Earth Tower aims to outshine all existing timber high-rise buildings. Its energy concept means that this 40-storey skyscraper in Vancouver will be the world’s tallest passive house.
On the edge of the tropical rainforest in Mexico, a research museum will explore how nature and progress can be reconciled. Known as Xinatli, its sophisticated design takes a fresh look at circular building materials.
The eco-friendly residential project Roots will be the new landmark of Hamburg’s HafenCity and the tallest timber high-rise in Germany. Architect Jan Störmer reveals what its future residents will have in common.
The Danish office 3XN is planning to build North America’s tallest timber office building in Toronto. Called T3 Bayside, the complex will offer more than 500,000 sq. ft. of next-generation office space when completed.
Oslo was once built entirely of wood. The project chosen to redesign the area around its railway station heralds the return of this traditional building material to the Scandinavian metropolis. A spectacular office tower with an innovative hub is being developed, named Fjordporten.
Dutch architectural firm Gaaga has designed a residential building in Eindhoven that is distinctly people- and environment-friendly. Surrounded by trees, it is situated in the middle of a park.
The redevelopment of an above-ground Nazi-era bunker is Hamburg’s largest building project since the Elbe Philharmonic Concert Hall. With spectacular rooftop gardens and nhow Hamburg design hotel, this new landmark in the heart of the St. Pauli district is sure to become a magnet for visitors.
Japanese architect Kengo Kuma and Australian artist Geoff Nees teamed up to design the Botanical Pavilion – a wooden pavilion that is constructed like a 3D puzzle – without using any kind of glue or screws.
The round construction known as TECLA has created quite a stir. Having teamed up as 3D printing pioneers, WASP and Mario Cucinella Architects have produced the first CO₂-free housing prototype printed entirely from raw earth.
Japanese architectural firm UENOA has created a wooden office that has no need for bearing walls. Folded origami-style, the ceiling construction gives a whole new lightness to cross-laminated timber.
Sustainability is a top priority for the Powerhouse Company. In an interview, partner Stefan Prins explains why this means more than just a careful choice of materials and energy efficiency, and how essential it is to consider all the changes brought about by climate change when building.
The Life Cycle Tower One was the first timber high-rise in Austria and the prototype for a new type of serial construction. CREE founder Hubert Rhomberg explains the green building concept and why we have to learn to think in lifecycles.
Most people looking for a new home with a sustainable design need to have deep pockets. Rotterdam’s Pendrecht district aims to buck this trend courtesy of timber building Valckensteyn, the brainchild of the architects at Powerhouse Company.
In Düsseldorf, The Cradle is gradually taking shape. The timber hybrid office building is being constructed according to circular economy principles, and these will also govern its future use.
The Dutch city of Eindhoven will soon be home to the world’s highest “plyscraper”. The two towers – 100 and 130 metres high and known as the Dutch Mountains – are to set new standards in high-rise timber construction.
An entire residential complex in Berlin-Kreuzberg is to be built out of timber – vertically. With a planned height of almost 100 metres, WoHo is set to be Germany’s tallest timber building.
A mixed-use project in Sweden’s Gothenburg is being crowned by star architect Dorte Mandrup. The jewel in this crown is its use of timber. The new eco construction is intended to become an icon in sustainable urban architecture.
Designed by US architect David Rockwell, built according to WELL Building Standard principles. The Sage Collection by British furniture maker Benchmark is good for humans and the environment.
Swiss urban planning combines prominent architecture with ecological timber construction. Lausanne’s Tilia Tower is setting a high standard in future-proof urban development.
Munich’s Prinz-Eugen-Park is the site of the largest integrated timber settlement in Germany. And that’s not all – the city planners have even more in the pipeline.
Once Europe’s largest freight station, Brussels’ monumental Gare Maritime is now the largest European CLT project. Neutelings Riedijk Architects have transformed the historic structure into a covered district, giving it a sustainable new lease of life using cross-laminated timber.
