The 3 timber high rises to look out for in 2018
We can all agree that 2017 was the year of timber high-rises – throughout the year we’ve seen natural, sustainable material reaching the skies in some of the largest cities in the world.
In this blog we wanted to take a look at some of the most innovative, ground-breaking and quite simply impressive timber high rises of our day. Let’s see which wood skyscrapers we should be keeping an eye on in 2018!
Portland tower is making history – it’s officially the first timber high-rise to gain planning consent in the US.
The 12-storey building proposed for Portland’s Pearl District has received the go-ahead from planners, which is a momentous occasion for those in the timber industry and environmentalists alike, proving the effectiveness of using timber in large-scale construction.
The timber frame is set to be made from two key timber products – both engineered woods – cross-laminated timber (CLT) and glue-laminated timber (Glulam). CLT was huge last year and is truly becoming a staple building material – read our recent blog on the rise of CLT in 2017.
To gain planning permission, the proposal had to undergo rigorous testing to ensure it met all fire, seismic and acoustic requirements.
This is a landmark decision in the history of the USA, so watch this space!
When you think of the term “tree tower” you imagine an awe-inspiring, nature-focused structure. And you’d be just right.
Architectural firm Penda has submitted a proposal to create Toronto’s first ever tree tower, built using cross-laminated timber modules.
Penda is collaborating with popular Canadian company Tmber for the Toronto Tree Tower project. They want to create an 18-storey residential block that would be rise above Toronto’s skyline at 62 metres tall. In-keeping with the tree theme, plants and trees would sprout from the modular tower to give it a truly natural, ecological presence.
This isn’t the first time the firm has incorporated plants into its designs – in recent years they have been the masterminds behind a modular hotel built from bamboo and a tower in India with hanging-garden facades.
Brock Commons is the world’s tallest mass timber building – quite the accolade, right?
Brock Commons Tallwood House is a recently completed student residence building at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver.
What’s interesting about this build however is that it’s already completed. So, why have we included it?
It may already be built and populated, but this is the first timber high-rise of its height and structure, meaning a lot of people will have their eyes on it. Will it be more energy efficient? What will the sustainability reports be one year in? How much better will it be than steel, concrete and brick?
There’s a lot of exciting questions which can be answered with Brock Commons, so it’s certainly one to keep an eye on in 2018.
The future is timber
We know we frequently say that 2017 was the year of timber, but it’s starting to look like 2018 may surpass it. We’re excited about where our industry will take us next, and we hope you are too!
If you have any timber requirements for your upcoming development or personal projects, or would like to know more about our product range, get in touch and we’ll be able to help you out!
Oh, and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to keep up to date on all the latest timber news!
