The design of Metropol Parasol in Spain made use of computer modelling.
BRUMUNDDAL, NORWAY: MJØSTÅRNET This wooden high-rise became the world’s largest wooden building upon its completion in March 2019. With 18 storeys, it is 85.4 metres tall. The building houses apartments, a hotel and offices. Wood products from local manufacturers were used in its construction.
COMMON GOAL, DIFFERENT METHODS Wood is by no means a new material in construction. In fact, wood is the world’s most common building material when it comes to vernacular and small-scale construction. The situation is different for wooden high-rises. Al- though there is strong interest in wood construction, its development is highly market-specific. In Sweden, wooden high-rises represent 9–10 per cent of the housing stock, whereas the proportion of wood- en apartment buildings has been high for decades in the North American market. Wood construction is an effec- tive way to prepare for earthquakes. “In the United States, 80 per cent of all multi-storey buildings are made from wood. Not many people know this, because these buildings do not look like wooden buildings; plastic panels and plastering have also been used in them,” says Markku Karjalainen , Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Tampere. According to Karjalainen, the United States has expertise in low-cost, large-scale construction in particular. In turn, technical construction expertise is at a high level in Cen- tral European countries, such as Austria and Switzerland. The understanding of the environmental competitive- ness and benefits of wood is improving, but few countries have large resources of wood. Researchers at Yale School of the Environment and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research emphatise that many countries need to invest in sustainable forest management and forest regeneration. The increasing popularity of wood construction will call for a strong flow of exports from countries with the capac- ity to produce sawn timber. Finnish wood raw material comes from sustainably managed forests and is of premium quality. Sawn timber made from Finnish wood is ideal for construction, even for demanding projects. WOOD CONSTRUCTION REQUIRES A NEW WAY OF THINKING The greatest potential for growth in wood construction lies in large-scale construction. Reaching greater popularity calls for new ways of working. Urban wood construction requires the reformation of building technologies, as well as the ability to adapt to op-
SEVILLE, SPAIN: METROPOL PARASOL
Consisting of 3,400 wooden elements, Metropol Parasol is one of the world’s largest wooden constructions. It is 150 metres long and 75 metres wide. This wooden building was opened to the public in 2011. LVL panels were used in its construction, and computer modelling in its design and construction. NATTERS, AUSTRIA: ASI REISEN HEADQUARTERS The headquarters of the ASI Rei- sen travel agency is surrounded by a green curtain of living trees. The environmental footprint of the building is as small as possible. This office building makes use of renewable energy technologies. The purpose of its live facade is to promote local biodiversity.
VIENNA, AUSTRIA: HOHO WIEN
HoHo Wien is one of the world’s largest wooden apartment build- ings. The building is 84 metres high, with 24 storeys. In addition to apartments, the building has offices, a hotel and other facilities. From the ground floor upwards, around 75 per cent of the building is wood.
Matti Mikkola Managing Director of the Federation of the Finnish Woodworking Industries, an organisation promoting compa- nies operating in the Finnish woodworking industry and related sectors in Finland. It is also the trade associa- tion of the Finnish Forest Industries Federation.
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