Wooden Skyscrapers are the Next Frontier in Architectural Design

It’s been roughly one year since Michael Green gave his TEDtalk on using wood more exclusively in the construction of skyscrapers. Not only did Green’s presentation offer a plethora of incredible quote-worthy statements that perked up the ears of LEED professionals everywhere, but it also posed a very persuasive argument. In it, he stated, “We’re at the beginning of a revolution, I hope, in the way we build...”

Green is a talented, widely-recognized Vancouver-based architect whose designs consistently champion the beauty and functionality of wood. As principal of eponymous Michael Green Architecture, he’s partnered with the University of Northern British Columbia to create the Wood Innovation Design Center where the limits of utilizing wood in architecture are constantly being tested and redefined. It’s also where the subject of his TEDtalk - increased reliance on wood in skyscraper architecture - is being further scaled.

But how far have we really come in a year’s time? Has wood actually gained any traction as a viable alternative to the climate change stimulants of steel and concrete when it comes to monolithic new building designs? Slowly but surely, it has.

The colorful city of Bergen, Norway became home to the world’s tallest wooden building this past fall with the development of a 14-story apartment complex. And earlier in the year, two student housing buildings, each 8-stories tall, were developed just outside of Oslo. Just last week, here in the US, Oregon State University President Ed Ray announced that OSU will take a leadership role in such sustainable construction and plans on developing its own showcase wooden skyscraper by 2016.

All of the designs used what Green called “mass timber panels,” or what is more commonly referred to as CLT or “cross-laminated timbers.” CLT is comprised of large scale, plywood-like sheets of layered wood that are extremely durable, but surprisingly pliable... These wooden sheets make the construction of such buildings more environmentally friendly and less confining from a design aspect.

“I’ve never seen anyone walk into a building and hug a steel or concrete column, but I’ve actually seen that happen in a wood building. I’ve seen how people touch the wood,” said Green. It’s effective use is not just about the environmental friendliness and LEED certification potential, but also the quality of life for the inhabitants of the finished product. Sustainably harvested CLT is available from a variety of sources. Of course, for the wood, CLT or otherwise, to be eligible for the Certified Wood credit in LEED, it must be FSC certified.

So, how is wood being capitalized in your next new building project?