The 'River Beech Tower' is a wooden skyscraper concept being explored by researchers at Cambridge University.
With a structure made of beech-wood and a research site in Chicago, this spindly building is set to be 80 stories high and is intended to solve unanswered questions related to wood as a suitable building material for skyscrapers. Currently, the worlds tallest wooden building is an 18-story dormitory in Vancouver called 'Brock Commons.' Timber fell out of favor as a building material after a series of devastating fires in major American cities. But with massive timber structures in the works in Stockholm and England, architects and engineers are revisiting the material as a sustainable urban building option.
While this structure might never be built, this wooden skyscraper concept hints at a larger movement in urban development.
Wooden Skyscraper Concepts
This High-Rise Project Explores the Use of Wood in Modern Architecture
Trend Themes
1. Wooden Skyscrapers - Exploring the use of wood as a suitable building material for high-rise structures.
2. Sustainable Urban Buildings - Revisiting timber as a sustainable option for urban development.
3. Massive Timber Structures - Embracing timber as a construction material for large-scale building projects.
Industry Implications
1. Architecture and Design - Opportunity for architects and designers to innovate with wooden skyscrapers.
2. Construction and Engineering - Disruptive potential for engineers to develop sustainable urban buildings using timber.
3. Real Estate and Urban Development - Exploring new building options for sustainable urban development through timber structures.