PLP Architecture has designed an attractive €160 million (roughly US$177 million) hybrid timber tower that's due to be constructed in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The project, dubbed Tree House, will reach a maximum height of 140 m (459 ft).
Commissioned by Provast (the developer behind MVRDV's Markthal) following an architecture competition, Tree House will be situated next to Rotterdam's Centraal Station transport hub and will comprise a concrete podium and core, making it a hybrid timber tower, like the Earth Tower, rather than fully timber, like the Mjøstårnet.
"Tree House's glazed facades are punctuated by long external timber-clad balconies, including some connected by staircases to help animate its urban presence," says PLP Architecture's press release. "The upper levels will house 275 apartments, with 185 set aside for private rentals and 30 percent reserved for the mid-market sector. Below this, 15,000 sq m [roughly 161,500 sq ft] of office space will be geared towards innovation and technology companies and include co-working areas curated by operator TQ. A seventh-floor restaurant will face a lush planted terrace, while at the ground floor, shops, cafes and a multi-function events and performance space help to draw the public in and provide a mix of amenities for the city's use."
The building will also feature reused and recycled materials, and its balconies and terraces will sport greenery. Additionally, it will be topped by three greenhouses and rainwater will be collected and stored for reuse.
Construction on Tree House is expected to begin in 2021 and completion is expected sometime in 2024.
Source: PLP Architecture