Modern timber construction continues to go from strength to strength, with the latest major development recently revealed for Sweden. Described by its creators as the world's largest wooden construction project, it will include an impressive 2,000 homes, as well as office and retail space – all built primarily from timber.
As its name suggests, Stockholm Wood City will be located in the Swedish capital. It's really more of a neighborhood than a true city though, and will be focused on the housing, plus retail space, restaurants, as well as office space and public meeting spaces. The buildings will come in several different shapes and heights, while their overall designs will showcase the natural beauty of the wood.
In addition to its use of sustainably sourced construction materials, Stockholm Wood City will also reduce its carbon footprint with rooftop-based solar panels, which will be connected to batteries and reduce its draw on the power grid. Significant greenery will be planted on the rooftops and terraces too.
"The project extends over 250,000 square meters [roughly 2.7 million sq ft] and is thus the world's largest known construction project in wood," explained developers Atrium Ljungberg. "The real estate industry is absolutely crucial in the green transition, as buildings account for as much as 40 percent of the world's CO2 emissions. Stockholm Wood City marks a new era for sustainable architecture and urban development. The new area houses an additional 7,000 office spaces and 2,000 homes in Sickla, in the southern parts of Stockholm. It will offer a vibrant, urban environment with a mix of workplaces, housing, restaurants and shops."
When it comes to timber-based construction, there are those who worry about such a building turning into a tinderbox in the event of a fire. However, modern engineered timber is very different to traditional wooden framing and multiple studies have shown that products like cross-laminated timber and glued laminated timber perform superbly in a fire. Indeed, the record-breaking Mjøstårnet timber tower was actually designed so that even if all the fire sprinklers failed, any fire would go out on its own, without human intervention.
Stockholm Wood City is due to begin construction in 2025 and the first buildings are expected to be completed in 2027. As of writing we're awaiting confirmation from the developers on who is behind the design, though according to multiple sources, including Dezeen, the project is a collaboration between White Arkitekter and Henning Larsen Architects.
Source: Atrium Ljungberg
