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-   -   The Case for Skyscrapers Made of Wood (https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=198356)

Evergrey Mar 21, 2012 8:18 PM

The Case for Skyscrapers Made of Wood
 
http://www.theatlanticcities.com/des...comeback/1554/

Quote:

The Case for Skyscrapers Made of Wood

Samuel Medina
2:56 PM ET
Comments

http://cdn.theatlanticcities.com/img..._1/largest.jpg

Since the invention and development of steel and concrete, the combination of which would spawn the birth of the skyscraper, wood as a building material has been marginalized as simple construction ephemera, used to form concrete or to structure building frames advanced with the expressed purpose of producing single family homes or large estates and to furnishing their plush interiors.

Wood fell out of vogue in a large part because of its vulnerability to fire, probably the single greatest factor in restricting use of the material to smaller structures. But change is coming, writes CNN, as wood has become transformed by a handful of dedicated engineers and architects – Shigeru Ban most notable among them - and put to use in the service of large-scale structures like Michael Green‘s proposed “Tallwood” skyscraper in Vancouver.

http://cdn.theatlanticcities.com/img...d2-600x412.jpg
Photo courtesy of Michael Green

The plans for the 30-story tower are among a small group of “woodscrapers” being proposed throughout the world, which all had to overcome stringent building codes. Explaining the motivation behind his design, Green says that wood construction at such scales is decidedly cheaper than standard-industry methods and, more importantly, much more energy efficient, given the large amounts of CO2 expended in the manufacturing of steel and concrete and the extent of their large carbon footprints. Conversely, wood traps carbon dioxide throughout a building’s life cycle, and, if sustainably harvested from controlled and well-managed forests, can prove to be a renewable resource.

...

jd3189 Mar 21, 2012 10:37 PM

Nice idea,but can wood support the weight of a building in the same way steel does? After all, isn't that another reason why the latter became the predominant component for building skyscrapers?

scalziand Mar 22, 2012 5:59 AM

As the posted article notes, wood has a poor resistance to fire, which led some cities to ban wood construction for taller structures, particularly in Chicago and New York where modern skyscrapers were developed. Since wood was banned as a structural material in these main skyscraper markets, the tools and strategies for designing skyscrapers with wood were never really developed.

Strength wise, wood fares fairly well. In compression, wood is actually about as strong as concrete, while being much lighter. Wood also compares favorably to steel, since although steel is much stronger, it's also quite heavier. Wood's light weight is an advantage in earthquake prone areas.

Here's a chart of the strength to weight ratio(ksi/SG) for some varieties of wood and steel and concrete.
http://img856.imageshack.us/img856/8039/woods.jpg
Data from http://workshopcompanion.com/KnowHow...d_Strength.htm

Other difficulties with designing with wood are that the strength changes with moisture content and direction of grain. For a lowrise structures, it's ok to overcome these uncertainties with deliberate overbuilding, but for a skyscraper, it's necessary to have a more consistent material.

jd3189 Mar 22, 2012 6:22 AM

:previous: Well then, this may be the time for Vancouver to actually be another innovator city in the development of the skyscraper. North America has enough land to develop tree farms to grow the species that will be needed to build many of these "woodscrapers". :notacrook:

Rizzo Mar 30, 2012 2:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scalziand (Post 5636972)
As the posted article notes, wood has a poor resistance to fire, which led some cities to ban wood construction for taller structures, particularly in Chicago and New York where modern skyscrapers were developed.

Not necessarily true...and damn is this a headache to prove it when it comes to building codes into Chicago. Try converting a warehouse built of wood into a high school!! It can be done, despite that code doesn't allow it.

Heavy timber actually has self insulating properties. If you've ever chopped through a thick log that's been burning in a fireplace, you'll find the core unburned. Usually heavy timber exposed in building fires can maintain its strength and unlike steel, not warp and bend from heat that would cause stress on the rest of the structure.

Basic fireinsulating solution is the same. Encase the columns in several layers of sheetrock.

If there's ever is a fire, replacement of members is fairly easy. It's resilient construction to damage.

Where you hear all the bad stories is when a house or apartment built out of 2x4's and 2x10's burns to a crisp....obviously because the stud-wall construction has thinner members, and more edges to catch fire.

Some of the drawbacks to wood construction will be flooding, pests, and mold. I realize there's tons of treated wood products out there that claim to defeat all of these problems, but I question the longevity of resistance, and I still have not done enough research on their health effects. Basically, I don't know what kind of treated wood is required for high-rise construction versus a low rise...which we know has little or no EQ issues.

Basically, I'm only convinced on engineering and life safety part of it which are the biggest hurdles to win over skeptics. I'm happy with the sustainability aspect too.

M II A II R II K Mar 30, 2012 1:49 PM

And what happens if the big bad wolf shows up? Wooden skyscrapers would be more than likely be susceptible to hurricanes and stuff.

speedy1979 Mar 30, 2012 9:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M II A II R II K (Post 5647360)
And what happens if the big bad wolf shows up? Wooden skyscrapers would be more than likely be susceptible to hurricanes and stuff.


In japan they have what one might call proto-skyscrapers. Their called pagoda towers and while I will admit their not that tall. They have more in common with modern skyscrapers than your typical wooden structure in that they are both earthquake resistant (some actually have tuned mass dampers) and hurricane resistant ( Japan gets hit with bigger hurricanes than we do e.g. typhoon tip).

As Hayward said the main issue is fire-proofing. Several pagoda's of antiquity have been destroyed by fire.

http://www.jappleng.com/articles/vie...da-and-history


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Horyu-ji09s3200.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...-ji09s3200.jpg

Roadcruiser1 Mar 31, 2012 12:06 AM

Actually wooden skyscrapers could probably take place in developing or undeveloped countries. Since these nations have a lower GDP they can afford to construct a wooden skyscraper. Wood would serve as a fine gap between traditional houses and steel skyscrapers.

Rizzo Mar 31, 2012 5:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M II A II R II K (Post 5647360)
And what happens if the big bad wolf shows up? Wooden skyscrapers would be more than likely be susceptible to hurricanes and stuff.

It probably wouldn't be a good idea in areas with a lot of hurricanes...or even humid weather. Even if the building isn't damaged by strong winds, water that's seeped into the walls will do the rest. Sure, plenty of wood buildings have been fine in places like Florida. But how does one easily swap out a ton of moldy lumber and keeping a tall building plumb and level after repair.

And tornado areas...don't even think of it. Even Steel buildings don't fare well.

Maybe someday reinforced concrete will become more sustainable. There's GFRC, but it's usually limited to decorative elements and cladding.

M II A II R II K Mar 31, 2012 3:01 PM

And then there's termites and other unwanted guests.

JDRCRASH Apr 1, 2012 4:49 AM

So do you guys think these buildings would be best built in higher elevations?

JohnMarko Apr 24, 2012 11:59 PM

Termites, fire-prone, highly work-intensive maintenance-wise.

Just three examples why "highrise" wood structures should not be considered.

Interesting exercise, tho.

But with future hybridization in genetics and farming, who knoww what they will come up with.

I think some sort of plastic structure is much more likely than wood.

I didn't even realize until a few years ago that the "periodic table" of elements has increased so much siince I was in school, so who knows what new element/material will be created in the future.

Plas-steel, a combo of concrete/steel/plastic? All I know is we'll all be pleasantly surprised...

bunt_q Apr 29, 2012 1:25 PM

Still haven't seen anybody talk about how they plan to address the fire issue. Tall wood buildings certainly are not allowed by building codes here.

Somebody mentioned large timbers, fireproofing, etc. But if you do all of that, you lose the weight and cost advantage, which was the whole point in the first place. We do a fair bit of timber construction here (in the mountains), but it's not cheap. Not the same thing as wood construction at all.

emathias Apr 30, 2012 12:02 PM

It's very cool, but I'd personally never want to live or work in a wooden skyscraper. Also, one, by itself, might have minimal fire hazard, but a "forest" of them - that would be truly terrifying.

THE BIG APPLE May 4, 2012 12:51 AM

Steel and concrete would still be in the infrastructure, and wood will probably be just the cladding (and that's still unfeasible). I also see glass on the building render in Vancouver.

Rizzo May 4, 2012 4:04 AM

Heavy timber isn't all that much more dangerous than steel, which will deflect and fail when exposed to fire. Of course, our solution is to fireproof steel. It's done the same for wood. If code permits highrise woodframe construction, you'll usually encase members in several layers of sheetrock. You can usually achieve some pretty high fire ratings by building up around the columns. If heavy timber is used, the outside surface of the wood will form a protective char and maintain quite a bit of strength and rigidity, even after the fire is extinguished. Of course that is worst case scenario. Usually the sprinkler system will knock out the fire before things get worse.

Again, my fear IS the exposure to water. Like any material it's a problem but with wood you have more problems besides weakening strength, like mold, insects, and chemicals.

I imagine the entire building envelope is glass with aluminum framing with some wood planks projected over the glass for aesthetic reasons. If code allows, you can pour concrete over a wood structure. It's done all the time here in Chicago to boost fire ratings. They'll go into old wood frame factory buildings and just start pouring over the old floor to level things out a bit and provide some extra protection.

Alpha May 9, 2012 8:31 PM

Interestingly in Germany on Grosser Feldberg, a mountain in Hesse, there is since 1950 a high-rise like telecommunication tower whose upper section consist of wood, without metallic parts! See http://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?buildingID=41551 .

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ransmitter.JPG

brickell May 10, 2012 8:45 PM

Interesting idea, but as a Floridian it freaks me out. We stopped using wood for structural purposes a while ago. I understand that wood can be treated, but I wonder if you lose some of the benefits from that.


nom nom nom nom nom
http://chesspestcontrol.com/images/p...mites_map1.jpg
src: http://www.pest-control-pittsburgh.i...trol-termites/

scalziand Jun 6, 2012 7:01 PM

Wood That Reaches New Heights

By HENRY FOUNTAIN
Published: June 4, 2012

LONDON — Among the many apartment buildings in the London borough of Hackney, the nine-story structure on the corner of Provost Street and Murray Grove stands out, its exterior a mix of white and gray tiles rather than the usual brick.

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/...icleInline.jpg
William Pryce
WITH THE GRAIN, AGAINST THE GRAIN At the nine-story Graphite Apartments in London, structural elements involve many layers of spruce fused together.

But it’s what’s underneath this cladding that makes the 29-unit building truly different. From the second floor up, it is constructed entirely of wood, making it one of the tallest wooden residential buildings in the world.

It was built three years ago using laminated spruce panels, up to half a foot thick and 30 feet long, that were fabricated to precise specifications in Austria, shipped across the English Channel and bolted together on site to form the exterior and interior walls, floors and roof. Even the stairwells and elevator shafts are made from these solid panels, called cross-laminated timber, which resemble supersize plywood.

Developed in Europe in the 1990s, cross-laminated timber, or CLT, is among the latest in a long line of “engineered” wood products that are strong and rigid enough to replace steel and concrete as structural elements in bigger buildings. Already popular in Europe, CLT is only beginning to catch on in North America, where proponents say buildings made with the panels could be a cheaper and environmentally friendly alternative to structures made with those other materials.

...

Codes in Britain allow more flexibility, said Anthony Thistleton, partner in the London architectural firm of Waugh Thistleton, which designed the Hackney building, formerly called Stadthaus and now known as the Graphite Apartments. “It’s perhaps the only place that we could have broken this ‘timber ceiling,’ ” he said.

Waugh Thistleton has designed a second CLT structure, a four-story commercial and residential building, now under construction nearby, and an eight-story apartment block is within walking distance, making Hackney a hotbed of cross-laminated timber design.

Last month, construction began on a 10-story CLT apartment tower in Melbourne, Australia. Some proponents think buildings made from the panels could be even taller. “In the U.K., I’m convinced that it will hit 12, 13, 14, maybe 15 within a couple of years,” said Craig Liddell, formerly commercial director with the British division of KLH, the Austrian company that made the panels for the Graphite Apartments. Others say that hybrid structures, perhaps with timber panels built around a concrete core, could reach 30 stories.


http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/05/sc...pagewanted=all

M II A II R II K Feb 27, 2015 6:47 PM

24-storey Wooden Tower in Vienna

Read More: http://www.holzbauaustria.at/index.p...ce447217048c90

Quote:

The first 24-storey wooden skyscraper in the world will be completed in Vienna in 2018. According to a recent press release from the investor Günter Kerbler, Vienna, this is a done deal. This confirms rumors which have been circulating since March 2014.

- 65 million euro will be invested in "HoHo" which is to be erected on an area of approximately 4,000m2 within the Vienna Mega-Urban Development Project "Seestadt Aspern". After a construction period of two years the house will offer about 19.500m2 of commercial space . With a height of 84m it will be the tallest wooden skyscraper in the world and will leave other similar buildings behind (have a look at: 10-storey building in Melbourne, 14 - storey building in Bergen).

- The planning of wood hybrid construction will be taken on by Rüdiger Lainer + Partner ZT GmbH, Vienna. The structural design (incl. building physics) will be done by RWT + ZT , Vienna. The fire protection engineering stands under the responsibility of office Kunz, Maria Enzersdorf.

.....



http://www.holzbauaustria.at/typo3te...0e241a45d3.jpg http://www.holzbauaustria.at/typo3te...c10288c3be.jpg




http://www.holzbauaustria.at/typo3te...2b2a53be51.jpg

mdiederi Mar 2, 2015 2:25 AM

Five floors is the maximum allowed for wood buildings by code in most jurisdictions in the United States.

Los Angeles recently started allowing seven floors. Here's the result:

http://a.abcnews.com/images/US/ap_lo...8_16x9_992.jpg
http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/

Those flames are several hundred feet tall. :hell: It was a long horizontal building, 7 stories of wood, like a skyscraper on it's side, and the fire spread horizontally. Imagine if it were as tall as it was wide, the flames would have been over a thousand feet tall.

Built with all the modern fireproofing materials and requirements.

This building wasn't fully built, but was up to the full height, so luckily not open yet and no occupants were killed.

They can add as much fire prevention as they want to wood, and it might actually prevent some small fires from turning into big fires, but once the fire starts and takes hold of a tall wood structure, all bets are off. Your fireproofing better be solid rock.

http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/content/k...4_1280x720.jpg
http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/

Also, most of the tall wood buildings in Los Angeles are extremely ugly. Developers who skimp on materials usually don't hire quality architects.

If downtown LA gets hit with a 6 magnitude earthquake, you can expect to see several of these burning at the same time, probably with people in them, and no water to fight it because the water mains will most likely break in the quake. 110 buildings burned down in the Northridge quake fire.

Mike K. Mar 17, 2015 9:50 PM

A wooden 7-storey lowrise office building in Prince George, British Columbia, meant to showcase what can be done with BC's forestry exports, was built last year. Currently the building code in BC allows for six floor residential buildings that have a concrete podium. This came about in 2009 when the height was relaxed from a maximum of four floors.

http://www.biv.com/article/2013/3/wo...ce-george-con/

Phil McAvity Mar 19, 2015 8:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike K. (Post 6954300)
A wooden 7-storey lowrise office building in Prince George, British Columbia, meant to showcase what can be done with BC's forestry exports, was built last year. Currently the building code in BC allows for six floor residential buildings that have a concrete podium. This came about in 2009 when the height was relaxed from a maximum of four floors.

http://www.biv.com/article/2013/3/wo...ce-george-con/

Ahh so that explains how the two new buildings by the Tillicum Mall in Victoria were able to build using wood even though they are 6 stories. :cheers:

THE BIG APPLE Mar 20, 2015 9:25 AM

Video Link

THE BIG APPLE Mar 20, 2015 9:26 AM

Video Link

paytonc Mar 21, 2015 6:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdiederi (Post 6933642)
Built with all the modern fireproofing materials and requirements.

This building wasn't fully built, but was up to the full height, so luckily not open yet and no occupants were killed.

Exactly. The fireproof materials, namely the double drywall and the sprinklers, hadn't been installed yet. There have been other fires like this during construction, like the one in SF Mission Bay a little while ago, but once everything's in these buildings have a good safety record.

Even-taller wood buildings use a very different material. Cross-laminated timber is a heavy-frame ("massive timber") material, akin to the giant logs that wooden lofts use but made from smaller bits of wood.

drew Apr 28, 2015 4:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paytonc (Post 6959277)
Even-taller wood buildings use a very different material. Cross-laminated timber is a heavy-frame ("massive timber") material, akin to the giant logs that wooden lofts use but made from smaller bits of wood.

^ and are far less susceptible to shrinkage over the long term as compared to heavy timber construction.

drumz0rz Apr 29, 2015 3:32 PM

I would never live in a high-rise made of wood, no matter how safe you try to convince me it is.

M II A II R II K Jun 7, 2015 8:31 PM

World’s tallest wood building proposed in Paris could store 3,700 metric tons of carbon

Read More: http://inhabitat.com/worlds-tallest-...aris-by-mga-2/

Quote:

Michael Green Architecture (MGA) just unveiled a proposal for a carbon neutral wooden skyscraper in Paris that, if constructed, will be the world’s tallest wood building.

Created in collaboration with DVVD and real estate developer REI France, the wooden skyscraper—dubbed the Baobab—was designed as part of the city’s Réinventer Paris, a competition seeking innovative and environmentally friendly urban projects. The designers estimate the 35-story wood high-rise could sequester 3,700 metric tons of carbon—an amount equivalent to keeping 2,207 cars off the road for a year.

MGA is no stranger to tall wood architecture; the Vancouver-based architecture firm designed North America’s tallest wood building and has even published a study, The Case for Tall Wood Buildings, that explains the many sustainable benefits of timber buildings. This study and Principal Michael Green’s 2013 TED talk on the subject have helped spur the popularity of wooden buildings worldwide.

The proposed carbon-neutral Baobab is designed as a mixed-use development that combines mixed-income housing with a student hotel, urban agriculture, a bus station, e-car hub, and more. Conceptually located in Paris’ Pershing Site, the Baobab would span the eight-lane Peripherique.

.....



http://assets.inhabitat.com/wp-conte...is-by-MGA-.jpg

samsonawane08 Sep 11, 2015 12:14 PM

Though the idea of a wooden sky scrapper seems interesting, I would not prefer to live in one. Wood as a material is very combustible,prone to mold
growth and termite attack. And in a hurricane/tornado prone area they take the most damage. When a tornado strikes wooden buildings cease to exist.
The disadvantages far outweigh the advantages for a wooden structure. Increase in the rate of deforestation is another thing. Besides concrete structures have proved to be comparatively stronger and safer. One feels secure living in concrete buildings.

samsonawane08 Sep 11, 2015 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdiederi (Post 6933642)
Five floors is the maximum allowed for wood buildings by code in most jurisdictions in the United States.

Los Angeles recently started allowing seven floors. Here's the result:

http://a.abcnews.com/images/US/ap_lo...8_16x9_992.jpg
http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/

Those flames are several hundred feet tall. :hell: It was a long horizontal building, 7 stories of wood, like a skyscraper on it's side, and the fire spread horizontally. Imagine if it were as tall as it was wide, the flames would have been over a thousand feet tall.

Built with all the modern fireproofing materials and requirements.

This building wasn't fully built, but was up to the full height, so luckily not open yet and no occupants were killed.

They can add as much fire prevention as they want to wood, and it might actually prevent some small fires from turning into big fires, but once the fire starts and takes hold of a tall wood structure, all bets are off. Your fireproofing better be solid rock.

http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/content/k...4_1280x720.jpg
http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/

Also, most of the tall wood buildings in Los Angeles are extremely ugly. Developers who skimp on materials usually don't hire quality architects.

If downtown LA gets hit with a 6 magnitude earthquake, you can expect to see several of these burning at the same time, probably with people in them, and no water to fight it because the water mains will most likely break in the quake. 110 buildings burned down in the Northridge quake fire.

Exactly wooden structures are far too risky. They catch fire easily and burn down pretty fast .If you happen to live on the top floor and the building catches fire, you won't
have the time to escape.

M II A II R II K Oct 5, 2015 5:26 PM

A Spectacular $350-Million Wood Pagoda Design By Herzog & de Meuron Unveiled for New Vancouver Art Gallery:

http://mashumashu.com/vancouver-art-gallery/

http://mashumashu.com/wp-content/uploads/VAG-Design.jpg

scalziand Sep 17, 2016 10:31 PM

Big advances in superstrong glued wood will enable lower cost 80+ story wooden skyscrapers
http://www.nextbigfuture.com/2016/09...lued-wood.html

Mokita Oct 2, 2016 3:16 PM

A interesting Slate article ...

Think Concrete Is Stronger Than Timber? This London Pavilion Wants to Prove You Wrong.

scalziand Oct 3, 2016 6:41 PM

Just a footnote to that article, tulipwood is also called yellow poplar in the US.

IMBY Oct 13, 2016 1:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdiederi (Post 6933642)
Five floors is the maximum allowed for wood buildings by code in most jurisdictions in the United States.

Los Angeles recently started allowing seven floors. Here's the result:

http://a.abcnews.com/images/US/ap_lo...8_16x9_992.jpg
http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/

Those flames are several hundred feet tall. :hell: It was a long horizontal building, 7 stories of wood, like a skyscraper on it's side, and the fire spread horizontally. Imagine if it were as tall as it was wide, the flames would have been over a thousand feet tall.

Built with all the modern fireproofing materials and requirements.

This building wasn't fully built, but was up to the full height, so luckily not open yet and no occupants were killed.

They can add as much fire prevention as they want to wood, and it might actually prevent some small fires from turning into big fires, but once the fire starts and takes hold of a tall wood structure, all bets are off. Your fireproofing better be solid rock.

http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/content/k...4_1280x720.jpg
http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/

Also, most of the tall wood buildings in Los Angeles are extremely ugly. Developers who skimp on materials usually don't hire quality architects.

If downtown LA gets hit with a 6 magnitude earthquake, you can expect to see several of these burning at the same time, probably with people in them, and no water to fight it because the water mains will most likely break in the quake. 110 buildings burned down in the Northridge quake fire.

I just finished reading Strangely Like War, The Global Assault on Forests by Derrick Jensen, and I'm more spittin' angry/revolted by lumber companies than ever before!:hell::hell::hell:

If you can save a forest, and all the creatures that become extinct, who have lost their homes, and stop the clear-cutting which draws scavengers like deer and increases the risk of forest fires, then use some other material to build. I also read that tree farms only have 3 life cycles and kaput! Then what?

It's no surprise that lumber companies are among the most powerful lobbyists on a state, country, federal level, insisting everything be built out of wood, and lying about how much more expensive it is to build with concrete.

In Mexico, the concrete firm, CEMEX, is on a par with our lumber companies, except they insist everything be built with concrete. I had a house designed for me in Baja and tell me about it! Even a concrete roof, for a rooftop patio, and would I ever fear a brush fire consuming my all-concrete structure? All my travels through both Mexico and Central America I noticed just about everything built with concrete, houses, apartment buildings, motels, etc.

It's a crying shame that wood construction is foreign to the Mexicans, and when they come here, they trade in their masonry talents for wood construction, and a missed opportunity to employ them to build more durable structures in this country.

I am so, so, so fearful of fire, it's ridiculous! At least my townhouse has cinder block walls going up the entire 2 floors, and when I unit burnt out in my neighborhood, the unit burnt out, it didn't effect any neighbors.

I'm gearing up to move to Tucson to retire, and I already have my eyes set on one of those many 1960's/1970's slump brick or cinder block one story patio townhouses, only the roof is built with wood.

I would never consider living in an all wooden structure, even if the rent was free! And these developers have the nerve to slap the word Luxury on to the building! Fireproof = luxury to me!

I get saddened everytime there's an apartment fire in this city, and tenants are forced to evacuate in the middle of the night, all which could be preventable with concrete construction, concrete walls separating the units.

What's really a frightening idea is if there's ever widespread anarchy in this country, one day, on a windy night, think of what all could burn down in just one night!

Here, in Las Vegas, with many houses built a mere 10 feet apart, and with our wind blasters that come through here at 50-60MPH, imagine!!! All it would take is one Molotov cocktail hurled into someone's living room window to get it all started!

Ah Well! Enough ranting about the widespread Weyer-haus-ing in this country!

M II A II R II K Dec 21, 2016 6:25 PM

'Glue' that makes plant cell walls strong could hold the key to wooden skyscrapers

Read More: http://phys.org/news/2016-12-cell-wa...ey-wooden.html

Quote:

Molecules 10,000 times narrower than the width of a human hair could hold the key to making possible wooden skyscrapers and more energy-efficient paper production, according to research published today in the journal Nature Communications.

- The two most common large molecules - or 'polymers' - found on Earth are cellulose and xylan, both of which are found in the cell walls of materials such as wood and straw. They play a key role in determining the strength of materials and how easily they can be digested. --- For some time, scientists have known that these two polymers must somehow stick together to allow the formation of strong plant walls, but how this occurs has, until now, remained a mystery

- "We knew the answer must be elegant and simple," explains Professor Paul Dupree from the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Cambridge, who led the research. "And in fact, it was. What we found was that cellulose induces xylan to untwist itself and straighten out, allowing it to attach itself to the cellulose molecule. It then acts as a kind of 'glue' that can protect cellulose or bind the molecules together, making very strong structures."

.....

M II A II R II K Oct 28, 2017 8:02 PM

Paris is getting a 'White Forest' wooden tower that will feature 2,000 plants — take a look

http://www.businessinsider.com/green...uction-2017-10

Quote:

.....

- Construction on a greenery-covered tower, designed by the Italian firm Stefano Boeri Architetti, will soon start in the Parisian suburb of Villiers-sur-Marne. On the outside, 2,000 trees, plants, and shrubs will fill the building's facade, roof, and balconies. Inside, the building will feature luxury apartments, offices, and retail. Called Forêt Blanche ("White Forest"), the 177-foot-tall tower will have ample windows for natural sunlight and views of the city. Most of its facade will be made of wood. The apartments, which include balconies, will be located on the high floors, while offices and shops will be on the lower floors.

.....



http://static5.businessinsider.com/i...hitectes07.jpg

whatnext Nov 19, 2017 6:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by samsonawane08 (Post 7160041)
Exactly wooden structures are far too risky. They catch fire easily and burn down pretty fast .If you happen to live on the top floor and the building catches fire, you won't
have the time to escape.

That's ridiculous. Do you think these building don't have sprinkler systems when completed? That fire occurred when the building was under construction, at it's most vulnerable state.

photoLith Nov 21, 2017 7:40 PM

A similar fire to that LA one happened a couple years back in Houstons Montrose neighborhood to a mid rise apartment building made out of wood.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4541/...2af01188_z.jpgaxis-fire-long
http://swamplot.com/she-didnt-start-...it/2014-03-27/

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4586/...e73b0461_z.jpg032514___media_10
http://swamplot.com/she-didnt-start-...it/2014-03-27/

M II A II R II K Jan 11, 2018 6:57 PM

https://archpaper.com/2018/01/interv...r-tower-audit/


Quote:

.....

- Mass timber is a major structural element of an increasing number of skyscrapers, according to a CTBUH survey; now, the fire codes just have to follow.

.....



The proposed Perkins + Will-designed River Beech Tower, if built, would be the tallest wood structure at 80 stories. Currently in a conceptual phase, the design calls for the use of easily available commercial wood products. (Courtesy Perkins + Will)

https://42mzqz26jebqf6rd034t5pef-wpe...ge-645x542.jpg




The interior of the central atriums would feature bridges that link the tower’s two hemispheres. (Courtesy Perkins + Will)

https://42mzqz26jebqf6rd034t5pef-wpe...or-645x829.jpg

M II A II R II K Feb 18, 2018 4:31 PM

Plyscraper city: Tokyo to build 350m tower made of wood

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2...ower-wood-w350

Quote:

.....

- A skyscraper set to be built in Tokyo will become the world’s tallest to be made of wood. The Japanese wood products company Sumitomo Forestry Co is proposing to build a 350 metre (1,148ft), 70-floor tower to commemorate its 350th anniversary in 2041. Japan’s government has long advertised the advantages of wooden buildings, and in 2010 passed a law requiring it be used for all public buildings of three stories or fewer.

- Sumitomo Forestry said the new building, known as the W350 Project, was an example of “urban development that is kind for humans”, with more high-rise architecture made of wood and covered with greenery “making over cities as forests”. The new building will be predominantly wooden, with just 10% steel. Its internal framework of columns, beams and braces – made of a hybrid of the two materials – will take account of Japan’s high rate of seismic activity. The Tokyo-based architecture firm Nikken Sekkei contributed to the design.

.....



https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/375/cp...6409295443.jpg

mrnyc Mar 7, 2019 6:48 PM

moving forward on the largest mass timber building in the usa -- in cleveland's ohio city neighborhood market square:

https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/...st-side-market


https://expo.advance.net/img/33b4c35...t115441pm.jpeg

paytonc Mar 8, 2019 5:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrnyc (Post 8498062)
moving forward on the largest mass timber building in the usa -- in cleveland's ohio city neighborhood market square:

Looks sharp! Love the structural grid being expressed like that. These ain't no twigs...

IMBY Aug 12, 2019 4:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike K. (Post 6954300)
A wooden 7-storey lowrise office building in Prince George, British Columbia, meant to showcase what can be done with BC's forestry exports, was built last year. Currently the building code in BC allows for six floor residential buildings that have a concrete podium. This came about in 2009 when the height was relaxed from a maximum of four floors.

http://www.biv.com/article/2013/3/wo...ce-george-con/

I would really like to know where all this lumber is coming from. I just read a very depressing article in The Economist regarding Death of the Amazon, as deforestation has taken off again under the new President. I hope this lumber isn't coming from the Amazon.

volguus zildrohar Aug 14, 2019 1:40 AM

There is a proposal (using that loosely) for a 62-story complex in Philadelphia called Timber Towers.


PhillyVoice


PhillyVoice


PhillyVoice

The site is rumored to be the location of Comcast's third Center City highrise.

Ruperta Sep 12, 2019 1:55 PM

Timber Towers 62-story looks just great

Nouvellecosse Sep 15, 2019 5:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IMBY (Post 8655906)
I would really like to know where all this lumber is coming from. I just read a very depressing article in The Economist regarding Death of the Amazon, as deforestation has taken off again under the new President. I hope this lumber isn't coming from the Amazon.

Yea, I don't think that Canada, which has the second largest amount of forest in the world (after Russia) and is the world's second largest exporter of forestry products, is promoting wood frame buildings as a way to encourage the use of wood from Brazil. Keep in mind that the problem of deforestation in Brazil isn't driven by a desire for a forestry industry which generally sees land harvested and continually re-planted, but rather a desire to clear the land for other uses such as farming and cattle grazing.

mrnyc Sep 25, 2019 4:58 PM

Cleveland's Landmarks Commission clears the way for Market Square Development project in Ohio City to move forward

Design plans include 253 apartments and 550 parking spaces

Posted: 8:01 AM, Apr 26, 2019 Updated: 6:53 PM, Apr 26, 2019
By: John Kosich


CLEVELAND — The possibility that the Market Plaza, a late 80s strip shopping center across the street from the West Side Market was facing the wrecking ball, was not the concern of the City's Landmarks Commission Thursday, but a sense of relief. Their focus was what would become the new neighbor of the iconic Market, the transformational mixed-use, Market Square Development.

The commission approved the design plans for the complex that will include a 7-story apartment building featuring 253 apartments and a 10-story office building that Dan Whalen with Harbor Bay Real Estate of Chicago promises will be unique.

"We're doing timber construction which hasn't been done in this state before, to this level and this scale that we're talking about," said Whalen a native of Willoughby. "So we're going to have the tallest mass timber building in the United States when its all said and done."

Currently, the tallest is an 8-story building in Portland but both will soon be eclipsed by larger projects in the pipeline across the country as developers eye the use of wood which when engineered is on a par with steel and concrete.



more:
https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/...o-move-forward

canucklehead2 Jan 7, 2020 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse (Post 8687778)
Yea, I don't think that Canada, which has the second largest amount of forest in the world (after Russia) and is the world's second largest exporter of forestry products, is promoting wood frame buildings as a way to encourage the use of wood from Brazil. Keep in mind that the problem of deforestation in Brazil isn't driven by a desire for a forestry industry which generally sees land harvested and continually re-planted, but rather a desire to clear the land for other uses such as farming and cattle grazing.

Most of the backers are from Alberta and British Columbia. Why? Because there's a huge surplus of sustainably harvested timber here with declining domestic uses. How do I know? I'm currently crashing at my mom's place in one of these one-industry towns and they are huge proponents of secondary product manufacturing instead of just shipping raw timber. Makes sense to me especially since these at least are nearly carbon-neutral when compared to traditional builds...


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