Archinect - News

In Amsterdam, a new residential development draws on canyons, forests, and beaches

2023-05-09T14:39:00-04:00

A team comprising Orange Architects, Felixx, Ballast Nedam West, and ABT has completed a mixed-use residential scheme in Amsterdam inspired by various natural forms. Titled Jonas and situated on the artificial island of Ijburg, the building is centered around a “concentration of special places” inspired by rocks, islands, forests, beaches, and canyons.

Image credit: Sebastian van Damme

At the front of the building, a landscape titled ‘The Rock’ is anchored by a large wooden sculpture that integrates a parking garage entrance. A multifunctional grandstand is created by sculptural terraces and wooden decks, while on summer days, the building’s interior and exterior merge by way of a large operable glass frontage.

Image credit: Sebastian van Damme

The patio of the building has been dubbed ‘The Forest,’ manifesting as a quiet, intimate space populated by large birch trees, ferns, moss, slate paths, and wooden benches. The s...

Henning Larsen details computational design process behind mass timber 'World of Volvo' center

2023-05-02T17:30:00-04:00

Henning Larsen and Volvo are working on the design of a new consumer-facing experience center called The World of Volvo ahead of its debut early next year in the automaker’s hometown of Gothenburg, Sweden.

Henning Larsen computational designer Leonardo Castaman recently explained on LinkedIn some details related to the project team’s seven-step process using the Kangaroo and Galapagos plugins on Grasshopper to create the wooden superstructure of the 236,800-square-foot building.

The design incorporates computer-fabricated glulam beams and columns with locally-sourced CLT floor slabs. The materials were selected to promote a circular economy in line with the philosophical notion of “Allemansrätten,” a Swedish concept that essentially translates to “leave nothing behind.”

Image courtesy Henning Larsen via LinkedIn

Castaman describes his workflow on the project as follows:

First, the plane...

10 examples of wood in architecture we enjoyed this week

2022-10-30T08:00:00-04:00

In case you haven't checked out Archinect's Pinterest boards in a while, we have compiled ten recently pinned images from outstanding projects on various Archinect Firm and People profiles.

Today's top images (in no particular order) are from the board Wood.

Tip: Use the handy FOLLOW feature to easily keep up-to-date with all your favorite Archinect profiles.

↑ Han Space & Silk Story (Jinke Hanwang Tingquan Xiaozhen Lifestyle and Arts Lounge) in Xuzhou, China by YI+MU Design Office; Photo: Sun Xiangyu

↑ San Remo Residence in Pacific Palisades, CA by ShubinDonaldson; Photo: Manolo Langis

↑ Lotte World Tower in Seoul, South Korea by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF); Associate Architect: Baum Architects; Photo: Tim Griffith

↑ Beach House in Te Arai, New Zealand by Fearon Hay Architects

↑ Forest House in Truckee, CA by Faulkner Architects; Photo: Joe Fletcher

↑ WK Residence in Manhattan Beach, CA by Laney LA; Interior Designer: IMI Design; Photo: Eric Staudenmaier

↑ Floating Cornic...

Henning Larsen unveils its new design for a 'modern monument' in Copenhagen

2022-10-07T12:34:00-04:00

Henning Larsen has announced their recent commission to design a new church in Copenhagen — the Danish capital’s first in over 30 years.

Set amongst a clearing of trees in a forested area, the Ørestad Church is designed to be a communal gathering nexus that "offers solace" to parishioners and is "untouched by the bustle of the city," according to Global Design Director Jacob Kurek.

Rendering by VividVision. Courtesy of Henning Larsen.

Made of wood and wood shingle, the 18,837-square-foot (1,750-square-meter) church is said to reflect the open landscape and expressive architecture found in Ørestad.

A linear arrangement of clustered volumes aims to reference the treeline of a forest when approached from the adjacent Amager Fælled, a nature reserve in Copenhagen.

Image courtesy Henning Larsen.

Rendering by VividVision. Courtesy of Henning Larsen.

The design's inverted facade creates an "urban shelf" activated by seating niches, gaming areas, and a book exchange that was included as the...

Check out the process behind Apex Plaza, the new tallest mass timber building on the East Coast

2022-05-05T16:17:00-04:00

William McDonough + Partners' new mass timber Apex Plaza project recently celebrated its completion in Charlottesville, Virginia. The 187,000-square-foot structure is now considered to be the largest such CLT project in the eastern United States.

Its completion is a major milestone for the use of the increasingly popular material in the U.S. and marks the end of a journey begun twenty years ago when the firm published a text from McDonough and EPEA International founder Michael Braungart outlining the “possibility of developing healthy and creatively interactive relationships between human settlements and the natural world.”

Apex Plaza, completed. Image © William McDonough + Partners

Construction images provided by the firm tell a narrative of its design features and the process behind McDonough's concepts of "Building like a Tree," "Design for Disassembly," and "The Five Goods." The timber products you can see below are said to be sustainably harvested and Cradle to Cradle-certifie...

Henning Larsen unveils new mass timber 'World of Volvo' center in Gothenburg

2022-05-03T12:58:00-04:00

Henning Larsen has revealed their design for a new experience center called World of Volvo in the Swedish automaker’s hometown of Gothenburg.

Touting a “deep connection” to the design heritage and rich natural landscape of Scandinavia, the massive 236,800-square-foot new facility offers itself as the combined home of Volvo Group and Volvo Cars and will function as the host for a slate of events, including exhibitions, talks, conferences, and music as well as dining and retail, according to Volvo’s CEO Magnus Wrahme.

Visualization by Kvant-1

Henning Larsen’s design is based on the Swedish concept of “Allemansrätten,” a kind of folkway that endorses individual free movement and a delicate consideration for their place in nature similar to the American environmentalist idum “leave no trace.”

Visualization by Kvant-1

Its circular form expresses an empathy towards these two interconnected tenets and is composed of computer-fabricated glulam timber reinforced by internal metal connectors w...

Australia is pushing for wood construction with $214 million Timber Building Program

2022-02-08T14:54:00-05:00

The Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC), an organization responsible for investing $10 billion in clean energy projects on behalf of the Australian government, is seeking to substantially cut construction-related emissions with a new $214 million program to encourage the use of mass timber in new building projects.

Called the Timber Building Program, the initiative is based on the need to transform building practices in order to achieve an economy-wide transition to net-zero emissions. The money will be available in debt financing for eligible projects across Australia, including commercial offices, retail, industrial, healthcare, and education undertakings. Finance may also be available for multi-residential apartments, senior living, and student accommodation projects.

Eligible projects will be considered on a case-by-case basis and may include those that follow the following criteria:

Use low-carbon engineered wood products in large-scale construction
Have secured appropria...

10 examples of wood in architecture we liked this week

2021-09-04T08:00:00-04:00

In case you haven't checked out Archinect's Pinterest boards in a while, we have compiled ten recently pinned images from outstanding projects on various Archinect Firm and People profiles.

Today's top images (in no particular order) are from the board Wood.

Tip: Use the handy FOLLOW feature to easily keep up-to-date with all your favorite Archinect profiles.

↑ Silver Oak Alexander Valley Winery in Healdsburg, CA by Piechota Architecture; Landscape: Munden Fry Landscape Associates; Photo: Joe Fletcher

↑ Jiangnan Zan in Linhai, China by LYCS Architecture; Photo: WU Qingshan

↑ Leftcraft in Edmonds, WA by Graham Baba Architects (the firm was also featured in Archinect's Studio Snapshots series); Photo: Haris Kenjar

↑ Wine Cave in Texas Hill Country by Clayton Korte; Photo: Casey Dunn

↑ Time Space Existence 2021 Venice Biennale Exhibit in Venice, Italy by GRADE New York in partnership with PLANT and Laboratorio Italiano; Photo: Patricia Parinejad

↑ Hale Mau’u on Big Island, HI by Wal...

10 fresh examples of wood in architecture

2021-02-05T13:36:00-05:00

In case you haven't checked out Archinect's Pinterest boards in a while, we have compiled ten recently pinned images from outstanding projects on various Archinect Firm and People profiles.

Today's top images (in no particular order) are from the board Wood.

Tip: use the handy FOLLOW feature to easily keep up-to-date with all your favorite Archinect profiles.

↑ Art Barn in Manhattan Beach, CA by ORA (Oonagh Ryan Architects Inc.)

↑ Hill House in Seattle, WA by Hybrid ARC; Photo: Lara Swimmer

↑ Centra Metropark in Iselin, NJ by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF); Photo: Michael Moran/OTTO

↑ Cork Trees House in Braga, Portugal by Trama Arquitetos; Photo: João Morgado

↑ HERRADURA UNO in Mexico City by BulAu arquitectos; Photo: Marcos Betanzos

↑ Troll Hus in Norden, CA by Mork Ulnes Architects (the firm was also recently featured in Archinect's Studio Snapshots series); Photo: Bruce Damonte

↑ The Braunstein Taphouse in Koege, Denmark by ADEPT; Photo: Rasmus Hjortshoj

↑ Villa Kohlhofen ...

17-story wooden high-rise proposed in Tokyo

2020-11-02T13:30:00-05:00

Mitsui Fudosan and Takenaka Corporation are planning to build a 17-story wood-frame office tower in Tokyo’s Nihonbashi district. With a proposed height of 70 meters, this would be the tallest wooden building in Japan.

Related: A much taller, 70-story wood-framed skyscraper was proposed by Sumitomo Forestry and Nikken Sekkei in 2018 to be built in Tokyo's Marunouchi business district by the year 2041.

10 stylish examples of wood in architecture

2020-07-24T08:00:00-04:00

In case you haven't checked out Archinect's Pinterest boards in a while, we have compiled ten recently pinned images from outstanding projects on various Archinect Firm and People profiles.

Tip: use the handy FOLLOW feature to easily keep up-to-date with all your favorite Archinect profiles!

Today's top images (in no particular order) are from the board Wood.

↑ Hoke House in Portland, OR by Skylab Architecture
(the firm was also featured in Archinect's Studio Snapshots series)

↑ DOM 125M in Moscow, Russia by D.O.M.+

↑ Kayak Point in Seattle, WA by Christopher Wright Architecture; Interior: Gary Henderson Interiors; Photo: Anna Spencer

↑ Townhouse in Brooklyn, NY by Arnold Studio; Photo: Nico Schinco

↑ Cottonwood Canyon Experience Center in Wasco, OR by Signal Architecture + Research; Photo: Gabe Border

↑ Granny Pad in Seattle, WA by Best Practice Architecture; Photo: Ed Sozinho

↑ Wilderness Cabin in California by Walker Warner Architects; Photo: Cesar Rubio

↑ Spiral Garden in Hyog...

DeZwarteHond & Powerhouse Company place giant triangular roof on top of new transit station

2020-07-06T19:24:00-04:00

The historic Assen Station in the Netherlands has been transformed by a massive triangular wooden roof and the addition of a new station building below it. Designed by De Zwarte Hond and Powerhouse Company for the NS, ProRail, and Assen city council, the new station provides a striking gateway into the city.

Photo by Egbert de Boer.

Photo by Sebastian van Damme.

The city asked for a transparent and inviting station that would seamlessly connect visitors to the surrounding neighborhoods. The triangular geometry of the roof gives the building below a dynamic cap while also organizing the programmatic qualities of the station, creating a subtle tunnel for travelers to pass through and keeping both the neighborhood and urban sectors intertwined.

Photos by Sebastian van Damme.

At 3,000 square meters, the roof is made entirely of wood and rises 10 meters at its high point. The shape is a scalene triangle, where each side is a different length with measurements of 78, 88, and 90 meters respec...

Multi-story timber construction receives EU funding boost to tackle climate change

2019-10-15T20:05:00-04:00

Armed with €10m in EU funding, a consortium of 21 European companies and organisations has formed to try and make timber the material of choice for multi-storey buildings instead of steel and concrete. Their aim over the next four years is to remove barriers to timber construction by developing standard, industrialised timber building systems, while documenting the environmental, economic and social benefits.

The multinational, pan European innovation project, called Build-in-Wood, aims to "make wood the common choice of material for construction of multi-story buildings," reports Global Construction Review.

"We’re not trying to create the world’s tallest wood building," project coordinator Niels Morsing from the Danish Technological Institute explains the consortium's long-term motivation, "we’re trying to maximize our impact by targeting wood-based building systems for 3-10 story buildings, where European demand is highest."

Milwaukee's wooden skyscraper just got a little bit taller

2019-09-25T18:30:00-04:00

"Having built projects in the U.S. will eventually take away the novelty and reinforce that tall wood buildings are held to the same standards for safety and performance as buildings made from other materials," Parsons told Construction Dive. "This is happening in Europe, where tall wood buildings have been built for many years."

The Milwaukee Plan Commission and the Neighborhoods and Development Committee recently approved changes to New Land Enterprises' Ascent project, a wood tower that is due to be the tallest of its kind in North America, Construction Dive reports

The Korb + Associates-designed tower was initially planned to be 21 stories, but current changes put the tower at 23 stories. Under the tower's current design, it will provide 231 residences and 310 parking spaces.

World's tallest wooden skyscraper may grow in Vancouver

2019-05-06T13:56:00-04:00

If this mass timber tower is built as originally envisioned, the tallest of its kind in the world, it could set an extraordinary precedent and benchmark for not only green building construction but also the future of development along Vancouver’s Central Broadway corridor.

Daily Hive editor Kenneth Chan gives a detailed introduction of the Perkins+Will-designed Canada Earth Tower, a proposed timber tower that could rise up to 40 stories and accommodate around 200 residential units.

"The structure would be predominantly made out of fire-resistant wood, specifically cross-laminated timber (CLT)," Chan writes. "Floor plates, structural columns, and exteriors will use wood materials, while a concrete core containing the elevators and emergency staircase will be incorporated for seismic and fire safety reasons."

Image: Perkins+Will/Delta Land Development

Vancouver was once home to the planet's tallest wood building, when the 18-story, 178-foot UBC Brock Commons tower opened in 2017, but it lost the title in the following year to another nation with a noted economic and ecological interest in pushing timber as preferred building material—Norway's Mjøstårnet (Mjøsa Tower) topped out at 85.4 meters (280 feet) in 2018.

Perkins+Will made headlines in 2016 when ...

3XN unveils design for tallest timber office structure in North America

2019-03-26T09:12:00-04:00

Danish firm 3XN revealed their design for T3 Bayside, which will be the first office structure to emerge in Toronto's Bayside neighborhood. Once built, at 42 meters high, the 10-story structure would reportedly be the tallest timber office building in North America. Currently in design development, the project is part of a 2,000-acre revitalization initiative that will transform the Toronto waterfront.

Exterior. Credit: 3XN.

Built using sustainable Cross Laminated Timber, T3 Bayside's two wooden buildings were designed to complement and activate its surrounding live-work-play neighborhood. Retail spaces will be located on all sides and a new central plaza will be surrounded by stepped community and shared spaces like galleries, flexible offices, and coworking facilities.

“Located along Queens Quay East and flanked by Merchant's Wharf, T3 Bayside presents an opportunity to enhance and enforce the existing master plan on multiple levels. Through a series of stepped roof terraces, the b...

Russia's historic wooden airports are still in use today

2018-09-12T14:47:00-04:00

This is the era of the glass and steel airport. As if made from the same mold, shiny, glittering terminals have become a status symbol for any city with aspirations. But all of this is a world away from the remoteness of Russia's Arctic regions and the Siberian wilderness [...] built in the mid-20th century when the Soviet Union saw in air transport a way to expand the state's reach to every corner of its territory, even if that meant little more than a dirt runway and a radio shack.

A collection of Russia's historic wooden airports are the antithesis of our current experience of most urban airports. Rather than immense glass and steel constructions, these old structures are made of simplistic wooden designs.

While many may look dilapidated, several are still in operation with regular airline service. Take a look at some of these unique transportation hubs below:

Mar-Kyuyel' Airport, located in Russia's Far East. Image: Russian Platinum.

Solovki Airport, located near Russia's Solovetsky Islands. Image: Wikimedia Commons.

Seymchan Airport, located in Magadan Oblast, Russia. Image: Sever.Aero.

Mezen Airport, located in Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. Image: Shutterstock.

Check out the full collection of Russia's wooden airports here.

MIT's mass timber longhouse is more sustainable than concrete

2018-07-23T15:15:00-04:00

Changing the mindset behind short-term wooden constructions is MIT. A group of researchers at the university are leading an initiative to investigate new mass timber designs- wood-based buildings designed to be more efficient and cheaper than, yet just as durable as, concrete and steel buildings. The team proposes building mass timber longhouses - large wooden engineered houses built from massive pieces of timber.

Mass Timber Design, MIT's architecture workshop exploring sustainable building design at the intersection of architecture and technology, has developed a Longhouse prototype. Mass timber, a wood-based building design and construction technology, has continued to be explored for its sustainability over other materials such as concrete.

The Longhouse prototype by MIT's Mass Timber Design Workshop. Image: MIT.

A major environmental concern, concrete production accounts for about 5 percent of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions alone.

The Longhouse prototype by MIT's Mass Timber Design Workshop. Image: MIT.

The Longhouse draws on its historical background serving as a multi-functional building designed for shared communal space.

The Longhouse prototype by MIT's Mass Timber Design Workshop. Image: MIT.

The structure consists of a series of timber laminated veneer lumber (LVL) arches spanning across the building’s shorter dimension.

The Longhouse prototype by MIT's Mass Timber Design Wo...

Grassroots activists are fighting to save Russia's wooden architecture

2018-02-16T13:55:00-05:00

“Today’s state of wooden architecture can be defined as an SOS,” says Igor Shurgin, an architect and restorer who runs the Foundation for Maintenance of Wooden Architecture Monuments. “If we do nothing to support it, then nothing will be left in 20 years.” A grant from the European Union enabled the organisation to stage a series of exhibitions in Russia and Europe between 2010 and 2012 that highlighted the problem.

After the contemporary artist Danila Tkachenko photographed a series of the country's abandoned wooden houses set ablaze, attempts to save Russia's wooden architectural heritage have become a high priority for preservation activists. Russia's ministry of culture has intentions to adopt an action plan to preserve these structures based on the work of architect and restorer Igor Shurgin, but many fear that it might be too little too late.

Estimated costs for preservation are assessed at around £183m, in addition to an extra £70m to protect 87 particularly significant works. Though the growing number of grassroots initiatives are promising, Konstantin Mikhailov, a coordinator of the Arkhnadzor preservation group, tells the Art Newspaper "that a great deal now depends on proper implementation of the recommendations."

Archinect - News

In Amsterdam, a new residential development draws on canyons, forests, and beaches

Henning Larsen details computational design process behind mass timber 'World of Volvo' center

10 examples of wood in architecture we enjoyed this week

Henning Larsen unveils its new design for a 'modern monument' in Copenhagen

Check out the process behind Apex Plaza, the new tallest mass timber building on the East Coast

Henning Larsen unveils new mass timber 'World of Volvo' center in Gothenburg

Australia is pushing for wood construction with $214 million Timber Building Program

10 examples of wood in architecture we liked this week

10 fresh examples of wood in architecture

17-story wooden high-rise proposed in Tokyo

10 stylish examples of wood in architecture

DeZwarteHond & Powerhouse Company place giant triangular roof on top of new transit station

Multi-story timber construction receives EU funding boost to tackle climate change

Milwaukee's wooden skyscraper just got a little bit taller

World's tallest wooden skyscraper may grow in Vancouver

3XN unveils design for ​tallest timber office structure​ in North America

Russia's historic wooden airports are still in use today

MIT's mass timber longhouse is more sustainable than concrete

Grassroots activists are fighting to save Russia's wooden architecture

3XN unveils design for tallest timber office structure in North America