Henning Larsen has revealed designs for a new mass timber logistics center project in Lelystad on Flevopolder Island, the Netherlands.

The project includes a restaurant with roof garden and terrace for employees and boasts several sustainable credentials, including the retention of 40% of the 70-acre total site for landscaping and wildlife habitats. Another 10% increase in its overall biodiversity will also be achieved through its realization. The firm says its construction is driven by circular economy principles and the desire to create a fairer working environment tied to reduced emissions.

For the design of Logistic Center West (LCW), Henning Larsen proposes constructing a wetlands network that wraps the site, supported by a high-tech irrigation system that also aids in flood mitigation and rainwater harvesting while preventing off-site contamination from commercial activities. The large 1.66 million-square-foot logistics hub is topped by a 331,022-square-foot roof garden. The arching three-story building will be 1,826 feet in length and is designed to accommodate over 500 workers.

“The constructed wetland habitat and the rooftop meadow are integral components designed to promote biodiversity. This intentional integration of nature into the workspace creates a unique atmosphere where employees can connect with the natural world, fostering well-being and productivity. However, crucial to its success, not every area is accessible to people to ensure nature can flourish unimpeded by human activity,” Sonja Stockmarr, Henning Larsen’s Global Design Director for Landscape, said in a statement.

The firm’s explorations into mass timber have recently spurred designs for the University of the Faroe Islands, ‘World of Volvo’ corporate headquarters project in Sweden, and another mixed-use development that’s been billed as the “world’s largest urban construction project in wood” in Stockholm. 

The LCW will also set precedents as the largest timber logistics hub in Europe. The project’s client is Bestseller, the fashion giant that made international headlines in 2017 over its proposed Dorte Mandrup-designed 1,049-foot HQ tower in the rural Danish village of Brande that would stand as the tallest skyscraper in Western Europe if constructed. 

“As sustainability becomes the main design driver, the buildings blocks of our industry are changing. But we still have much to learn, and unlearn, as we reshape our industry’s outsized environmental impact,” Global Design Principal Louis Becker said in February during a preview of the firm’s exhibition at the Aedes Architecture Forum in Berlin. “Facing up to this footprint can be anxiety-provoking. But it also holds a wealth of opportunities. The perspective of opportunities has led us to embark upon the explorative and collaborative journey of changing our footprint.”