Chicago’s proposed River Beech Tower would be the world’s first supertall building made of wood. It’s definitely the most dramatic example, yet high-rise wooden structures are cropping up all over the place, due to new, strong, cross-laminated timber, which rivals strength of steel.
Before you fret over their strength, realize that these structures have been thoroughly tested, and their fire-resistance is far greater than you would expect. Their environmental properties are also attractive, in that wood acts like a locker for carbon dioxide, sequestering excess CO2 from the air.
These visuals could make them a great part of a Chicago architecture boat tour.
Precision CNC gives engineers the ability to create wooden modules that snap together like LEGO, speeding up the build of these structures. A recent 18-story high-rise in Vancouver, B.C. was made from wood, and currently holds the record for tallest in the world.
But River Beech Tower would far exceed that, with a proposed 80-story design, and an elegant form that would bring a fresh and modern look to Chicago’s skyline. The future looks to be made of trees, after all. Read more on Wired:
