Instead of concrete jungles could our cities become urban forests of wooden skyscrapers? Swapping cement and steel for timber is the vision of a number of environmentally-minded architects who are planning high-rise buildings across the world. As reported CNN, Architect Michael Green, one of three principals at McFarlane Green Biggar Architecture + Design (mgb), has plans for a 30-story wooden skyscraper in Vancouver, while plans are afoot in Norway and Austria for 17 and 20-story building that use wood as the main building material, eschewing steel and concrete. The modern wood materials have been around for 20 years, but until recently they have been quite niche or used only in low-rise buildings. What has changed is the way in which architects and builders are thinking about using wood. The real change came when people started about climate change. Steel and concrete are great but not environmentally friendly. Cutting down trees to make buildings doesn't immediately sound eco-friendly either, but if sourced from sustainably managed forests (like those in Europe and North America), it can be more environmentally sensitive. Wood buildings lock in carbon dioxide for the life cycle of a structure, while the manufacture of steel and concrete produces large amounts of CO2 -- the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimate that for every 10 kilos of cement created, six to nine kilos of CO2 are produced. Green's "Tallwood" structure is designed with large panels of laminated strand lumber -- a composite made of strands of wood glued together. Other mass timber products use layers of wood fused together at right angles that making them immensely strong and able to be used as lode bearing infrastructure, walls and floors. Currently one of the highest modern wooden buildings is in London. Called the Stadthaus, Murray Grove, it's a nine-story residential building that stands at just under 30 meters (98 feet). Even the lift shafts and stairwells are made from wood. According to Craig Liddell, the commercial director of KLH UK, the company that developed the cross-laminated timber for the building, the 15 stories is possible before having to use other materials like steel. The cross-laminated timber used on the Stadthaus is classified as air-tight, making it one of London's most energy efficient buildings. As a pre-fabricated structure it also took less time to construct and was cheaper than a conventional steel and concrete building.

One of Australia's most recognisable landmarks, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, is celebrating its 80th birthday, reported BBC. The 1.149 thousand meters bridge, which took almost 10 years to build, was officially opened on 19 March 1932. Construction began on the span in 1923, and involved 1.4 thousand workers and 52.8 thousand tons of steel. The attraction is listed as the world's widest long-span bridge by Guinness World Records, reported The Huffingtonpost. The bridge cost US$ 9.9 million to build and 16 men reportedly lost their lives in the construction process. When the bridge - also known locally as "the coathanger" - was opened, it connected the northern and southern shores of the harbour for the first time. In its early days about 11 thousand vehicles crossed the bridge daily. Now, it sees daily traffic of about 160 thousand vehicles. Born from the mind of Dr. JJC Bradfield, who is considered the "Father of the Bridge", the contractor's consulting engineer, Ralph Freeman, carried out the elaborate design and the acute plans for the erection process. Known for their fierce competition with each other, and a very heated disagreement about whose idea the bridge originally was, the two men endured a bitter rivalry. Mr. Freeman later received knighthood for his contribution to this spectacular site.

The beautiful Windshape pavilion by nARCHITECTS stretched across the limestone walls of Lacoste, France like a luminous billowing spider's web, reported The Inhabitat. Perched at the top of Lacoste on the castle of the Marquis de Sade, the Windshape pavilion was composed of thread-like walls made from a simple assortment of materials - including white plastic pipes, aluminum braces, and threaded string. Woven from gauzy nets, the pavilion was designed to move and morph in the local wind, creating a spectacular art installation for the locals to enjoy. The surfaces of the pavilion would ripple, move, and even make noise, depending on the speed of the winds that blew through it. Over the course of five weeks, SCAD students worked closely with nARCHITECTS to install Windshape. The netted arcs took shape through bending and tension, and they were held in place by steel structural collars that ensured the structure's sturdiness. The strings were woven to provide enclosed spaces as well as more open areas to vary the usage of the different parts of the temporary pavilion. The resulting pavilion was a translucent web that elegantly embellished the Medieval architecture of the historic town. Taking advantage of these new meeting points, the town used the space was used to host concerts, exhibitions and ceremonies. At night, Windshape was illuminated and visible to neighboring towns miles away.

A five-year renovation of London's King's Cross Station is now complete and the glorious new hub will formally open to the public on March 19, reported The Inhabitat. Designed by John McAslan + Partners, the renovation was a three part project that included a re-use, a restoration and a new build. The train shed and range buildings were adapted and re-used, the station's previously obscured Grade I listed facade has been delicately restored, and the new Western Concourse is the showcase of the project. The semi-circular concourse also features a 150 meter free spanning roof that floods the space with natural daylight. On top of all that, the US$ 784 million renovation included improved passenger circulation, a photovoltaic system, and new skylights for the train shed. More than 1 thousand tons of steel, 1 million specially-made heritage bricks, 5 million ceramic tiles and five million meters of cabling were used in the building with more than 5 thousand people working on the project. As the station was originally built in 1852 and listed as a Grade I facility, the facade had to remain fully intact. The renovation had to carefully and creatively restore and keep this intact while opening the space up for passengers and providing room for rail utilities and offices, along with new cafes, bars and retail. The Western Concourse will be the new beating hearts of the station when it's officially opened up to passengers come Monday, March 19th. The free spanning roof emerges next to the historic facade and expands up and over the concourse to provide uninterrupted space to move. Naturally daylit through the translucent ceiling, the room is bright and cheery, a welcome departure from the once gloomy station. Beyond the new construction, the train shed was fully revamped to improve passenger circulation, access and the overall aesthetic. A huge new skylight system over the tracks transforms the space into something bright and welcoming. A rooftop photovoltaic system will generate 10-20 percent of the stations energy needs as well. King's Cross railway station, also known as London King's Cross, is a major London railway terminus opened in 1852. It stands on the northern edge of central London and is one of 18 UK stations managed by Network Rail. King's Cross was originally designed and built as the London hub of the Great Northern Railway and terminus of the East Coast main line. It took its name from the Kings Cross area of London, itself named after a monument to King George IV that was demolished in 1845. Plans for the station were first made in December 1848 and the detailed design was by Lewis Cubitt.

A beautiful 1870s barn located within the luscious Danish countryside was recently refurbished and turned into a creative cultural hub, reported The Inhabitat. Local architects Praksis were commissioned by the Realdania foundation to renovate the thatched roof wooden shelter on the outskirts of Mogeltonder, near Sonderhaven. Owned by HRH Prince Joakim, the centenarian space is now a green and gorgeous environment that hosts exhibitions, films, and music events. Located close to an area of marshland, the old barn has undergone a complete renovation that kept its original features intact. Externally, the building features a red brick wall topped by a thatched straw roof. Inside, the original bent wooden walls have been refurbished to their former glory, and their curvature actually yields great acoustics for musical performances. The exhibition space's floor was made using the terrazzo technique. The builders recycled a ballast of large local fieldstones to cover the entire 300 square meters space. Praksis designed the exhibition space so that it's flexible enough to be used for diverse cultural events including exhibitions, films and music. Three black fiberglass boxes containing the toilets, a cinema and a digital projector can be moved around to serve different functions. The old refurbished Danish barn is a great cultural hub in the country.