The World's Tallest Wooden Tower Nears Completion
Source: http://www.smh.com.au
#wooden #australia #melbourne #skyscrapers #record #architecture
The expression ''timber top'' is taking on a new meaning in the building industry as the world's tallest wooden apartment tower nears completion. The company "Lend Lease" two weeks ago hoisted the final panel of cross-laminate timber (CLT) in place on the 10th story of its innovative new "Forte" building in Docklands. Victoria Harbour. About his plans "Lend Lease" announced 4 months ago and now the building is already ready.
The US$ 11 million project makes use of the lightweight CLT building material, commonly used in Europe, which has a structural strength similar to concrete and steel. The company maintains it will have cut ordinary construction times by 30 percent once the internal fit out of the 32-meter tall, 10-storey apartment is finished in November.
Being the first of its kind in Australia, and the highest in the world when it opens its doors "Forte" will be a test case for residential property buyers unfamiliar with wooden building materials.
Lend Lease made a deliberate decision not to sell apartments in the building until it was complete, said head of operations development Daryl Patterson. It wanted to avoid misconceptions that "Forte" was like a timber-frame house. ''It's very important for people to be able to come and touch and feel the product and understand that it's as solid as any other apartment,'' he said.
The company also treated "Forte" like a pilot project, learning while building. It discovered just how effective modular components were in CLT construction.
Forte's modular bathrooms were manufactured in Brisbane and trucked to the site. ''The toilets are in. The taps are in. The shower screens are in. The mirrors are up on the wall,'' Mr Patterson said.
Once complete, Forte will house 23 boutique residential apartments and 4 townhouses with prices ranging from US$ 430 - US$ 795 thousand.
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 less than 30 meters (98 feet). Even the lift shafts and stairwells are made from wood.
Architect Michael Green, one of three principals at McFarlane Green Biggar Architecture + Design (MGB), also has plans for a 30-story wooden skyscraper in Vancouver.
The US$ 11 million project makes use of the lightweight CLT building material, commonly used in Europe, which has a structural strength similar to concrete and steel. The company maintains it will have cut ordinary construction times by 30 percent once the internal fit out of the 32-meter tall, 10-storey apartment is finished in November.
Being the first of its kind in Australia, and the highest in the world when it opens its doors "Forte" will be a test case for residential property buyers unfamiliar with wooden building materials.
Lend Lease made a deliberate decision not to sell apartments in the building until it was complete, said head of operations development Daryl Patterson. It wanted to avoid misconceptions that "Forte" was like a timber-frame house. ''It's very important for people to be able to come and touch and feel the product and understand that it's as solid as any other apartment,'' he said.
The company also treated "Forte" like a pilot project, learning while building. It discovered just how effective modular components were in CLT construction.
Forte's modular bathrooms were manufactured in Brisbane and trucked to the site. ''The toilets are in. The taps are in. The shower screens are in. The mirrors are up on the wall,'' Mr Patterson said.
Once complete, Forte will house 23 boutique residential apartments and 4 townhouses with prices ranging from US$ 430 - US$ 795 thousand.
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 less than 30 meters (98 feet). Even the lift shafts and stairwells are made from wood.
Architect Michael Green, one of three principals at McFarlane Green Biggar Architecture + Design (MGB), also has plans for a 30-story wooden skyscraper in Vancouver.
