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Plans released for world's tallest timber tower in Tokyo

Japan Architecture News - Feb 20, 2018 - 00:20   20240 views

Plans released for world's tallest timber tower in Tokyo

Japanese developer Sumitomo Forestry Group has unveiled plans for the world's highest timber tower in Tokyo, a 350-meter-tall wooden high-rise building is expected to be completed in 2041. The 70-storey building will also be the highest development that will be built in the centre of Tokyo.

Called W350, the project is designed to mark the 350th year since foundation of the business in 1691, the multi-disciplinary firm specializes on the management, utilisation and sales of timber in Japan.

Plans released for world's tallest timber tower in Tokyo

Aiming to create an environmentally-friendly and timber-utilising cities, the project will be developed with Japanese architecture firm Nikken Sekkei - the team will utilise a 185,000 m3 amount of timber on this project. 

This concept plan has been prepared primarily at Tsukuba Research Institute, Sumitomo Forestry’s research and development facility. The institute is expanding possibilities for wooden buildings as a roadmap for future technology such as the development of building methods, environmentally-friendly technologies, and trees that become resources and building materials.

Plans released for world's tallest timber tower in Tokyo

The planned structure is a hybrid woodand steel structure made from 90%wooden materials. It will use a bracedtube structure in which steel framevibration control braces (diagonalbraces) are positioned inside a columnand beam structure, made from acombination of wood and steel. 

Brace tube structure is a structural system composed of braced tubes made from columns, beams and braces. Abrace is diagonally inserted into the incorporated framework assembled by columns and beams to prevent deformation of the building due to lateral forces such as earthquakes or wind.

Theoutermost side is designed withbalconies that continue around all foursides of the building. The balcony partgives the high-rise building a space inwhich people can enjoy fresh outsideair, rich natural elements and sunshinefiltering through foliage. 

Plans released for world's tallest timber tower in Tokyo

The greeneryconnects from the ground to the topfloors through the balcony part, and itoffers a view of biodiversity in an urbansetting. The interior structure is of a pure wood, producing a calm space that exudes the warmth and gentleness of wood.

Encompassing a total of 455,000-square metre architectural space, each floor, made up of steel and wood, will reach at 6,500 square meters, including stores, offices, hotels, residences. The interior spaces of the tower will be built from entirely pure timber. 

Plans released for world's tallest timber tower in Tokyo

"We are accelerating research and technological development in the fields of resources, materials, and building through technological development of wooden architecture for high-rise buildings. Such buildings create a comfortable environment for both plants and living organisms, providing a pleasant space for the people living there and in the surrounding city. These structures are like a forest, a habitat for living things," said Sumitomo Forestry Group in a press release.

"The number of wooden buildings in urban areas is increasing. Under this concept, greenery on the earth will contribute to buildings and cities, making over cities as forests. Buildings that are full of greenery will form a network that is linked to the biosphere of living creatures such as wild birds and insects, contributing to the biodiversity of cities."

Total construction cost is estimated for W350 approximately 600 billion yen ($5.6 billion USD). But the company stated that they will reduce the cost of the building through technological development.

Plans released for world's tallest timber tower in Tokyo

"The project offers the advantages of the re-use of timber, urban development that is kind for humans, and the vitalization of forestry. Wooden construction will increase through the optimal use of the strengths of trees," added the firm.

"We will make every effort to further enhance fire and seismic resistance as well as durability, thoroughly reduce construction costs, develop new materials and construction methods, and develop trees that will be used as resources. We will strive to create environmentally-friendly and timber- utilizing cities to Change Cities into Forests."

All images courtesy of Sumitomo Forestry Group

> via Sumitomo Forestry Group