Tallest wooden tower in the U.S. gets green light

Timber construction is a hot new (and old) trend promising sustainable, affordable buildings without sacrificing beauty or strength. While the movement started in Europe, it’s fast spreading to the U.S.

Just last week, the country’s most ambitious timber construction project—named Framework—was given the green light, receiving its building permit following a number of safety and structural tests. When finished, the 145-foot-tall tower in Portland, Oregon, will be the tallest wooden high-rise in the U.S. Designed by LEVER Architecture, the 90,000-square-foot building will house office space, retail, and sixty units of affordable housing.

LEVER Architecture via Architectural Record

The building is one of two winners sharing the $3 million U.S. Tall Wood Building Prize—a competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Softwood Lumber Board, and the Binational Softwood Lumber Council. The building’s design features cross-laminated and glued laminated timber in addition to a novel anti-earthquake core made of vertical CLT panels and post-tensioned cables.

Construction is scheduled to kickoff in the fall of 2017 and be finished by the winter of 2018.

LEVER Architecture via Architectural Record

Via: Arch Record