As one of three shortlisted proposals in a housing design competition, the 34-storey Wooden Skyscraper is presented by architect C. F. Møller, architect Dinell Johansson and consultant Tyréns as a vision of future housing that would be cheaper, easier and more sustainable than typical steel and concrete constructions.

"The main reason it hasn't been done before is that concrete and steel have a big part of the market," C. F. Møller architect Ola Jonsson told Dezeen. "But now the building industry has started taking responsibity for the environment."

He continued: "Construction accounts for around 30-40 percent of CO2 produced in the world globally and if you look at the CO2 released in the production of wood it is a lot better than steel or concrete."

According to Jonsson, using wood could even be a cheaper alternative, as it is a lighter material that costs far less to transport. It is also more fire-resistant than steel or concrete.

"We have a long history of building wooden structures in Sweden," he explains. "We have a higher knowledge of how to use the wood those days and we know that glued or nailed wood does have very strong construction qualities."

If built, the 34-storey building would exceed the height of the nine-storey Murray Grove tower in London, as well as a proposed 20-storey tower in Vancouver by architect Michael Green and a Swedish tower approved at 30 floors. "I've seen sketches of other buildings, but we are definitely at the highest end of this discussion," said Jonsson.

Wooden pillars, beams, walls, ceilings and window frames will all be visible through the building's glass facade. The presented designs also include a concrete core, although Jonsson says this could be replaced with wood. "We believe a modern building should use every material for its best purpose," he adds.

The winning entry in the competition, organised by Swedish building society HSB Stockholm, is scheduled to open in 2023 to coincide with the organisation's 100th birthday. Anyone can vote for the winner using the HSB Stockholm Facebook page.

Other projects by C. F. Møller include an art and craft museum completed recently in Norway and a centre for entrepreneurs with a green fibre-cement staircase.

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Here's some more information from C. F. Møller:

Wooden Skyscraper

For HSB Stockholm's architectural competition 2023, three teams of architects have produced innovative proposals for private residences of the future at three different locations in the centre of Stockholm. Berg | C.F. Møller's proposed design is a 34-storey skyscraper made of wood.

Berg | C.F. Møller Architects are working in partnership with architects Dinell Johansson and consultants Tyréns on their entry. The team has chosen to build upwards, and has designed a 34-storey residential building, which will be seen for miles.

The building will be built over a wooden construction with a concrete core, and it is intended to give the people of Stockholm a new and characteristic beacon and meeting place in their city.

Back to basics

Wood is one of nature's most innovative building materials: the production has no waste products and it binds CO2. Wood has low weight, but is a very strong load-bearing structure compared to its lightness.

Wood is also more fire resistant than both steel and concrete. This is due to 15% of wood mass being water, which will evaporate before the wood actually burns. In addition, logs get charred which protects the core.

Wood secures a good indoor climate, perfect acoustics, helps regulating the inside temperature and can be exposed without being covered with plaster or other costly materials.

In Berg | C.F. Møller's wooden skyscraper, the pillars and beams are made of solid wood. Inside the apartments, all the walls, ceilings and window frames are made of wood as well and will be visible from the exterior through the large windows.

Sustainable

Social and environmental sustainability is integrated into the project. Each apartment will have an energy-saving, glass-covered veranda, while the building itself will be powered by solar panels on the roof. At street level there is a café and childcare facility. In a new community centre, local people will be able to enjoy the benefits of a market square, fitness centre and bicycle storage room. A communal winter garden will provide residents with an opportunity to have allotment gardens.

All three design proposals are available on HSB Stockholm's Facebook page. Here you can vote for your favourite and thus play your part in determining how private homes in Stockholm will look in the future.

About the competition

HSB Stockholm - Sweden's largest building society - is 100 years old in 2023. At that time an ultra-modern residential high-rise building will be completed in Stockholm city. Three architectural teams are now preparing the competitive proposals for the spectacular house that will be placed at one of three different sites in Stockholm.

Berg | C.F. Møller Architects is working together with architects Dinell Johansson and the urban planning consultancy Tyréns. The other two competing teams are Equator Stockholm with Mojang (Minecraft) and Utopia Architects with Rosenberg Architects.

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Following our story on SOM's contorted Cayan Tower in Dubai, here's a roundup of twisted skyscrapers from the Dezeen archives.

Danish firm BIG are behind a few of the twisted buildings on Dezeen. The most recent is The Grove at Grand Bay, a 20-storey residential development for Miami.

These curvaceous twisting skyscrapers by Beijing firm MAD in Mississauga, Canada, have been dubbed the "Marylyn Monroe towers" by local residents.

Daniel Libeskind says the three Dancing Towers he's designed as part of his Yongsan International Business District masterplan for Seoul are inspired by the movements of a Korean Buddhist dance.

More from BIG: this time the 150-metre-high Beach and Howe St. skyscraper for downtown Vancouver that turns away from the adjacent motorway flyover.

This twisted residential tower clad in zinc-coated steel is part of the Huntingdon Estate mixed use development proposal in Shoreditch, London, by AL_A.

UNStudio's 60-storey Raffles City Hangzhou building with two twisting towers near the Qiantang River in China is due for completion next year.

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The buildings in the city's Hagastaden district will contain apartments, with a bar and exhibition space occupying the upper floors of one tower, and public facilities including a health club, library and shops on the ground floors.

Projecting living spaces cascade down the exterior of the buildings, creating a series of sheltered balconies.

"The informal appearance of the towers will express domesticity, perhaps even humanism," explains OMA partner Reinier de Graaf.

OMA will work with developer Oscar Properties to construct the 100-metre towers, which will be the third tallest twin skyscrapers in Sweden.

Images are copyright OMA unless stated otherwise. Top image is copyright OMA - bloomimages.

Last week, a design by OMA for a bridge incorporating space for events and a pedestrian boulevard made the final two of a competition in Bordeaux, while Swedish architects Belatchew Arkitekter have proposed covering a skyscraper in Stockholm in plastic bristles that would generate electricity through wind power.

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Here's some more information from OMA:

OMA has won the design competition for Tors Torn in Stockholm. The project, led by OMA Partner Reinier de Graaf and OMA Associate Alex de Jong, and designed as the third tallest twin skyscrapers in Sweden, was selected from entries by four competing practices.

With each of the towers a crescendo composition of different heights, the mixed-use project is an interpretation of existing urban guidelines which call for a gateway to the new Hagastaden area of Stockholm. OMA's design proposes the introduction of a "rough skin" formed through a striking, alternating pattern of protruding living spaces and introverted outdoor spaces.

Reinier de Graaf commented: "We are delighted to have won the competition and - together with Oscar Properties - to build the Tors Torn residential towers. The 100 meter high towers define the new neighborhood Hagastaden as an integral part of the growing city center of Stockholm. The informal appearance of the towers will express domesticity, perhaps even humanism."

OMA's design challenges the expected uniformity and homogenous facade treatment that is often assigned to tower structures. Instead, it extends the skin to expose the individuality of the separate living units in the two blocks - a true vertical, urban agglomeration.

In addition to private residential apartments, Tors Torn will also contain a diverse public program for the wider community of Hagastaden, an ongoing urban development project aiming to extend the downtown area of Stockholm. A bar and exhibition space will occupy the upper floors of one tower, with the ground floors of both towers accommodating a health club, library, children's center and retail areas.

The project is scheduled to break ground in 2015.

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The 307-metre skyscraper, previously known as the Infinity Tower, contains 495 apartments within a towering helical form that rotates 90 degrees from base to peak. "The lower portion of the tower is oriented toward the exciting waterfront promenade of Dubai Marina, while the upper floors are rotated to face the Gulf," explains SOM's design director Ross Wimer.

The twisted profile aims to reduce powerful wind forces on the tower by dispersing them around the exterior, while the perforated metal skin is designed to screen the interior from harsh desert sunlight.

This is the third skyscraper completed by SOM in the emirate city, following the 828-metre Burj Khalifa and the 235-metre Rolex Tower.

"Cayan Tower adds to SOM's significant impact on Dubai's twenty-first century skyline," comments SOM partner George Efstathiou. "It takes its place with our finest designs, including the nearby Rolex Tower and Burj Khalifa."

SOM is one of the largest architecture firms in the world. Recent projects include a vision for the future of New York's Pennsylvania Station and plans for Singapore's tallest tower.

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Photograph © Tim Griffith/SOM.

Here's a press release from SOM:

SOM's Cayan (formerly Infinity) Tower opens

The Skidmore Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM)-designed Cayan (formerly Infinity) Tower in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, was inaugurated by its developer, Saudi Arabia-based Cayan Investment & Development, earlier this week. The dramatically rising helix of the 75-storey building provides a distinctive landmark on the city's skyline. The 1,010-feet (307-metres) tall reinforced concrete structure rotates a hexagonal floor plate around a circular core - with the top offset 90 degrees from the base. The shift maximises views for each of the 495 apartments.

Deep concrete exterior columns clad in a metal skin with perforated screens help shield the building's interior from the intense desert sun. The tower's innovative shape required equally innovative engineering. The corner and interior columns twist as they ascend, but most of the perimeter columns have an identical shape and tilted relationship to the floor plate. They are simply shifted, a bit more than a single degree, from floor to floor - resulting in a standardised construction method typical to most concrete structures. Mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems are located in the core or within a zone between the central circulation corridor and the residential units, allowing straight vertical paths for these systems as the relationship between the apartments served varies between floors. The shape of the tower is not only aesthetically unique but it serves a structural function as well. Its twisted shape greatly reduces wind forces on the tower and "confuses the wind" in a way that wind forces cannot organise themselves.

Cayan Group President and Chairman Ahmed M Al Hatti notes Cayan Tower is the highest twisted tower in the entire world.

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At 247 metres, The Bow is the tallest building in the city, and the tallest tower in Canada outside of Toronto.

Climate analysis helped to determine the form of the tower, with a concave facade on the south side facing the sun and a convex surface reducing the load of prevailing winds on the other side.

A triangulated grid structure with sections spanning six storeys braces the building and helps to reduce the visual mass of the surfaces. "Every aspect, from the raised floors to the diagrid structure, is designed to be highly efficient," says Nigel Dancey, a senior partner at Foster + Partners.

A series of atria occupy the space behind the concave facade, helping to insulate the building and reduce energy consumption.

Three skygardens projecting into the atria provide social spaces for staff in the offices that occupy the building, featuring mature trees, meeting rooms, catering facilities and lifts.

A system of enclosed walkways links The Bow, which is located in the city's downtown district, to the surrounding buildings so locals can avoid the harsh winter climate.

On the ground level, a publicly accessible space contains shops, restaurants and cafes.

Foster + Partners is working on two residential skyscrapers for a mixed-use development in north London and a riverside development in Lambeth featuring three towers of different heights – see all architecture by Foster + Partners.

Photography is by Nigel Young.

Here's some more information from the architects:

Official opening of The Bow, Calgary’s tallest tower

Special events have been held in Calgary this week to mark the official opening of The Bow, a 237- metre-high headquarters tower – the city’s tallest building and Canada’s tallest tower outside Toronto.

A bold new landmark on the skyline, the project is equally significant in urban, social and environmental terms: the public base of the tower is filled with shops, restaurants and cafes and extends into a generous landscaped plaza, while the office floors are punctuated by three six-storey sky gardens, which encourage natural ventilation and help to significantly reduce energy use.

The Bow is the first major development on the east side of Centre Street, a major axis through downtown Calgary, and it provides a shared headquarters for Encana and Cenovus.

The building’s form was shaped by analysis of the climate and organisations. The tower faces south, curving towards the sun to take advantage of daylight and heat, while maximising the perimeter for cellular offices with views of the Rocky Mountains. By turning the convex facade into the prevailing wind, the structural loading is minimised, thus reducing the amount of steel required for the inherently efficient diagrid system.

Each triangulated section of the structure spans six storeys, helping to visually break down the scale of the building.

Where the building curves inwards, the glazed facade is pulled forward to create a series of atria that run the full height of the tower. These spaces act as climatic buffer zones, insulating the building and helping to significantly reduce energy consumption. As each floor plate has been sized to accommodate a whole business unit, there was a need to promote collaboration across the companies and bring a social dimension to the office spaces.

Vertical access to the office floors is therefore directed through three spectacular sky gardens, which project into the atria at levels 24, 42 and 54 and incorporate mature trees, seating, meeting rooms, catering facilities and local lift cores. Staff facilities in these atria are complemented by an auditorium at the very top of the building.

The Bow also establishes lateral connections with surrounding buildings. The tower is fused at two points to Calgary’s system of enclosed walkways, which offers a retreat from the city’s harsh winters.

The second floor is open to the public and integrates shops and cafes, and with the only public connection over Centre Street, the scheme completes a vital pedestrian link in the downtown network. Externally, the building’s arc defines a large landscaped public plaza, at the heart of which is a landmark sculpture by Spanish artist, Jaume Plensa.

Nigel Dancey, Senior Partner, Foster + Partners: “The tower’s form was shaped by the unique Calgary climate – facing south, the building curves to define a series of spectacular light-filled six-storey atria, with mature sky gardens, cafes and meeting areas, which bring a vital social dimension to the office floors. This principle extends to the base of the tower, which is highly permeable, with a +15 enclosed bridge connection to downtown, an atrium of shops and cafes and a fantastic new plaza. Every aspect, from the raised floors to the diagrid structure, is designed to be highly efficient. The Bow is a bold new symbol for Calgary, and is testament to the strength of our team and excellent local relationships.”

The Bow, EnCana and Cenovus Headquarters
Calgary, Canada 2005 – 2013

Client: H+R Real Estate Investment Trust
Appointment: 2005
Construction Start: 2007
Completion: 2013
Site area: 17,500m2 / 188,300ft2
Area (gross external): 199,781m2 / 2,149,644ft2
Typical Floor Area (net): 3,584m2 / 38,564ft2
Height: 236m / 774.3ft
Number of Floors: 58
Structure: Steel-braced moment frame with a diagrid
Capacity: 4000
Facilities: Offices, Public plaza, Retail facilities
Parking facilities: 1360 car spaces
Materials: 39,000 tonnes of steel was used; 900,000ft2 of glass was used
Sustainability: The building’s form deflects the prevailing winds, allowing for a lighter structure
The solar heat collected in the atrium is redistributed throughout the year by means of extraction during winter and heat exchange during summer, reducing the load on the mechanical systems
3 x 6 storey-high “Sky gardens” with natural vegetation at levels 24, 42 and 54
Large glazed areas reduce the need for artificial lighting Heat redistribution system
Displacement ventilation via a raised floor

Client: H+R Real Estate Investment Trust
Tenant: Encana and Cenovus
Developer: Matthews Southwest Developments
Architect: Foster + Partners
Foster + Partners Design Team: Norman Foster, David Nelson, Spencer de Grey, Nigel Dancey, James Barnes, Julia Vidal Alvarez, Laura Alvey, Tim Bauerfeind, Jakob Beer, Karin Bergmann, Mattias Bertelmann, Stephen Bes,t Federico Bixi,o Marie Christoffersen, Vasco Correia, Kirsten Davis, Ulrich Hamman, Michelle Johnson, Arjun Kaicker, Sabine Kellerhoff, Chiu-Ming Benny Lee, Mathieu Le Sueur, Shirley Shee Ying Leung, Alissa MacInnes, Carsten Mundle, Florian Oelschlager, Cristina Perez, Susanne Reiher, Diana Schaffrannek, Anja Schuppan, Carolin Senfleben, Robert Smith, Eva Tzivanki

Collaborating Architect: Zeidler Partnership
Structural Engineer: Yolles
Civil Engineer: Kellam Berg
Mechanical Engineers: Cosentini
Main contractor: Ledcor Construction
Fire Consultant: Leber Rubes
Vertical Transport Consultant: KJA
Acoustic Consultant: Cerami
Cost Consultant: Altus Helier
Lighting Consultant: Claude Engle Lighting Design
Landscape Consultant: Carson McCulloch
Planning Consultant: Sturgess Architecture
Environmental Consultant: Transolar
Wind Engineer: RWDI
Transportation Engineer: DA Watt
Signage Consultant: Cygnus
Code Consultants: Leber-Rubes
Art Consultant: Via Partnership
Artist: Jaume Plensa
Cladding: Brook Van Dalen

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