Focusing on the intricacies of timber in construction, Metsä Wood has launched its new ‘Plan B’ microsite, looking at the impact wood can have when used as part of a large scale structure.
Starting with the Colosseum as its first Plan B ‘case study’, Metsä Wood explores how timber could have been used in order to deliver a structure that is both architecturally sound and aesthetically appealing. Working with Antti Laiho from Helin & Co. Architects in order to create a visualisation of how the structure would look if timber were used, MetsäWood has created the new microsite to provide a complete overview of the project, from the initial concept and design phase through to the final 3D model.
The challenge was to redesign a recognisable yet modern version of the original building, using wood as the main material. Emphasis was on reducing construction time, material waste and costs using prefabricated modular elements. As a result, it was decided that Metsä Wood’s Kerto LVL (laminated veneer lumber) was ideal for the beams and columns due to its incredible load-bearing strength.
Michael Green, the world-renowned architect and advocate of wood use in modern constructions, has reimagined the Empire State Building in an all-together more timber form as part of its ongoing ‘Plan B’ campaign. The design and construction plan for a wooden version of the Empire State Building was made by Canadian architect Michael Green and his firm MGA with Equilibrium Consulting and Metsä Wood’s own material and construction experts.
The iconic Empire State Building was a representative of innovations in structural steel in the 1920’s. For nearly 40 years, it was the tallest building in the world. Michael commented: “While many things have changed in 85 years, architects still strive to give form to new ideas about structure, energy consumption and climate change, amongst other things. For these reasons, the most iconic building of the modern age - the Empire State Building - was chosen for this Plan B case and was designed using Metsä Wood’s Kerto® LVL engineered wood as the main material from floors to column spacing. I believe that the future belongs to tall wooden buildings. Significant advancements in engineered wood and mass timber products have created a new vision for what is possible for safe, tall, urban wood buildings. The challenge now is to change society’s perception of what’s possible.”
To submit your own ‘Plan B’ suggestion visit: www.metsawood.com/planb
