Lately, we love… wooden skyscrapers

I love a skyscraper. Always have, always will. So I was pleased to hear they are now available in wood – thanks to MGA, a New York-based architecture company, that has pioneered this construction process as an alternative to building with concrete and steel.

Building with wood is nothing new – it’s strong and lightweight. But the surprising thing about a 20-storey wooden building is that it can store 4,500 tonnes of CO². That’s the equivalent of taking 900 cars off the road.

The wood arrives pre-cut, placed in conventional foundations, and is said to be easy and simple to assemble. Even dead and dying trees can be used in the process.

Material costs would be near the same as concrete and steel, but the cost of labour would be significantly lower thanks to easy assembly. However, I’m sure it’s much more complicated than your IKEA flatpack. Whilst only being 9-storeys high, the Murray Grove Tower in London is an already built residential block made of wood – completed in just 9 weeks.

Traditional steel and concrete would be better suited in some instances, but this process is another option to be considered. It’s interesting to see natural materials being explored, particularly if it helps the planet with its CO² woes.