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Wuxi Timber Hybrid
What if a high-rise becomes a gateway to sustainable construction?
The new gateway tower is to be the largest timber-hybrid construction in China and houses multiple functions like hotel, office and retail.
Located in the newly designed city quarter of Wuxi, the structure draws carbon from the air and store it inside the building’s structure. Cross-Laminated-Timber (CLT) is one of the main building materials and stands out for its strength, appearance, versatility, and sustainability.
Wuxi
Project Region
Asia
Project Period
2019 - ongoing
Location
Wuxi, China
Team
Paul Clemens Bart, Marvin Bratke with Christian Tschersich
Status
2019 - Competition 4th Prize
Programme
Workspaces, Retail
Client
Confidential
Collaborators
studioDE Gebr. Schütt Holzbau str.ucture
Size
120.000 sqm
Wuxi Timber Hybrid
Timber high rises as carbon storage.
Cross-Laminated-Timber (CLT) in construction allows for the significant reduction of the carbon footprint in the building industry, while providing biophile experiences for the visitors and inhabitants alike. The twin tower acts as a carbon storage of enormous magnitude. The design applies a circular building approach using renewables, secondary material strategies, Cradle2Cradle certifications and the introduction of material passports.
Wuxi Timber Hybrid
Connected twins and vertical gardens.
Connected with their plinth, the tower massings rotate to open up the main vistas to the urban environements. Beautiful views are fostered and each floor is connected via communal areas at the front and end of each tower.
An elevated garden as an urban gateway.
Above the connected retail functions the building bridges one of the biggest seperators of the urban masterplan with an elevated communal garden. This open platform invites to meet and hang out in a natural environment with a view. The big gesture defines the building massing as welcoming beacon, tht symbolizes togetherness and connection.
Wuxi Timber Hybrid
Wuxi Timber Hybrid
Connecting the public realm.
The base of the Wuxi Timber Hybrid Tower features connected retail spaces that activate the public realm. Above, an elevated communal garden bridges the towers, creating a vibrant gathering space.
Wuxi Timber Hybrid
Bridging the gap.
The design fosters social interaction through communal spaces that connect the two towers, encouraging spontaneous encounters, collaboration, and a strong sense of community.
State of the art workplaces.
The same goes for the strategy of highly flexible, healthy and ecologic working environments. Through smart building integration the workplaces become highly adaptive and connected.
Wuxi Timber Hybrid
Wuxi Timber Hybrid
Timber Technology.
The towers are developed as an exemplary complex of buildings, which seek to find answers to the social, economic and ecological questions of our times. Newest advances in hybrid building technology open up healthy vertical environments.
A timber-hybrid structure.
The Wuxi Timber Hybrid Tower features a cutting-edge timber-hybrid structure, utilizing Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) for strength, sustainability, and carbon storage. The design follows a circular building approach, incorporating renewable materials, secondary material strategies, and Cradle2Cradle certifications.
Wuxi Timber Hybrid
Wuxi Timber Hybrid
Diversifying functions.
Above the groundfloor retail spaces, offices provide flexible and ecological workplaces, while a hotel offers comfortable accommodations. These functions, combined with communal areas and the elevated garden, create a dynamic, mixed-use urban landmark.