Wooden buildings have seen the spotlight in recent years, with countries like Switzerland, Norway and Australia erecting structures of the same. Now, Sweden will soon be home to the world’s largest wood city, which has been announced by real estate developers Atrium Ljungberg. The Stockholm Wood City is all set to be developed from 2025. Here is everything you need to know about the upcoming project.
The Stockholm Wood City
The wooden city in Sweden will be built in 250,000 square meters, i.e 2.7 million square feet. The project will feature a dynamic mix of housing, workplaces, shops and restaurants in an urban setting. With 2,000 homes and 7,000 office spaces, the construction is the world’s largest known project in wood. The Atrium Ljungberg will come up in the Sickla, a southeast neighborhood in Stockholm which currently has 400 companies within its radius. The first buildings are set to be ready for use by 2027, according to reports. Architecture firms Henning Larsen and White Arkitekter are helming the project.
Features and Aesthetics
The district is being designed to feel like a forest, with nature-themed elements all around. According to Atrium Ljungberg, the idea is to provide an urban setting within the serenity provided by a forest, inspired by minimalistic Scandinavian designs. Some of the ideas include large windows for natural light and green roofs for insulation. To combat the concern of fire hazards, the material used will be fire-proofed mass timber. The wood city will also store and share self-produced energy.
The Idea of Wooden Buildings
The recent rise of wooden buildings are directly linked to the attempt of being more sustainable. Buildings have been responsible for up to 40% CO2 emission globally, and the shift to wooden buildings showcases the potential of using renewable material for buildings. Not only does climate impact decrease up to 50% with this, it’ll also significantly cut down the construction time for real estate developers. Not to mention, its long term impact is infinite and opens up the scope of urbanization throughout sustainable development. Wood as a building material also promotes enchanted air quality, increased productivity and reduced stress, as per studies. CEO of Atrium Ljungberg Annica Ånäs spoke about how this is a historic milestone for Sweden’s innovative capability. Ånäs also added that the real-estate industry is responsible for making a difference both short term and long term when it comes to their work, and this is a step in the positive direction.