London’s first skyscraper made out of timber may have a greater resistance to fire than most conventional steel structures, as the Cambridge University architects have stated, according to Evening Standard.
As the developers of the skyscraper revealed, the 80-storey skyscraper will be built at the Barbican and will reach 300 meters in height. PLP Architecture and engineers Smith and Wallwork, along with Cambridge researchers have already submitted the conceptual plans to the Mayor of London.
“The Barbican was designed in the middle of the last century to bring residential living into the city of London – and it was successful. We’ve put our proposals on the Barbican as a way to imagine what the future of construction could look like in the 21st century,” said Dr Michael Ramage, Director of Cambridge’s Centre for Natural Material Innovation.
Ramage added that the natural materials, including timber, aren’t used at their full capacity, taking into consideration that timber is a natural and renewable resource. Thus, the plans include 1,000 new residential units’ proposals, alongside with the timber tower. The use of timber may reduce the overall costs, along with a shorter building time.
Also, there is a decreased risk of fire, compared to the steel and concrete buildings.
Image credit: Cambridge University/PLP Architecture/Smith and Wallwork
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