Wooden structures can offer long-lasting and sturdy buildings, and here we will look at some of the world’s most impressive wooden structures.
The Old Government Buildings in New Zealand were built in the late 1870s in Wellington and were, at the time, the second-largest wooden building in the world for more than a hundred years. Concrete prices were too high then, so builders turned to wood, using kauri wood in this structure. You wouldn’t see this type of structure anymore as kauri is now a protected forest in New Zealand.
Whether you’re a believer or not, Noah’s Ark in the Creation Museum of Kentucky is quite an impressive spectacle. It was built to the exact specifications written in the Bible, measuring 510 feet long and 90 feet high, and it consists of more than 600 miles of wood planks. It can boast being one of the most giant wood-framed buildings on earth.
For a cake shop with a real difference, visit SunnyHills, Japan. This building has an incredible wooden lattice structure on the outside, and the architect, Kengo Kuma, modelled the building after a bamboo basket. The Japanese technique of Jiigokugumi is used to join all the wooden slats without using glue or nails. When you need timber and Oak Roof Trusses for your next project, go to https://www.timberpride.co.uk/oak-trusses
A Myanmar bridge is the longest made from wood worldwide and has been in the position since 1850. It provides a passageway over mud and water at about 15 feet. The bridge is made solely from teakwood, and this 3,960-foot-long bridge is still used daily by locals and tourists. Local legend has it that the teakwood was taken from a former palace.
Forte in Australia is a perfect example of how timber can also be used in high-rise buildings. The building, from 2012, is more than ten stories tall and uses wood to become Australia’s first certified green and five-star residential building. There are 23 apartments and a ground-floor retail store. Australia is leading the world here in the use of timber construction.
Treet in Norway made the headlines in 2014 when it overtook the Forte building in Australia for height. Treet stood at 170 feet and started as a sustainable project focusing on wood. The designers were inspired by Norwegian timber bridges but soon realised that a world record could be set. Treet consists of cross-laminated timber modules which are stacked on top of each other. Engineers placed a couple of concrete slabs into the building, as it needed weight and to prevent it from swaying.