Australia to Break Records with Tower of Unprecedented Heights

Western Australia is anticipated to house the tallest wooden building in the world, as authorities in Perth have approved plans for a 191.2-meter (627-foot) "hybrid" tower constructed with mass timber. The Metro Inner-South Joint Development Assessment Panel (JDAP) in Perth has given the green light to Grange Developments' proposal for the towering structure, known as the C6 building, which will surpass the current record holder in height.

The developers claim that approximately 42% of the planned tower will be built using timber, while the remaining portions such as the columns and core will be reinforced concrete.

Once finished, this high-rise will surpass the current tallest timber-concrete hybrid building, the Ascent tower in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Ascent tower stands at 25 stories or 86 meters (284 feet), according to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. Additionally, the proposed structure located on Charles Street in South Perth will have a greater height than the upcoming hybrid timber Atlassian Headquarters in Sydney. The Atlassian Headquarters is expected to break the record set by the Ascent tower, but it is still under construction.

Like Atlassian, the proposed C6 tower will combine laminated timber beams with a steel exoskeleton to support the the structure.

An artist's rendering of an apartment in C6.

Courtesy Grange Development

Grange Development has announced that the upcoming 50-story tower will feature over 200 apartments and will be the first carbon-negative residential building in Western Australia. In a press release, James Dibble, the director of Grange Developments, stated that the primary aim of C6 has always been to promote a more environmentally conscious outlook and bring attention to climate issues.

World's tallest timber residential tower to be built

The tower will use 7,400 cubic meters (over 260,000 cubic feet) of timber harvested from 600 trees, according to Grange.

Dibble, in a proposal submitted to Perth authorities, emphasized that concrete cannot be grown. He presented a new open-source blueprint that employs hybrid construction methods to reduce carbon emissions in our built environment, which is the main cause of climate change. Dibble also expressed that this initiative allows us to demonstrate our genuine concern for both the current housing crisis and the lack of action towards the climate crisis within the industry.

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Granges' plan goes beyond the use of timber by incorporating additional green features like a rooftop garden, an urban farm, and providing residents with access to 80 brand-new fully-electric Tesla Model 3s. Philip Oldfield, an associate architecture professor and the head of the University of New South Wales School of Built Environment, stated to CNN that he believes the project possesses impressive environmental qualities.

"Traditionally, tall buildings are constructed using steel and concrete, which contribute to 8% of total CO2 emissions. Therefore, by substituting these materials with a sustainable option like timber, the environmental footprint of the building will be greatly minimized," mentioned Oldfield during the phone conversation.

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Oldfield expressed doubts regarding some of the other assertions made by the developers. "I am slightly skeptical about the notion of it being carbon-negative," he remarked. "The only scenario in which it can be carbon-negative is if the structure stored more carbon in the timber compared to the amount emitted by the other materials. While this may be feasible, it will always remain a temporary condition."

Oldfield remains optimistic about the increasing utilization of timber in the construction industry.

"In general, I believe this is a significant advancement," he expressed. "It is crucial that we construct a larger proportion of our buildings using timber."