Towards wooden skyscrapers in design and architecture of the tower in Toronto

The sustainability crisis is one of the issues that is particularly troubling the construction industry. The excessive consumption of limited resources of sand for making concrete, glass, and other materials is an issue that should cause concern to architects and engineers. Construction is one of the largest solid waste-producing industries in the world. But how can we change this situation when most of the materials we consume are non-renewable and limited?

Toronto tower design

In today’s world, visual beauty is no longer dependent on a suitable volumetric composition. A building is attractive when it is not like an isolated piece from its site. This means that the building should be in harmony with its substrate and at the same time not cause damage to it. Having a sustainability approach and innovation in the use of materials in a way that the building does not rely solely on non-renewable resources is the main focus of the competition of designers and architects; a competition in which winning is required to know the environment and other sciences. Kalbod Company is proud to provide you with all the information you need about the Architecture of villas in Toronto .

The beginning of the CLT story,

what is behind the Toronto tower design?

Before getting into the design and architecture of the tower in Toronto, we need to know about our main subject history. Chinese researchers started to develop and produce CLT materials and buildings around 2010. Various research teams in China have conducted various types of research on the physical and mechanical properties and how to connect CLT. These studies showed that different types of wood such as fir, eucalyptus, and larch, and processed panels such as construction OSB boards are very suitable for producing a product called CLT. At the same time, researchers studied the capabilities and standards required to use these woods in the construction industry, and finally, in 2019, the Cross Laminated Timber industry standard was officially implemented.

What is cross-laminated timber (CLT)?

Cross-laminated timber (CLT) was first popularized in Europe and gradually gained attention in other parts of the world. This material consists of sawn wood boards that are placed on top of each other by special adhesives that have high resistance to heat. By connecting the layers of wood at perpendicular angles to each other, structural strength is obtained in both directions, and in this way, the panels have high tensile and compressive resistance. Cross-laminated timber (CLT) is known as a sustainable material. Because in the case of reforestation, wood is a renewable resource and there is no need to burn fossil fuels in the production process.

Tower Architecture in Toronto

Placement of sticks at a perpendicular angle to each other

CLT applications, from building infrastructure to skyscrapers

Many reasons have led to the widespread use of CLT panels. The high strength of these materials and the ease of working with them have caused them to be used from the lowest building levels to the tallest and most modern towers. Examples of various applications of CLT panels are mentioned below:

The infrastructure of large construction sites as forms for pouring concrete or even as a base for tractors in uneven and sloping lands

In small constructions due to their unique appearance and texture

Use in diva, floor, furniture, and ceiling in interior design

Use in buildings and even skyscrapers as main materials

The thickness and length of the panels can be changed depending on the needs of each project. Since this product is made of one material, the structure does not need to be coated, and accordingly, the labor, materials, and construction time of the project are reduced. In general, in the construction of CLT surfaces, only transparent waterproofing is used, which shows the natural pattern of wood fibers.

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Using cross-laminated timber in different parts of the building

Another reason for the popularity of cross-laminated wood (CLT) is the small amount of waste and material waste at the end of the work. Although this material has a higher cost than other materials, factors such as shorter construction time and high quality of the final result can be considered as factors to ignore the costs.

Design and architecture of the tower in Toronto

The design and architecture of the tower in Toronto as the tallest skyscraper using cross-laminated timber (CLT) shows that sustainability has become the main concern and challenge of architects and designers all over the world. So, in the following, we are going through one of the Toronto tower architectures using this method.

Design and architecture of the tower in Toronto and the tallest mass-timber building in North America

Canadian studio “Icon Architects” has released its modern tower design in Toronto for a 31-story skyscraper that, when completed, will be the tallest mass timber structure in North America at 90 meters. The proposed site for this structure is located in the city center and near the University of Toronto. In this Toronto tower design, which is intended for residential use, cross-laminated timber (CLT) will be used in the flooring and some of its walls.

The Toronto tower architecture from its architectural point of view

Regarding this modern tower design in Toronto, Reza Eslami, the architectural director of “Icon Architects” says: "The decision to use wood in the construction of this modern tower design in Toronto is due to the desire of the employers to stabilize the structure despite the expensive construction method compared to concrete. Despite imposing more costs on the design and architecture of the tower in Toronto, after construction, the tallest wooden tower in the world will be located in this city”. The architectural director of “Icon Architects” considers the design and volume composition of this tower architecture in Toronto to be inspired by the wooden block game “Jenga”.

tower architecture in Toronto inspired by the Jenga game

Architectural design of the tower in Toronto

According to Eslami, the siding of this Toronto tower design will be BIPV panels, though this is only prospective. However, the maintenance of the wood cladding in the architectural design of the tower in Toronto will be very expensive for a building of this size. So, metal panels with wood grain on them, which are widely used in low-rise buildings, could be an alternative to wood in modern tower design in Toronto. But "Icon Architects" did not want to have a fake building. If completed, the structure of this tower architecture in Toronto will have 230,000 square feet (21,368 square meters) of residential space, including 494 residential units and a variety of public spaces.

The ground floor of this modern tower design in Toronto is a row of Edwardian brick buildings. Edwardian buildings are part of cultural heritage and should remain in place.

row of Edwardian brick buildings below the modern tower design in Toronto

Besides tower architecture in Toronto, currently, the tallest mass timber structure in North America is a seven-story structure built by Michael Green in Minnesota. The popularity of mass timber is expanding across North America. In New York in 2021, the construction of mass-timber structures up to a height of 25.9 meters was approved.

A conclusion for the architectural design of the tower in Toronto

Perhaps, when Chicago architects were designing their high-rise buildings using steel for the first time in the 19th century, no one imagined that wood could replace steel and concrete in tower construction. But today, this issue has not only become a common idea among engineers and designers, but they are also looking for new stagnations in the use of wood. Creativity and technological advancement can always provide a suitable solution for human needs.For more information, visit the architecture company toronto page.

In today's era and despite the crisis of fossil resources, the need to align science and innovation not only in Toronto tower architecture, is felt more than ever. As one of the largest sources of waste products in the world, construction materials need an alternative to non-renewable resources more than ever. Mass timber structures as we saw in the Toronto tower architecture are the beginning of a way that may continue to provide better conditions for the environment and the crises facing mankind and the design and architecture of the tower in Toronto can be considered a starting point for it.

Geometry for sustainability, a new approach in Architectural design of the tower in Toronto

Every city in any part of the world has its special temperature and geographical conditions, which cannot be ignored during the design process. Whenever we move from the equator towards the South Pole and the North Pole, the number of sunny days decreases, and cloudy days and harsh winters dominate the region. The location of Toronto in the southeast of Canada has made this city have a more moderate temperature than other Canadian cities. However, due to its location in the northern half of the globe and its proximity to the North Pole, this region has cold winters and humid summers. Toronto's sky is cloudy most days of the year, and sunny days occupy a smaller share throughout the year. Therefore, it is logical for architects to look for solutions for designing in this city that led to the maximum use of sunlight in the buildings, especially in tower architecture in Toronto.

The following project to be reviewed is the design and architecture of the tower in Toronto by “Gang Studio”. The architects' approach to achieve sustainable architecture is the most important point of this architectural design of the tower in Toronto.

Modern tower design in Toronto

Studio Gang's first Toronto tower design offers 45 stories of upscale living

The residential Toronto tower architecture is located in the Yonge and St. Clair area and is Studio Gang's first project in Canada. The architects of this modern tower design in Toronto aim to turn the site and its location into a lively area, suitable for pedestrians and local shops. Accordingly, the concept of this Toronto tower architecture is based on two important goals:

Creating a pattern in sustainable city design

Integration of urban context and existing elements with modern architecture.

Skyscraper geometry, an answer for sustainability in the architectural design of the tower in Toronto

Imagine that you are moving from the city and the street to the highest point of the tower. When you stand in front of the Gang's Studio skyscraper as a Toronto tower design, it is unlikely that you will feel that a tall mass has suddenly appeared in front of you. The gradual change in height from the street level to a rectangular base aligned with the city grid and finally the height of this modern tower design in Toronto is the result of the designer's attention to the human scale and not disrupting the cohesion of the city.

All steps of this tower architecture in Toronto have been done with the focus of sunlight. The rectangular platform of the architectural design of the tower in Toronto located at the base of the building has caused the main volume of the tower to move away from the edge of the street and reduce the amount of shading as much as possible in the Toronto tower design. Also, the wall of this part of the street has remained in harmony with the facade of other parts.

Placement of local shops in the rectangular base of the design and architecture of the tower in Toronto

Toronto tower architecture

The geometry of the main part of the residential Toronto tower design is a significant point of this design process. This skyscraper is a grid consisting of eight floors. These volumes in the architectural design of the tower in Toronto, with their angular and outward-leaning geometry, create spatial diversity in the plans of residential units. The closer we get to the highest level of the Toronto tower architecture, the more elegance is used in its design, which makes the city skyline not distorted by the presence of a heavy mass, and at the same time, the amount of shading of the architectural design of the tower in Toronto on the nearby buildings also reduced. Be with us by introducing and reviewing the Design of a modern villa in Toronto.

Skyscraper form consists of eight floors in a modern tower design in Toronto by Gang architects

You are not detached from the city in the Gangs’ Toronto tower architecture

All residential of this modern tower design in Toronto units have deep and protected terraces. The spatial quality of these terraces is as if the interior and exterior of each unit are integrated and provide more opportunities for residents to live in the open air. In Toronto tower design, the geometry of the terraces will keep the living space in the residential units cool in the summer and direct the light and heat into the house in the winter. In this way, the design and architecture of the tower in Toronto do not detach its owner from the city and the residents of this skyscraper will experience living in an environment in harmony with the local climate throughout the year. It is expected that this residential Toronto tower architecture will be completed by 2026.

A conclusion for Gang’s Toronto tower design

Modern facilities cannot replace basic human needs. Buildings, regardless of their function, should provide the comfort of their residents by integrating technology and innovation in design. The importance of this issue in residential buildings doubles because they are a place to relax and achieve peace. The tower architecture in Toronto designed by Gang Studio reminds the designers of an important issue, which is that along with all the facilities that come with the help of designers and engineers in building construction, sometimes only the use of a principled and innovative geometry is enough to achieving stability and comfort of residents.