Toronto Tree Tower

Over the recent years, the versatility of wood as a building material is becoming widely recognized in taller buildings – with engineered wood being hailed as the next tidal wave of building construction in the 21st century.

Inspired by world-renowned Habitat 67 in Montreal, this 18-storey timber tower block in Toronto shows how even in the most hectic urban environments, high-rises can emerge as models of sustainability while still connecting with nature.

The 62-meter high-rise going by the name Toronto Tree Tower stretches at over 5,000 square meters of floor space – the majority of which offer the city’s much-needed housing units. Whereas, the remaining 550 square meters of space accommodates a variety of communal spaces such as community workshops, a café, and a daycare center.

With a forward-thinking approach that goes by the future of high-rise construction, the tower is wrapped in prefabricated modular panels that are manufactured and assembled off-site. Since these panels are simply craned and sealed into the tower, this method results in a more efficient and less wasteful way that altogether minimizes the usual chaos and disruption of construction sites.

Aside from the tower’s timber nature which can substantially reduce the industry’s carbon footprint in the future, it also incorporates generous terraces where patches of shrubs, vegetation, and trees can be planted. Not only will this help with its immediate ventilation, but also offer fresher air for its residents and the community it resides in.

Toronto Tree Tower and its innovative use of cross-laminated timber design not only earned the respect of the environment where it will rise, but also the Canadian government that heavily funded the project. Upon the success of its completion, the tower will truly set the benchmark for the future of high-rise architecture in Toronto and to the rest of the world.

Especially among cities with high volumes of steel, glass, and concrete buildings, Studio Precht’s Toronto Tree Tower could be an interesting contrast – with its warm and natural appearance symbolizing environmentally-friendly developments that can coexist with the urban landscape.