Technology: Seven Storey Wood Office Building in Zurich
In the centre of Zurich, not far from the main railway station, a spectacular office building has recently begun to demonstrate the potential of wood as construction material. Shigeru Ban designed this new seven-story building with its visible wood construction as an addition to the headquarters of the Tamedia publishing company. The structure was to permit an assembly process similar to building blocks and feature a comprehensible load-bearing system. Wood elements were to remain exposed. To realize these architectural preconditions by using glue-laminated wood in premium quality for visible application and locking pin connections milled with extraordinary precision comprised a great challenge for all partners involved.
