Architectural and engineering evolution has seldomly been characterised by a smooth transition, but rather by rapid changes. Currently, we are living in the time of a “sustainability revolution” and “timber renaissance”. Based on the recently emerging awareness for sustainability, a new architectural and construction language has developed. This requires a complete review of the old materials used in the last two centuries in favour of more “sustainable” and “natural” ones. This new approach has sparked a dynamic debate about construction materials. Since wood is the only regrowing building material, there is a natural inclination to believe that building with wood is good for the environment. But under which conditions is this really the case? What should we build with wood? What is the best way to achieve an optimal solution? This article examines the current state of the building industry with a holistic approach, exploring the use of structural timber and its combination with other materials for the design of medium and high-rise buildings.
