Japanese builder unveils plans for world’s tallest timber skyscraper in Tokyo

Japanese builder and developer <a href="http://sfc.jp/english/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sumitomo Forestry</a> has unveiled designs for the world’s tallest <a href="https://inhabitat.com/tag/timber-skyscraper" rel="noopener" target="_blank">timber skyscraper</a> in the heart of Tokyo. Designed by <a href="https://inhabitat.com/tag/nikken-sekkei/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Nikken Sekkei</a>, the 1,148-foot-tall wooden tower will form part of the W350 Project, a mixed-use environmentally friendly development that the firms aim to complete in 2041 to mark Sumitomo’s 350th anniversary. The company says these steel-and-timber structures will help “transform the city into a forest.”

Early renderings of the W350 project show the timber buildings covered in greenery and filled with natural light as part of Sumitomo’s message of promoting a healthier living environment.

The buildings will be built to withstand earthquakes and be constructed with a 9:1 ratio of wood to steel.

The development’s skyscraper centerpiece will house a hotel, offices, retail and residences.

While the building framework will be made of a hybrid timber-steel structure, the interior will feature exposed wood in an attempt to bring people closer to nature.

When complete, it will not only be the tallest timber tower in the world but also the tallest building in Japan.

W350 is estimated to need over 6.5 million cubic feet of wood and cost approximately 600 billion yen.

W350 Project by Sumitomo Forestry

W350 Project by Sumitomo Forestry