The U.S. city of Milwaukee is already home to the world’s tallest timber tower. But another, even taller, wooden skyscraper could be added to its skyline, designed by Vancouver-based studio Michael Green Architects (MGA).

The firm recently released plans for the development, which includes a 55-story tower made principally from mass timber — thick, compressed, multilayered panels of solid wood. If built, it would usurp the current world title holder, the 25-story Ascent tower by Korb + Associates Architects, as well as becoming the tallest building in the state of Wisconsin.

MGA, which specializes in wooden architecture, hopes that the project will set a new global benchmark for mass timber construction.

The project is part of the redevelopment of the Marcus Performing Arts Center, which opened in 1969 and won the Honor Award for Excellence in Architectural Design from the American Institute of Architects in 1970. The redesign will transform what is currently the center’s concrete parking lot into a space with residential units, offices, restaurants, cafes, grocery stores and public plazas. According to MGA, construction will cost an estimated US$700 million.

While the use of mass timber is steadily increasing worldwide, thanks to changes in building regulations and shifting attitudes towards the material, it has yet to match the sheer height of buildings made of concrete and steel — although a slew of timber high-rises have been proposed in recent years. MGA says its tower design would be approximately 182 meters tall — more than double the 87-meter-tall Ascent tower.

“The race for height is important,” said Michael Green, an architect and founder of MGA. “It’s not about showing off, it’s about showing what’s possible to the public.” The city of Milwaukee has been particularly forward-thinking, said Green, encouraging development within the city center while also being willing to experiment with new materials. The proposed tower will still use concrete foundations and steel components to make up the elevator cores, but he estimates wood will make up about 90% of the building material. His hope is that the Milwaukee tower will help to push innovation in climate-friendly architecture, and open people’s imaginations to building with timber.

(SD-Agencies)

美国密尔沃基市已经拥有世界上最高的木制大楼。但是，另一座更高的木制摩天大楼可能会出现在该市的天际线上，新大楼由总部位于温哥华的迈克尔•格林建筑设计工作室（MGA）设计。

该公司最近公布了建造计划，其中包括一座 55 层高的大厦，主要由大量木材制成，即多层厚实的压缩实木板材。如果建成，新楼将取代目前的世界第一木制高楼--由 Korb + Associates 建筑事务所设计的 25 层楼高的 Ascent 大厦，并成为威斯康星州最高的建筑。

专门从事木结构建筑设计的MGA 公司希望该项目能为大规模木结构建筑树立一个新的全球标杆。

该项目是马库斯表演艺术中心重建项目的一部分，马库斯演艺中心于 1969 年开业，1970 年荣获美国建筑师协会颁发的优秀建筑设计荣誉奖。重新设计将把该中心目前的混凝土停车场改造成一个拥有住宅单元、办公室、餐厅、咖啡馆、杂货店和公共广场的空间。据 MGA 称，工程造价约为7 亿美元。

由于建筑法规的变化和人们对这种材料态度的转变，大规模使用木材在全球范围内稳步增长。尽管近年来已经提出了一系列木材高层建筑的方案，但木制大楼的高度还无法与混凝土和钢材制成的建筑相提并论。MGA 表示，其设计的塔楼高约182米，是87 米高的 Ascent 塔楼的两倍多。

建筑师兼 MGA 创始人迈克尔•格林说：“高度竞赛非常重要。这不是为了炫耀，而是为了向公众展示木结构高楼的可能性。”

格林说，密尔沃基市特别具有前瞻性，该市鼓励在市中心开发项目，愿意尝试使用新材料。拟建的塔楼仍将使用混凝土地基和钢结构组成电梯核心组件，但木材将占建筑材料的 90% 左右。

他希望密尔沃基的新大楼将有助于推动气候友好型建筑的创新，并打开人们对木材建筑的想象力。

(Translated by Debra)

Words to Learn

相关词汇

【篡夺】cuànduó

usurp seize and hold (office, place, functions, powers, etc.)

【标杆】 biāogān

benchmark a level of quality that can be used as a standard