Mass Timber Construction (MTC) continues to gain popularity among designers and project owners for a long list of environmental and financial payback reasons. Reaching ever higher into the sky seems a natural progression as building codes accept the use of MTC in larger hybrid structures.
And if there was a prize for the tallest MTC buildings in the world, the U.S. Midwest city of Milwaukee, Wis. would win the gold medal.
Milwaukee currently boasts the tallest MTC tower in the world, the Ascent MKE luxury apartment building (86.5 metres).
While the stairs and elevator shafts are made from concrete, most of the remaining structure is made from glulam beams and columns, and cross-laminated timber floor panels. Much of the interior wood has been left exposed.
The next five tallest MTC towers on the global list are found in Europe, ranging from 70 to 85.4 metres. Canada’s Brock Commons Tallwood House at the University of British Columbia comes in 12th place at 53 metres.
However, all of these are about to be eclipsed by another Milwaukee tower now in the planning stage.
Vancouver design firm Michael Green Architects (MGA) has proposed a 186.8-metre mixed-used MTC structure, more than double the height of the Ascent, which would be the focal point of the $700 million redevelopment scheme surrounding downtown Milwaukee’s Marcus Center for the Performing Arts.
Plans calls for a multi-phase, 1.2-million-square-foot project on the site of an existing parking garage property. Initial plans envision 750 residential units, 190,000 square feet of office space, 40,000 square feet of retail space, 300 hotel rooms, parking spaces and a collection of vibrant public plazas and walkways.
The property around the Marcus Center has been identified as a key location to start the process of increased residential densification.
Redevelopment ambitions to activate the Water Street corridor, and enhance pedestrian connections between the east and west sides of the Milwaukee River, took shape last year when the city approved its Connec+ing MKE Downtown Plan 2040.
MGA principal Michael Green is a passionate advocate of timber construction and sees wood as a pathway to carbon reduction in construction.
He authored The Case for Tall Wood Buildings, regarded as a manifesto for wood over steel and concrete. In a 2023 interview last year with the Washington Post, Green said, “the only path forward to get us to carbon-neutral buildings is timber.”
Madison-based The Neutral Project was chosen by the city as the project developer following responses to RFPs sent out last fall. The two parties are currently in exclusive negotiations, allowing The Neutral Project time to secure financing, finalize the overall scope and ultimately to secure tenants.
It’s not the only large MTC building coming to Milwaukee to be undertaken by The Neutral Project.
The developer is also behind the 32-floor multifamily apartment building called The Edison, near the edge of the Milwaukee River.
The design by Chicago-based Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture (HPA) is expected to begin construction this fall, and envisions 350 or more family units and over 7,000 square feet of commercial space.
The Neutral Project’s website says the Edison “sets a new standard for building design and construction practices by leveraging mass timber technology. This innovative approach not only creates a stunning visual appeal but also addresses the growing concern of environmental impact by using sustainable building materials and targeting Passive House certification.”
Milwaukee might seem an unlikely epicentre for world class MTC towers. However Nate Helbach, Neutral Project’s CEO, has suggested the Milwaukee authorities holding jurisdiction over fire, building and city services are supportive of tall wood construction.
Ever-taller MTC towers are also in keeping with the growth aspirations for the city, expressed by Mayor Cavalier Johnson. He says these MTC projects represent “a forward thinking Milwaukee” that is open to outside investments and ideas.
“I have not been shy about my goal to grow our city’s population to one million residents. To do that we need to be aggressive and reach for new heights.”
John Bleasby is a freelance writer. Send comments and Climate and Construction column ideas to editor@dailycommercialnews.com.
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