Hyperion France
As part of the French government’s push for sustainable urban development, President Emmanuel Macron has announced that, by 2022, all new public buildings financed by the state must contain at least 50% wood. Sources: Timberbiz, The Times
The local government in Paris had already pledged a greater use of wood in new structures for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, with all Olympic buildings up to eight storeys high must be of all-timber construction.
The 2022 deadline did not surprise the industry as there has been a rush under state pressure over the past few years to adopt wood.
“There is no reason that what is possible for the Olympics should not also be possible for ordinary buildings.” Julien Denormandie, French minister for cities and housing said.
“I am imposing on all the public entities that depend on me and which manage development to construct buildings with material that is at least 50% wood or from bio-sourced material.”
Bio-sourced materials can include a vegetable component such as hemp or straw.
Building works covered by the new 50% rule include urban development projects co-financed by the state and local government in Paris and 13 other cities.
Bordeaux will soon be home to France’s tallest all-timber construction with the completion of a 16-storey, 57 metre-tall Hyperion building, designed by Jean Paul Viguier.
It has a concrete core housing the lifts and stairs, which is surrounded by a wooden post and beam structure, and all the floors and walls are constructed using cross-laminated timber (CLT).
