Swedish urban property developer Atrium Ljungberg is at Sickla, a former industrial area in south Stockholm, creating what is to become the “largest mass timber project in the world”
In 2022 Atrium Ljungberg set an ambitious goal to become climate neutral by 2030. Just by choosing timber as the structural material, the company has said it reduces its climate impact by about 40%, a claim backed up by researchers at Linköping University.
Atrium Ljungberg, and responsible for the realisation of the entire Wood City project, comprising in total, 25 neighbourhoods that will cover 25 hectares. The first buildings are scheduled for completion in 2025, with the next phase – including 2,000 homes – planned for 2027.
It is an enormous project, but with timber, Atrium Ljungberg can build 1,000 sq metres a week. This is about twice the rate of classic concrete construction.
The hope is that the city will also improve the wellbeing of the people inside the buildings. Wood regulates indoor humidity, creating a naturally comfortable climate throughout the year. Beyond that, studies show that visible timber has psychological benefits – it reduces stress, helps children concentrate better, and even supports faster recovery in patients. These effects carry over into offices and homes too.
Before 1994 Swedish building codes restricted the use of wood in buildings over two storeys, mainly due to fire safety concerns. But when the country revised its building regulations, materials were no longer explicitly banned; instead buildings had to meet functional demands for fire safety, structural stability and sound insulation. Wood could now be used in multi-storey buildings if they met safety standards. It also led to the increased use and further development of engineered wood products such as CLT and glulam.
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