HomeArchitectureC.F. Møller Architects complete Sweden’s tallest timber tower
June 24, 2020

C.F. Møller Architects complete Sweden’s tallest timber tower

Use of solid wood instead of concrete will save an estimated 550 tonnes of carbon dioxide over the building’s life
Image credit: Nikolaj Jakobsen

C.F. Møller Architects have completed the Tall Timber Building, which during its construction, became Sweden’s tallest solid wooden building in the new district of Kajstaden at Lake Mälaren in Västerås. With the entire building including the walls, joists and balconies as well as the lift and stairwell shafts being made from cross-laminated timber (CLT), the project has become a landmark for the area and a benchmark for a sustainable future.

Kajstaden is a central residential neighborhood near the water in the Öster Mälarstrand area of Västerås. The new neighborhood is designed as a city block and is a natural extension of Västerås city center. The area includes Mälarparken and Notuddsparken, which link together to form a cohesive green area. The neighborhood has a generous view of Lake Mälaren and is located directly adjacent to the square and the quayside promenade.

Timber construction means sustainability, at least according to C.F. Møller Architects. In recent years, the Scandinavian-based architectural company has focused on the use of timber in construction, as this can create huge carbon dioxide savings. Buildings made of timber also have a positive effect on the indoor climate and the people living in the buildings. This is something to be welcomed by the first residents who are now starting to move into Sweden’s tallest solid-timber building.

Sweden’s tallest timber building

The building is situated in the Kajstaden district of Västerås, an hour’s drive from Stockholm, with beautiful views of Lake Mälaren. Kajstaden Tower is 9 storeys high, with an elevated ground floor and a double height top floor. All parts of the building including walls, beams, balconies, lifts and stairwells, are made of CLT. The building was developed in close collaboration with Martinsons, Bjerking and Consto AB, with Slättö Förvaltning as the client.

“The building in Kajstaden constitutes a new chapter in the history of construction, as it is currently Sweden’s tallest solid-timber building. Through research projects and our other timber projects we have focused on innovation and contributed towards developing ways of realizing high-rise buildings made of timber. Industrial timber technology also provides architects with better tools for designing beautiful houses that boast a high degree of detail,” said Ola Jonsson, Associate Partner at C.F. Møller Architects.
Image credit: Nikolaj Jakobsen

Timber has a number of advantages

The advantages include the fact that timber is a renewable raw material, and the fact that buildings made of solid timber have very low energy and carbon footprints. The use of CNC-milled solid timber and glulam constitutes a high-precision technology and provides an airtight – and thus energy-efficient – building without adding other materials to the walls. The low weight of timber also means fewer deliveries to the construction site and thus a safer, quieter and more efficient working environment during construction.

In the building in Kajstaden, there are four flats on each floor, and each floor has taken four craftsmen an average of three days to put together. Mechanical joints and screws have been used, which means that the building can later be taken apart and the materials can be reused.

“Wood technology facilitates a value-adding lifecycle perspective in all stages of construction and is crucial to the goal of a bio-based circular economy. The total carbon dioxide savings from the use of solid wood instead of concrete are estimated at 550 tonnes of carbon dioxide over the building’s life,” added Rob Marsh, Sustainability Manager at C.F. Møller Architects.

Timber is part of a sustainable future

C.F. Møller are currently engaged in construction projects across a total area of 100,000 square meters with a focus on the use solid timber in Sweden and the UK, and hope to be able to help push the construction industry in a more sustainable direction by realizing these projects as good examples and sharing its knowledge of building with timber.

“We’re delighted that more and more timber buildings are to be built. It’s the total critical mass of sustainable buildings in our towns and cities that will be crucial to the attainment of a positive impact on our planet. C.F. Møller hopes to be an important contributor to the development of timber construction and is involved in various development projects and networks in the field of sustainable construction in Scandinavia and internationally, its aim being to share its knowledge and what it has learnt from its colleagues,” said Jonsson.

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