The tallest timber building in the world in 2023 is the „Ascent“ or „Ascent MKE“. It is located in Milwaukee, United States and has opened its first floors in August 2022. This 86.6m structure just gained the lead by a small margin, separating itself from the second place with just a bit more than one meter extra.
For the most part, Ascent is a residential building with 259 luxury apartments. It features amenities such as workspaces for residents, a fitness studio, a pool, a sauna, and a concierge.
In addition to the residential units, there is a rooftop bar located on the 25th floor, as well as residential units on the ground floor.
The building is constructed using a mix of cross-laminated timber (CLT) and glue-laminated timber (GLT). Only the foundation, elevator shaft, and stair shaft used concrete in order to provide the necessary stability.
Ascent Milwaukee has been designed by the architects Korb + Associates. The developer for the project is New Land Enterprises LLP and Wiechmann Enterprises. The first plans were unveiled in 2018, while the final construction began in 2020.
Projects like these show what is currently possible and can help companies in the future to implement sustainable solutions like CLT and GLT as well.