Timber offers significant advantages, including lower embodied carbon and a natural aesthetic that promotes biophilic design. However, its use also presents challenges such as structural limitations, environmental degradation, and fire safety concerns that must be addressed through thoughtful design and advanced technologies. Two winners of the Holcim Foundation Awards 2023 from Europe – Bronze winner Haus 2+ (Berlin, Germany) and Acknowledgement prize winner High-Rise H1 Zwhatt Site (Zurich, Switzerland) – show where buildings with timber can deliver, and where it cannot.

Haus 2+ is a 204 m2 mixed-use building built out of timber, appended to a cultural centre in Berlin. It comprises 6 spatial units across three floors; the ground floor is for commercial use and public access; the upper floors are workplaces. All components are prefabricated and assembled on site.

High-Rise H1 Zwhatt Site is a 17,200 m2 timber-concrete hybrid, high-rise residential building for 2,000 people. Its structure is made from wood that is sourced from local forests. Photovoltaic panels on the facade and roof produce 50% of the building’s energy demand. The use of timber, plus onsite power, cuts 20% of the building’s CO2 emissions over 60 years of its life cycle.