Papers

The Tall Timber Center Research Paper Library contains the accumulated literature on tall timber generated by CTBUH that has been published in the CTBUH Journal, Technical Guides, Conference Proceedings, etc. Use the bar at right to search by author, subject, or keyword.

01 May 2025

Living Lattice

Regenerative Tree, a skyscraper prototype by Japanese firm Nikken Sekkei, blends timber engineering, biomimicry, and adaptability to reduce carbon emissions by 40 percent.

23 September 2024

High Hybrid

Andrew Waugh

C6 Perth is an elegant exemplar of high-rise timber construction, but prompts Andrew Waugh to reflect on the role of supertall towers in sustainable cities.

05 July 2023

Timber High-Rises in Nordic Countries: Current Trends

Nima Zahiri

Timber high-rises have emerged as an innovative and sustainable solution for vertical urban development, with the Nordic countries leading the way in their implementation. This...

16 May 2023

Building Above Our Cities: Evaluating the Feasibility of Mass Timber Vertical Extensions

Paul Kremer, Mahmud Ashraf, James Doerfler, Xin Li, Ashik D’Souza, & Nick Hewson

This paper provides guidance about the methods of assessing existing buildings for vertical extensions using mass timber construction (MTC). Guidance is proposed herein to support...

03 April 2023

Building Above Our Cities: Evaluating the Feasibility of Mass Timber Vertical Extensions

Paul Kremer, Mahmud Ashraf, James Doerfler, Xin Li, Ashik D'Souza & Nick Hewson

This paper provides guidance about the methods of assessing existing buildings for vertical extensions using mass timber construction (MTC). Guidance is proposed herein to support...

08 November 2022

Designing Biodiverse High-Rise Façade Microbiomes for Healthy Urban Environments

Christiane Herr, Elzaveta Blokhina, Ziyue Gao, Yiling Ji, Yining Jiang & Chao Tang

This study takes a first step towards exploring the microbiomes of existing building façades in Suzhou, China, informing proposals for alternative design approaches to architectural...

08 November 2022

K2: Explorations in Vertical Urbanism

Ro Shroff

The city of Kirkland, Washington, outside of Seattle, is a highly sought-after place to live and work in the Pacific Northwest, renowned for its quality...

11 October 2022

The UnTower: Forging an Adaptable Design For Evolving Real-Estate Conditions

Matthias Olt & Jill Jago

Designing for sustainability, adaptability and reuse can extend a building’s life cycle and substantially lower embodied carbon. This research paper examines the design and cost...