Sweden Embarks on Construction of a City Made Entirely of Wood

Atrium Ljungberg, the Swedish urban developer, has announced an intriguing sustainability project in Stockholm. The company plans to construct what it calls the “world’s largest wooden city” by 2025. Known as “Stockholm Wood City,” this development will encompass 7,000 offices, 2,000 homes, and a variety of dining and retail options, creating a vibrant activity hub. Located in the Sickla section of Stockholm, this project will cover an impressive 821,000 square feet and is estimated to cost $1.4 billion. Atrium Ljungberg and other developers around the world are advocating for wooden construction due to its environmental benefits, such as a lower carbon footprint and more cost-effective and quieter building processes.

However, concerns about fire safety arise when considering wooden construction. To address this issue, Stockholm Wood City will utilize “engineered lumber,” a type of composite material made by laminating layers of wood together in specific ways. According to the Economist, this approach is considered safer than traditional construction methods in terms of fire resistance. This project aligns with a larger trend, with 1,300 mass-timber buildings either under construction or already developed in the US alone. Annica Anas, CEO of Atrium Ljungberg, believes that similar projects will emerge worldwide.

However, skeptics argue that more research is required to substantiate claims about the carbon footprint and fire safety associated with wooden construction. Jose Torero, an expert from University College London, emphasizes that timber can be safe if proper precautions are taken. Factors such as room size and the amount of exposed wood influence the safety of mass-timber buildings. Torero asserts that competency is the fundamental issue, rather than a technological or technical problem. (Read more Sweden stories.)