Japanese architectural studio Toyo Ito completes the Gaia building, which is a six-story business school at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. It is made almost entirely from mass timber and according to the NTU, the development is the largest wooden building in Asia due to the amount of timber that went into the construction.
It is made up of two curving blocks that house an auditorium that seats 190 people along with 12 lecture theaters and a series of seminar rooms, meeting spaces, offices, classrooms, and labs for students as well. The building is named after the Greek goddess of Earth and it is notably the second wooden building made by the studio for the campus.
Asia-Based Wooden Buildings
Toyo Ito Designs the Gaia Building at the NTU in Singapore
Trend Themes
1. Mass Timber Construction - Using mass timber as a primary construction material brings sustainable and eco-friendly opportunities to the building industry.
2. Wooden High-rise Buildings - Designing high-rise buildings with wood opens up possibilities for innovative and visually appealing architectural structures.
3. Sustainable Architecture - Constructing buildings with sustainable materials like wood promotes environmentally friendly practices in the architectural industry.
Industry Implications
1. Architecture - Architects have the opportunity to incorporate mass timber construction techniques into their designs, offering unique and environmentally conscious building solutions.
2. Construction - The construction industry can embrace the trend of wooden high-rise buildings, using mass timber as a viable alternative to traditional materials for sustainable and aesthetically pleasing structures.
3. Education - Educational institutions can explore the concept of sustainable architecture by incorporating mass timber construction in their buildings, providing students with a practical example of eco-friendly design and construction.