Dutch studio Powerhouse Company has created the Marga Klompé Building at Tilburg University, the Netherlands, which is "the first college building in Europe to be entirely constructed from solid wood".
Situated on a forested university campus in Tilburg, the cuboid building has a mass timber structure and facades clad in Portuguese stone.
Natural stone clads the exterior
The main structure and internal wood finishes were made from pine, while the external columns punctuating glazing on the ground floor were made from larch.
Cross-laminated timber (CLT) floors were reinforced with beams to allow for large column-free spans in the 33-by-33-metre building.
The building is located on a forested university campus
The facade was clad in Portuguese stone, which Powerhouse Company claims was chosen because of its long lifespan and ability to be disassembled. The studio opted for a combination of wood and stone for the university building for sustainability reasons as well as aesthetic, resembling the surrounding trees and other nearby buildings on the campus.
Larch was used for the external columns of the Marga Klompé Building
"Marga Klompé Building is the first college building in Europe to be entirely constructed from solid wood," said Powerhouse Company.
"Wood is a very important circular component and has a very warm and welcoming appearance ? it blends in very well with the trees that surround the building," added Powerhouse Company associate ...