Magazine
MAGAZIN
Timber with talent and technology
#greenbuilding

Timber with talent and technology

The Danish office 3XN is planning to build North America’s tallest timber office building in Toronto. Called T3 Bayside, the complex will offer more than 500,000 sq. ft. of next-generation office space when completed.

T3 Bayside in Toronto is set to become the “tallest timber office building” in North America to date. Designed by the renowned Danish architectural firm 3XN, it will join a series of modern creative workplaces that have been built on the basis of the innovative T3 concept by developer Hines.

CLT office complex T3 Bayside in Toronto
The tallest timber building in North America is being built.
Tallest timber building in North America
The distinctive look of the office complex is created by stepped windows.

Construction of the solid wood office complex on Queens Quay East, to the direct west of Parliament Street in Toronto, flanked by Merchant’s Wharf, has already begun.

It is the first of a twin office ensemble in Bayside Toronto, Canada. When completed, the two T3 Bayside buildings will offer more than 500,000 sq. ft. of “next-generation” office space, according to Hines. Established in 1957, the property investment, development and management firm Hines operates in 27 countries.

By early 2023 around half of the office space with a floor area of 30,000 sq. ft. will be finished in the first phase.

Newly developed district

Danish studio 3XN was chosen as the winner of an international competition and is cooperating with local office WZMH Architects. According to 3XN founder Kim Herforth Nielsen, nowadays the objective is to “give something back” to society and the environment by means of sustainable construction.

The office complex T3 Bayside is part of a 800-hectare revitalization initiative to redesign Toronto’s harbour district. T3 Bayside is joining the residential buildings in the area that were also designed by 3XN.

Three times T

T3 stands for a combination of timber, talent and technology. Bayside is the sixth such building constructed by Hines. Others include the T3 Rino in Denver, T3 West Midtown in Atlanta, T3 Goose Island in Chicago and T3 Collingwood in Australia.

Built according to the T3 concept by developer Hines
The busy ground floor zone, for users and visitors alike.

Timber construction helps to reduce the ecological footprint. All the wood used for the construction of T3 Bayside will be sourced from sustainably forested trees in order to minimize the environmental burden and ensure regeneration of the forests, emphasizes Hines.

In the list of the countries with the largest forest areas in the world, Canada is in 3rd place with around 340 million hectares.

Canada seems a natural place to build the tallest timber office building in North America.

Jens Holm, partner of 3XN North America, responsible for the T3 Bayside design

Other well-known timber buildings in Canada include the hybrid Terrace House by Japanese architectural firm Shigeru Ban in Vancouver and the stepped Vancouver Art Gallery built in 2014 with a design by Herzog & de Meuron.

The tallest timber projects in the world include the HoHo in Vienna and the Mjøstårnet by Voll Arkitekter in Norway’s Brumunddal. The first timber hybrid office building Timber Pioneer is currently being built in Frankfurt, Germany’s financial metropolis, with UBM Development as its developer.

Both equipment and furnishings of T3 Bayside aim to help increase user productivity, and the “tenant-oriented atmosphere” will help companies to attract and retain talented elite staff. This technological progress promotes an “innovative community”.

Timber also dominates the interior of T3 Bayside
Single- or double-height zones …
…enable maximum flexibility of use and an attractively designed interior.

Full of atmosphere

Huge windows zigzag across the façade to separate the two office buildings made of cross-laminated timber. The office complex near Lake Ontario rises up ten storeys high. When finished, it will be 138 feet tall at its highest point. Thousands of wooden slats will adorn the façade.

CLT is a material made of laminated wood to achieve especially high stability. “The use of timber contributes to the sustainability of the building, both reducing construction time and allowing the building’s elements to be easily disassembled and re-used for other purposes,” according to 3XN. As a breathable material that helps to regulate moisture, wood creates a naturally healthy interior climate.

T3 Bayside: busy ground floor area

The renderings of T3 Bayside reveal that each of the two buildings will feature stepped roof terraces. They are mirror images of one other, linked by a large plaza. Lobbies, retail outlets and eateries are planned here, alongside rooms for exhibitions and galleries. This will position the ensemble as both an urban marketplace and a social space.

The interior of T3 Bayside will also be dominated by plenty of visible wood.

The terraces will descend towards the plaza and will serve as a new urban gateway, as a meeting place for visitors and users alike. Diagonal insections in the middle of the buildings host the communal areas. The roof terrace affords a stunning 360° view of the lake and city.

Timber also dominates in the interior of the office project with various single- and double-height zones on offer – depending on the use, such as co-working space or communal area.

With T3 Bayside we created flexible office spaces that can meet the requirements of a diverse group of tenants.

Kim Herforth Nielsen, founder and creative director of 3XN

The two buildings for T3 Bayside are mirror images.

There will also be a dedicated, private shuttle service exclusively for T3 Bayside to connect employees with Toronto’s largest transit hub. In addition, the building has direct access to the Martin Goodman Trail. Numerous indoor and outdoor bicycle stands are planned as well. This makes sustainable travelling to and from T3 Bayside an easy option.

Text: Linda Benkö
Translation: Rosemary Bridger-Lippe
Renderings: 3XN

Other articles
that might interest you

Cedar trees off the ground
#greenbuilding
Cedar trees off the ground

Stefano Boeri is regarded as a pioneer of biodiverse architecture. The Torre dei Cedri planned for the outskirts of Lausanne will be another of his spectacular towers. This time, the vertical forest will consist of over 80 trees.

Timber showcase for Volvo
#greenbuilding
Timber showcase for Volvo

A special kind of discovery world is taking shape in Gothenburg, where Swedish vehicle manufacturer Volvo is using timber construction and nature to create its World of Volvo. The components and engineering for Henning Larsen’s design are being provided by Austrian firm Wiehag.

How to upcycle a high-rise
#greenbuilding
How to upcycle a high-rise

Danish architects 3XN are operating a separate division called GXN that develops green innovations. In this interview, Kim Herforth Nielsen and Kåre Poulsgaard talk about behavioural design, carbon as a market driver, and their radical high-rise project in Sydney.

A bridge to the future
#greenbuilding
A bridge to the future

As Dusseldorf’s Theodor Heuss Bridge needs a complete overhaul, the team at RKW Architektur + put their heads together – and produced a spectacular new design. It is literally packed with potential.

Yes to Jess!
#city planning
Yes to Jess!

The town of Jessheim is getting an impressive new centre. Designed by Norwegian firm Mad arkitekter, it promises to combine sustainable urban development with attractive indoor and outdoor areas.

Timber high-rise with guaranteed recycling
#greenbuilding
Timber high-rise with guaranteed recycling

The Kajstaden Tall Timber Building in Sweden marks the beginning of a new generation of mass timber blocks. Using this building material saves around 500 tonnes of CO₂, and it also facilitates deconstruction later on.

Now that’s rocket science
#greenbuilding
Now that’s rocket science

There’s a rocket preparing to launch in Switzerland. The residential timber high-rise named Rocket in Winterthur’s Lokstadt neighbourhood will reach a height of 100 metres. The tower’s residents will be part of the 2000-watt society.

It’s time for Carl
#greenbuilding
It’s time for Carl

May we introduce Carl? Using timber for its facade besides the supporting structure, the apartment block is currently under construction in Pforzheim. Architect Peter W. Schmidt explains how this is being done.

The best of both worlds
#city planning
The best of both worlds

Who wouldn’t want to play a part in designing their own neighbourhood? The future residents of the pioneering Floating Gardens project get to do this. The new, sustainable complex in Amsterdam not only has a school, but also sets out to teach others what sustainable living is all about.

A school with the hygge factor
#greenbuilding
A school with the hygge factor

Kautokeino skole in northern Norway is a project that seeks to embrace the uniqueness of Sami culture and educational style. The mass wood building is so hygge, you’ll want to check in for a few nights.

Superblock designed with mass timber
#city planning
Superblock designed with mass timber

Canada’s megaproject Waterfront Toronto includes a new district called Quayside, an all-electric and climate-neutral community. Its highlights are a two-acre urban forest and the residential Timber House by architect David Adjaye.

Where the future is radically car-free
#city planning
Where the future is radically car-free

The city of San Diego in Southern California has plans for a new district, one that will be entirely void of cars. Known as Neighborhood Next, it must be one of the most radical projects in the USA.

Climate neutral and affordable
#city planning
Climate neutral and affordable

The new urban quarter Zwhatt near Zurich is designed to enable climate-neutral living at affordable prices. One of its buildings is a 75-metre-high timber hybrid tower known as Redwood, whose facade generates solar power.

High-tech timber for Norwegian banking
#smart office
High-tech timber for Norwegian banking

Timber construction can be decidedly high-tech, as illustrated by the head office built for SR Bank in Stavanger, Norway. Bjergsted Financial Park offers workplaces that are fit for the future, and it is among Europe’s largest engineered timber buildings.

Hamburg sets a new benchmark
#greenbuilding
Hamburg sets a new benchmark

HafenCity Hamburg is an urban quarter fit for the future. Its eco cherry on the top is the “Null-Emissionshaus” (Zero Emissions Building), which is completely carbon-neutral – and can be dismantled like a Lego house.

Wood on London’s skyline
#greenbuilding
Wood on London’s skyline

Researchers at Cambridge University are helping to turn London’s spectacular vision of a wooden skyscraper into reality. The Oakwood Timber Tower is to rise 300 metres into the sky, almost level with the tallest building in the city.

New centrepiece for Eindhoven
#city planning
New centrepiece for Eindhoven

What used to be a single-purpose neighbourhood is being transformed into a versatile motor of urban progress: Eindhoven is turning its railway station district in Fellenoord into a buzzing new area where all kinds of innovations are set to flourish.

Back to the roots
#living
Back to the roots

The eco-friendly residential project Roots will be the new landmark of Hamburg’s HafenCity and the tallest timber high-rise in Germany. Architect Jan Störmer reveals what its future residents will have in common.

Back to the future
#city planning
Back to the future

Oslo was once built entirely of wood. The project chosen to redesign the area around its railway station heralds the return of this traditional building material to the Scandinavian metropolis. A spectacular office tower with an innovative hub is being developed, named Fjordporten.

Forest bathing on your doorstep
#greenbuilding
Forest bathing on your doorstep

Dutch architectural firm Gaaga has designed a residential building in Eindhoven that is distinctly people- and environment-friendly. Surrounded by trees, it is situated in the middle of a park.

From hamster wheel to perpetual motion
#greenbuilding
From hamster wheel to perpetual motion

An office building is being constructed in Madrid that even does some work itself: generating solar power. More power than it actually needs.

A floral cyborg
#city planning
A floral cyborg

A woodland of man-made and native trees has sprung up in Shanghai, named Solar Trees Marketplace. It even generates its own solar power.

The tessellated pavilion
#greenbuilding
The tessellated pavilion

Japanese architect Kengo Kuma and Australian artist Geoff Nees teamed up to design the Botanical Pavilion – a wooden pavilion that is constructed like a 3D puzzle – without using any kind of glue or screws.

Origami in wood
#greenbuilding
Origami in wood

Japanese architectural firm UENOA has created a wooden office that has no need for bearing walls. Folded origami-style, the ceiling construction gives a whole new lightness to cross-laminated timber.

Climate protection via furniture store
#greenbuilding
Climate protection via furniture store

In 2021, IKEA will open its most innovative furniture store to date in Vienna. Designed by querkraft architects, the city store will bring cooling greenery to the Westbahnhof neighbourhood. For climate protection, against climate change – and GREENPASS Platinum-certified.

The healthy Ochsner Center
#greenbuilding
The healthy Ochsner Center

There is a new building taking shape in New Orleans that fits perfectly with two very pressing issues: the new Ochsner Center for Innovation will be devoted to developing modern healthcare solutions. The project, which has already won numerous awards, is geared wholly towards sustainability.

Paris reinvents itself with Mille Arbres
#greenbuilding
Paris reinvents itself with Mille Arbres

A good four years ago, OXO Architectes and Sou Fujimoto embarked on an adventure called Mille Arbres – a mega-project with a plant biotope over Paris’s famous Périphérique ring road.

“Climate change changes everything”
#greenbuilding
“Climate change changes everything”

Sustainability is a top priority for the Powerhouse Company. In an interview, partner Stefan Prins explains why this means more than just a careful choice of materials and energy efficiency, and how essential it is to consider all the changes brought about by climate change when building.

Time for a new Bauhaus
#greenbuilding
Time for a new Bauhaus

EU President Ursula von der Leyen wants to put climate neutrality centre stage. The first official related project is called Sunflower House and is based on the internal workings of sunflowers.

A timber high-rise goes into production
#greenbuilding
A timber high-rise goes into production

The Life Cycle Tower One was the first timber high-rise in Austria and the prototype for a new type of serial construction. CREE founder Hubert Rhomberg explains the green building concept and why we have to learn to think in lifecycles.

Pirelli calendar for architects
#greenbuilding
Pirelli calendar for architects

Milan’s iconic but disused Pirellino office building is to be renovated in spectacular style and renamed Pirelli 39. Its special greenery will even adapt its colours to the passing seasons…

Timber housing on a modest budget
#greenbuilding
Timber housing on a modest budget

Most people looking for a new home with a sustainable design need to have deep pockets. Rotterdam’s Pendrecht district aims to buck this trend courtesy of timber building Valckensteyn, the brainchild of the architects at Powerhouse Company.

All in the name
#greenbuilding
All in the name

In Düsseldorf, The Cradle is gradually taking shape. The timber hybrid office building is being constructed according to circular economy principles, and these will also govern its future use.

Twin peaks for the Netherlands
#greenbuilding
Twin peaks for the Netherlands

The Dutch city of Eindhoven will soon be home to the world’s highest “plyscraper”. The two towers – 100 and 130 metres high and known as the Dutch Mountains – are to set new standards in high-rise timber construction.

A floating office made of wood
#smart office
A floating office made of wood

Workplace ahoy! Architecture studio Powerhouse Company has designed a concept for a floating office building. Sustainable, energy-neutral and made of wood, it will serve as the headquarters for the Global Center on Adaptation in Rotterdam as of autumn 2020.

Crowned with timber
#greenbuilding
Crowned with timber

A mixed-use project in Sweden’s Gothenburg is being crowned by star architect Dorte Mandrup. The jewel in this crown is its use of timber. The new eco construction is intended to become an icon in sustainable urban architecture.

A timber first
#greenbuilding
A timber first

Following an initial defeat by the authorities, in the second leg Zaha Hadid Architects managed to gain planning permission for the world’s first timber football stadium.

Aix-les-Bains: antiquity in green
#greenbuilding
Aix-les-Bains: antiquity in green

The ancient Romans used to bathe in healing waters here, and aristocrats from all over the world came to socialize during the Belle Époque. The historic baths in France’s thermal spa resort Aix-les-Bains are now on course for new fame: eco-architect Vincent Callebaut is turning them into a green paradise.

Gare Maritime restored in timber splendour
#greenbuilding
Gare Maritime restored in timber splendour

Once Europe’s largest freight station, Brussels’ monumental Gare Maritime is now the largest European CLT project. Neutelings Riedijk Architects have transformed the historic structure into a covered district, giving it a sustainable new lease of life using cross-laminated timber.