Today, United States Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the winners of the U.S. Tall Wood Building Prize Competition in New York City.
Congratulations to Framework for their proposed redevelopment of their Pearl District property in Portland, Oregon, and to 475 West 18th for their proposed condominium building in New York City.
The first competition of its kind, the U.S. Tall Wood Building Prize Competition was made possible thanks to the efforts of the Softwood Lumber Board and the Binational Softwood Lumber Council. The competition brings tall, sustainable and design-efficient wood buildings to the United States and also expands awareness of what is possible with softwood lumber.
The prize money for the two winners, combined at $3 million, supports the development of tall wood buildings and will help offset early adopter costs.
The competition, launched last fall, invited teams of designers, architects, and developers to submit entries that showcased the architectural and commercial viability of advanced wood products in designing and constructing tall wood buildings.
When we refer to tall wood building construction, we’re talking about buildings 7-12 stories tall. Advanced wood products for tall buildings is an area where a lot of opportunity exists for the softwood lumber industry. Wood is an excellent choice in tall building construction for many reasons including its lower cost - both environmentally and economically.
Thank you to both the Softwood Lumber Board and the Binational Softwood Lumber Council for their efforts in making this historic competition possible.
Rendering of Framework’s winning proposal for a 12-story wood building.