The tallest wooden high-rise completed in Japan

A high-rise building, the tallest of its type to be built largely of wood, recently completed in Yokohama, near Tokyo. The structure is eco-friendly and tops out at 44 meters.

The structure has a wooden framework that reduces its carbon footprint while meeting earthquake-resistance standards. Obayashi Corporation was responsible for putting up the 11-story building.

The wooden pillars and beams used in the frame consist of three layers laminated together to increase strength. Special water-proofing technology to prevent swelling from exposure to rain means the structure can withstand an earthquake of an intensity of seven, the highest on the Japanese seismic scale.

The reduced use of steel and concrete gives wooden buildings a smaller carbon footprint than conventional structures. Obayashi estimates that it cut carbon emissions to around a quarter of what would have been created by a similar structure made largely of reinforced concrete.

Japan is experiencing a mini-boom in the construction of such buildings. Last year, a 12-story building made of timber with a steel frame went up in Tokyo's high-end Ginza district.

Obayashi Corporation official Yamasaki Shinji says that with the focus shifting to carbon neutrality, the firm aims to build wooden hotels and condominiums in the future.