Mass timber office building underway in Christchurch

The installation of 114 mass timber columns, some of which are nearly 8m high, is in full swing at the new generation environmental office build at 211 High Street in Christchurch.  The double height columns form the perimeter of the build while the remaining internal columns are single height at 3.5m and use revolutionary connection technology. 

Comprising three office levels, coupled with ground floor retail and hospitality, 211 High Street is set for completion by the end of this year. 

Using mass timber (multiple layers of wood), reduces carbon emissions and provides added structural strength, says the building’s developer Anthony Leighs. “I’m absolutely certain that responsible business leaders will demand buildings where everything practical has been done to reduce the impact on the environment through both the construction and the ongoing operation,” Leighs says. “For me personally, if I’m able to control the design of a building, I’m committed to doing my part to maximise sustainability and reduce carbon emissions to the extent I practically can.”

Leighs says the process is faster and cleaner than traditional construction. Thanks to the innovative connectors, the internal columns take as little as 10 minutes or less apiece to install and the process is tool free and prop free, a little like stacking Lego blocks. The columns are installed in a pre-determined sequence in conjunction with braces and beams that are up to 17m long.

“We can go from installing beams to installing floors and then columns, all potentially within the same day, with the same team. It should also be much quieter than a traditional steel and concrete build – the only power tools needed are drills to install screws.”

Brynn Burrows, Director of Office Leasing at Colliers Christchurch, says tenants now, and certainly more so in the future, are focusing on the impact of their buildings on the environment. “211 High Street is a high-quality, modern, and sustainable building targeting a 6 star Green Star rating and 5 star NABERSNZ rating. These are market-leading performance ratings and tenants are increasingly conscious of the impact of their footprint on the environment,” Burrows says.

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Source & image credit: Colliers