Wood is on the rise and changing everything

For decades, wood was the material of choice for single-family homes and vacation chalets. Those days are over. In Regensdorf, a 75-meter-tall residential tower made of beech wood and concrete soars into the sky. Starting in 2030, a terminal building made of wood—unique in the world for its size—is set to be built at Zurich Airport. Wood has taken center stage in urban construction.

The H1 on the Zwhatt site in Regensdorf is currently considered Switzerland’s tallest hybrid wood high-rise. The tower features 156 apartments, a two-story common area, and a photovoltaic facade. The design is based on a hybrid principle. The core, base floors, and slabs are made of concrete, while the columns and beams are made of glulam from Swiss beech. Thanks to prefabrication, the building shell grew by one floor per week, significantly reducing the construction time.

The project was developed by Boltshauser Architects and completed between 2022 and 2025. For architect Roger Boltshauser, the goal is not to demonize concrete, but to use it more selectively. Hybrid structures that combine different materials represent the most promising approach.

Stored Carbon as an Asset
Compared to an all-concrete structure, the project saves approximately 670 metric tons of CO₂ over the building’s life cycle. An additional 1,500 metric tons of CO₂ are stored in the wood used in construction. The Federal Office for the Environment notes that wood in construction delivers three climate benefits: sequestration in forests, sequestration in long-lasting products, and the replacement of emission-intensive materials. This benefit is real, but it comes with one condition: the forest itself must remain healthy, biodiverse, and sustainably managed.

Fire Safety as a Turning Point
The industry owes the fact that wooden high-rises are even possible today to a revision of building codes. Since 2015, wooden buildings have been permitted in Switzerland across all building categories and uses. This is what made the development possible in the first place. Nevertheless, not all projects make it to completion. In Winterthur’s Lokstadt district, a 100-meter-tall hybrid wood high-rise called “Rocket” was planned. For economic reasons, the new owner has decided against the hybrid wood construction method; the tower will now be built of steel and concrete.

Wood at
AirportThe most ambitious project is still to come. Starting in 2030, Zurich Airport will build the new Dock A at a cost of over one billion Swiss francs. The “Raumfachwerk” project was designed by the Danish firm BIG, led by Bjarke Ingels, in collaboration with the Zurich-based firm 10:8 Architekten. On the passenger levels, the new building will consist largely of wood. The roof will serve as a photovoltaic surface and is expected to cover about two-thirds of the dock’s annual electricity needs. For a terminal building of this size, this is unprecedented worldwide.