Paris Exhibition Spotlights Advances in Timber Construction
A new exhibition in Paris explores the rising prominence of timber construction. It highlights wood as a key material for a new era of architectural design. The show proposes that timber offers a different version of modernity. Moreover, it suggests a renewed interest in this traditional building material is reshaping our collective imagination. For over two decades, architects have pushed the boundaries of timber construction. They have explored everything from simple façade elements to complex load-bearing structures. This sustained research showcases significant technical innovation and celebrates the material’s inherent qualities.
From Façades to Hybrid Systems
The exhibition gathers thirteen architectural works. These projects, dating from 2005 to 2026, show a long-standing engagement with wood. Early works featured prefabricated timber-frame façades designed to age naturally. Later structures used diagonal timber cladding and exposed panels to create evocative internal spaces. Consequently, large-scale wooden envelopes became a defining feature in subsequent projects. One notable example was the world’s largest modular timber residential building at the time. It featured prefabricated solid wood micro-apartments. Meanwhile, other projects demonstrated rapid erection and hybrid timber-concrete strategies. These methods prioritize interior comfort and visible materiality. This evolution reflects a growing confidence in building materials like wood.
Pushing Material Boundaries
Recent work further expands the use of timber. Articulated wood framing is now seen in hybrid façades and adaptable apartment layouts. Additionally, experimental uses of wood are on display. One pavilion features a fully prefabricated, cross-laminated timber structure. It was designed for easy disassembly and reuse, promoting sustainability. Another building achieves a 30-meter diameter column-free interior. It uses an innovative timber frame above a concrete base. This ongoing work continues to push the architectural agenda forward. Current news from the world of architecture points to many similar trends.
Upcoming projects signal an even greater ambition. One office building stacks prefabricated timber modules for flexible office space. Another university campus pioneers a low-carbon timber hybrid and modular system at an unprecedented scale. A new campus in Berlin will maximize the use of local pine. It will be integrated with clay elements to enhance material expression and the indoor climate. The future of our cities may very well be built with wood. This trend is a key topic in our global editorial coverage.
What possibilities do you think timber construction holds for the future of housing?
A Quick Architectural Snapshot
The works feature innovative uses of timber, from prefabricated modules and hybrid timber-concrete systems to cross-laminated structures designed for disassembly. Projects achieve significant spans, including a 30-meter column-free interior, and integrate local pine with clay elements to improve indoor climate and material expression across European locations.
✦ ArchUp Editorial Insight
The proliferation of modular timber and timber-hybrid systems is a direct symptom of intersecting economic and regulatory pressures. An intensified demand for accelerated construction timelines and faster returns on capital expenditure drives the adoption of prefabrication. Simultaneously, mounting regulatory and investor pressure for low-carbon solutions makes timber a strategic asset.
Decision-making frameworks consequently favor hybrid systems, which mitigate the perceived risks of a full timber structure by integrating it with a known quantity like concrete. This de-risks the project for insurers and financiers.
The resulting architectural outcome buildings characterized by visible modular repetition, stacked forms, and expressed hybrid structures is not an aesthetic movement. It is the logical and predictable result of a system optimizing for speed, regulatory compliance, and risk management.
