The U.S. city of Milwaukee is already home to the world’s tallest timber tower. But another, even taller, wooden skyscraper could be added to its skyline, designed by Vancouver-based studio Michael Green Architects (MGA). The firm recently released plans for the development, which includes a 55-story tower made principally from mass timber — thick, compressed, multilayered panels of solid wood. If built, it would usurp the current world title holder, the 25-story Ascent tower by Korb + Associates Architects, as well as becoming the tallest building in the state of Wisconsin. MGA, which specializes in wooden architecture, hopes that the project will set a new global benchmark for mass timber construction. The project is part of the redevelopment of the Marcus Performing Arts Center, which opened in 1969 and won the Honor Award for Excellence in Architectural Design from the American Institute of Architects in 1970. The redesign will transform what is currently the center’s concrete parking lot into a space with residential units, offices, restaurants, cafes, grocery stores and public plazas. According to MGA, construction will cost an estimated US$700 million. While the use of mass timber is steadily increasing worldwide, thanks to changes in building regulations and shifting attitudes towards the material, it has yet to match the sheer height of buildings made of concrete and steel — although a slew of timber high-rises have been proposed in recent years. MGA says its tower design would be approximately 182 meters tall — more than double the 87-meter-tall Ascent tower. “The race for height is important,” said Michael Green, an architect and founder of MGA. “It’s not about showing off, it’s about showing what’s possible to the public.” The city of Milwaukee has been particularly forward-thinking, said Green, encouraging development within the city center while also being willing to experiment with new materials. The proposed tower will still use concrete foundations and steel components to make up the elevator cores, but he estimates wood will make up about 90% of the building material. His hope is that the Milwaukee tower will help to push innovation in climate-friendly architecture, and open people’s imaginations to building with timber. (SD-Agencies) 美國密爾沃基市已經擁有世界上最高的木制大樓。但是，另一座更高的木制摩天大樓可能會出現在該市的天際線上，新大樓由總部位于溫哥華的邁克爾?格林建筑設計工作室（MGA）設計。 該公司最近公布了建造計劃，其中包括一座 55 層高的大廈，主要由大量木材制成，即多層厚實的壓縮實木板材。如果建成，新樓將取代目前的世界第一木制高樓--由 Korb + Associates 建筑事務所設計的 25 層樓高的 Ascent 大廈，并成為威斯康星州最高的建筑。 專門從事木結構建筑設計的MGA 公司希望該項目能為大規模木結構建筑樹立一個新的全球標桿。 該項目是馬庫斯表演藝術中心重建項目的一部分，馬庫斯演藝中心于 1969 年開業，1970 年榮獲美國建筑師協會頒發的優秀建筑設計榮譽獎。重新設計將把該中心目前的混凝土停車場改造成一個擁有住宅單元、辦公室、餐廳、咖啡館、雜貨店和公共廣場的空間。據 MGA 稱，工程造價約為7 億美元。 由于建筑法規的變化和人們對這種材料態度的轉變，大規模使用木材在全球范圍內穩步增長。盡管近年來已經提出了一系列木材高層建筑的方案，但木制大樓的高度還無法與混凝土和鋼材制成的建筑相提并論。MGA 表示，其設計的塔樓高約182米，是87 米高的 Ascent 塔樓的兩倍多。 建筑師兼 MGA 創始人邁克爾?格林說：“高度競賽非常重要。這不是為了炫耀，而是為了向公眾展示木結構高樓的可能性。” 格林說，密爾沃基市特別具有前瞻性，該市鼓勵在市中心開發項目，愿意嘗試使用新材料。擬建的塔樓仍將使用混凝土地基和鋼結構組成電梯核心組件，但木材將占建筑材料的 90% 左右。 他希望密爾沃基的新大樓將有助于推動氣候友好型建筑的創新，并打開人們對木材建筑的想象力。 (Translated by Debra) Words to Learn 相關詞匯 【篡奪】cuànduó usurp seize and hold (office, place, functions, powers, etc.) 【標桿】 biāogān benchmark a level of quality that can be used as a standard | 