Framework, a 12-story tall wood building planned for Portland, Ore., has been placed on hold for the foreseeable future.
The structure was billed as the first wood high-rise in the U.S. Initiated in 2014, the mixed-use project was said to push the boundaries of resilient and sustainable innovation.
Changing market conditions in the interim have impacted the project’s bottom line, according to a press release from the developer, The Framework Project, LLC. Inflation, escalating construction costs, and fluctuations in the tax credit market, all contributed to the postponement.
“Although beset with market challenges beyond our control, we are very proud of Framework’s achievements and the new standards we’ve established for the use of CLT in the U.S.,” said Anyeley Hallova, an official with the developer.
Framework was the recipient of a $1.5 million U.S. Tall Wood Building Prize to fund the research necessary to utilize wood products in mass timber high-rise construction ultimately resulting in permits approval for the project which has paved the way for a new wood construction economy. Framework has also won local and national awards in recognition of its innovative and sustainable design.
The Tall Wood Building Prize supported a rigorous 2-year research & development phase and performance-based review process. The result was global breakthroughs in structural, fire, and acoustical performance testing that proved tall mass timber buildings can comply with U.S. building code and paved the way for mass timber construction across the country.
Framework received building permit approvals from the State of Oregon and the City of Portland in June 2017, a milestone for the U.S. construction industry.
Related Stories
Sponsored | | Dec 5, 2014
Best practices for force transfer around openings
As wood-frame construction is continuously evolving, designers in many parts of the U.S. are optimizing design solutions that require the understanding of force transfer between elements in the lateral load-resisting system.
Sponsored | | Nov 19, 2014
Robust structural frame supports historic building renovation in Newport, R.I.
The Audrain Building on Newport’s celebrated Bellevue Avenue was designed by New York architect Bruce Price in the early 1900s with intricate exterior detailing that exudes an enduring sense of luxury and tradition.
| Nov 6, 2014
Hines planning tall wood office building in Minneapolis
The Houston-based developer is planning a seven-story wood-framed office building in Minneapolis’ North Loop that will respect the neighborhood’s historic warehouse district look.
Sponsored | | Nov 5, 2014
How to maximize affordability and sustainability through all-wood podiums
Wood podium construction takes an age-old material and moves it into the 21st century.
Sponsored | | Oct 13, 2014
CLT, glulam deliver strength, low profile, and aesthetics for B.C. office building
When he set out to design his company’s new headquarters building on Lakeshore Road in scenic Kelowna, B.C., Tim McLennan of Faction Projects knew quickly that cross-laminated timber was an ideal material.
| Oct 13, 2014
Department of Agriculture launches Tall Wood Building Competition
The competition invites U.S. developers, institutions, organizations, and design teams willing to undertake an alternative solution approach to designing and building taller wood structures to submit entries for a prize of $2 million.
Sponsored | | Oct 7, 2014
Boost efficiency with advanced framing
As architects continue to search for ways to improve building efficiencies, more and more are turning to advanced framing methods, particularly for multifamily and light commercial projects.
| Jul 24, 2014
MIT researchers explore how to make wood composite-like blocks of bamboo
The concept behind the research is to slice the stalk of bamboo grass into smaller pieces to bond together and form sturdy blocks, much like conventional wood composites.
| Jul 14, 2014
Meet the bamboo-tent hotel that can grow
Beijing-based design cooperative Penda designed a bamboo hotel that can easily expand vertically or horizontally.
| Jul 9, 2014
Demolition danger: Traditional Japanese architecture under threat in Tokyo district
Residents are trying to block developers from destroying historic architecture in Tokyo's Yanaka district, where a remarkable number of traditional buildings survived the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 and World War II.
