FRANCE – As part of the French government’s push for sustainable urban development all new public buildings financed by the state must contain at least 50% wood from 2022.

The local government in Paris had already pledged a greater use of wood in new structures for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, indeed all Olympic buildings up to eight stories high must be of all-timber construction.

“There is no reason that what is possible for the Olympics should not also be possible for ordinary buildings.” said Julien Denormandie, minister for cities and housing. “I am imposing on all the public entities that depend on me and which manage development to construct buildings with material that is at least 50 per cent wood or from bio-sourced material.”

Bordeaux will soon be home to France’s tallest all-timber construction with the 16-storey, 57m tall building named Hyperion and designed by Jean Paul Viguier. It has a concrete core housing the lifts and stairs, but surrounded by a wooden post-and-beam structure. Floors and walls will be made from cross-laminated timber (CLT).