“New Finnish Wood Architecture” presents a selection of different-sized timber projects from across Finland, completed in the latter half of the 2010s.

Finland is the most wooded country of Europe, with almost 75 percent of the land area covered by forests. Hence, wood is a traditional building material in Finland. The use of wood in construction is beneficial in many ways: The CO2 emissions caused by timber construction are minimal in comparison to other materials such as concrete. The qualities or wood include good thermal insulation capacity, easy building processes, affordability and pleasant acoustics. It can be used to create beautiful, long-lasting buildings, the materials of which can easily be recycled at the end of the building’s lifecycle.

Finland is a forerunner in timber construction and wishes to further increase the use of our natural resource in the building sector. The Ministry of the Environment runs a Wood Building Programme (2016–2022), which is aimed at increasing the use of wood in urban development, public buildings as well as large constructions such as bridges and halls. The programme also aims to diversify and expand different applications for wood while creating as much value added as possible:

“Wood construction plays a vital role in the promotion of bioeconomy, and the promotion of the use of wood can help support sustainable and sensible tending of forests. Using wood reduces the carbon footprint of the construction industry when evaluating the entire life-cycle of wood from the raw-material through manufacturing, use and recycling. The carbon bound by trees is retained in structures and furnishings for a long time and affects the overall environmental impact of the construction industry positively. Increasing the amount of wood used in construction is also an efficient way of attaining the energy and climate targets laid down in the National Energy and Climate Strategy and to reduce Finland’s carbon footprint by 2030.”

More information on the Ministry of the Environment’s Wood Building Programme through this link.