As many as 360 trees and nearly 10,000 plants give the two towers of the Wonderwoods project in Utrecht their striking look. Architect Roberto Meyer calls the South Tower "A green island in an urban environment. But wood plays another role in the striking residential tower.
The Climate Summit Built Environment 2025 took place in Jaarbeurs Utrecht, so participants couldn't escape it: on their way from the parking lot or from the train station to the Summit, they passed Wonderwoods. And that is an impressive sight, even for those who have seen it before. FSC Netherlands organized an excursion to this prestigious project.
From forest to building site
Those who registered for the field trip to Wonderwoods got to hear the story behind the materialization from the construction chain players involved (municipality, architect, builder and the supplier of the FSC-certified wood cladding), with an interesting role for tropical wood in high-rise construction. They showed how a chain from forest to construction site contributes concretely to CO2 reduction, biodiversity and urban greening.
Biobased and circular construction come together in Wonderwoods' facade. The building is known for its 360 trees and nearly ten thousand shrubs and plants. But the choice of FSC-certified tropical wood as cladding also ensures that 50 hectares of tropical forest in Gabon are protected; the habitat of the gorilla, among others.
Houthandel Paulussen processed the wood and applied it in an innovative facade system that still achieves fire class B without chemicals: high quality, safe and natural. Thus Wonderwoods is not only an architectural masterpiece, but it is also a tangible example of cooperation between public and private parties using biobased materials to show how the ambitions of the Climate Summit are becoming reality step by step.
Year-round color structure and seasonal experience
During the field trip, architect Jeroen Schilder of MVSA explained how the two towers of Wonderwoods were conceived as one, with carefully chosen plantings that provide color, texture and seasonal experiences throughout the year. "We wanted Wonderwoods to not only be a green statement in the summer, but also alive in the winter," Painter explained. "The combination of species creates a constantly changing but cohesive image.
The materialization has been kept simple and recognizable: precast concrete, wood and ceramic recur rhythmically in the facades and terraces, giving the buildings their own identity. Together with the trees and shrubs, this forms over one hectare of vertical forest that literally makes the city greener."
Smart structural solutions
Lars van der Meulen of VolkerWessels told participants about the technical and sustainability challenges. The weight and space required by trees called for smart structural solutions. "We are building a living environment here, so not only houses, but also a whole hectare of forest. That requires precision in bearing capacity, irrigation and maintenance," Van der Meulen said. "Despite the additional issues around construction and installations, the environmental performance of the building is on par with other projects in the same category. Thanks to an integrated water buffer system, the complex can store rainwater and use it in dry periods, keeping the greenery healthy and reducing water use."
Okan from Gabon
Steven Paulussen, director of Houthandel Paulussen and founder of Forestlines, presented the facade system used to build Wonderwoods. "Our goal was a facade that meets fire class B that maintains performance over time. We don't do that with coatings, but with physics," he explained. "The system works with slim aluminum connectors that connect the wooden parts. As a result, the wood remains largely intact and can be easily reused at the end of its service life. Independent tests show that untreated wood in this system meets fire class B-s1,d0, breaking down an important barrier to biobased construction in the city."
For Wonderwoods, the wood species chosen was Okan, sourced from FSC-certified forests in Gabon. With this, approximately 500,000 m2 forest protected for thirty years. "Responsibly managed tropical timber is not a threat to the forest, it actually ensures that forests are preserved," Paulussen said. "By creating a market for sustainably produced wood, that forest remains economically valuable and thus protected."
More energetic, happier and healthier
And so nature plays a big role in this project. Living, mature trees on the balconies and roof gardens and terraces provide the city with oxygen. Applying greenery also plays a role in restoring the lost connection between people and nature, very important because it has been proven that people are more energetic, happier and healthier in a natural environment! The appearance of the wooden façade system also contributes to this.
Publication of TCO insights
FSC Netherlands will soon publish a Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Wooden Cladding for (social) housing as part of the EU LIFE co-financed HOME for the future. The result is clear: choosing quality pays off - in cost, performance and environmental impact. Would you like to receive the publication in due course? Send an email to Michelle Stede (m.stede@nl.fsc.org).
