Global innovations in mass timber construction are taking centre stage as sustainable building practices continue to evolve worldwide. Our latest roundup takes you on a journey across three continents to explore cutting-edge projects that demonstrate the versatility, beauty, and environmental benefits of engineered wood construction.

We start in Canada, where the Carmen Corbasso Community Centre has unveiled a stunning renovation featuring an impressive glulam structure spanning its swimming pool—creating one of the most visually striking indoor aquatic facilities you'll see anywhere. Moving to London, we explore the London School of Economics' ambitious £100 million retrofit project that will become the UK's largest passive house retrofit building, incorporating cross-laminated timber to breathe new life into a 1950s structure while significantly expanding its footprint and sustainability credentials.

Berlin's Dockyard offers another perspective on timber innovation with its seven-story hybrid construction featuring sustainable beech trusswark and thoughtful design elements that reflect its waterfront setting. Not to be outdone, Amsterdam's DPG Media headquarters stands as one of Europe's leading timber-hybrid office buildings, incorporating 7,000 cubic metres of CLT while housing complex media production facilities. For residential applications, we examine Germany's TricBric project using innovative dowel-jointed timber blocks, while perhaps most significantly, we share groundbreaking news from Canada where developer Neutral has achieved a critical three-hour fire test for mass timber assemblies—potentially revolutionising how we approach building codes and regulations for tall timber structures.

The mass timber revolution continues to gain momentum, with these projects demonstrating how engineered wood can meet diverse architectural challenges while offering substantial environmental benefits. Don't forget to enter the Rothoblast "Build the Impossible" competition before year-end, and secure your tickets for the 10th anniversary International Mass Timber Conference in Portland next year. Subscribe now to stay updated on the latest developments as we track the growth of sustainable construction worldwide.

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