Wood architecture and construction showcase incredible diversity and richness worldwide and throughout history. At ENSTIB, we train engineering and architecture students each year through the Architecture Wood Construction (ABC) Master’s program and specialization engineers capable of designing and sizing large structures. Through this list of the 10 most iconic wooden buildings globally, we want to show that wood has always played a crucial role in construction, both in the past and present. A durable, aesthetic, resilient, flexible, and warm material, wood has been used in building homes since prehistoric times and is increasingly prominent in contemporary construction. Wooden construction has evolved over millennia, from simple shelters to more complex architectural structures, making wood a constant and evolving element in the history of human construction. This is evidenced by the use of wood in the construction for the Paris 2024 Olympics. Indeed, several Olympic and Paralympic structures will feature wooden construction solutions and arrangements.
Our list of wooden buildings is not exhaustive and results from an arbitrary choice. We were inspired by the extraordinary research work of Jean-Claude Bignon, emeritus professor at ENSA Nancy and teacher at ENSTIB, within the ABC Master’s program, as well as the favorites of our curious and traveling students, and some passionate teachers…
1. HORYU-JI TEMPLE, JAPAN
The Horyu-ji Temple, using the Chinese bay system This temple, one of the oldest wooden buildings in the world, is a masterpiece of Japanese wooden architecture, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. As Jean-Claude Bignon describes, “The buildings were constructed using the Chinese ‘bay’ system, a post-and-beam construction with complex joinery consoles, dougong, allowing the weight of the heavy tiled roofs to be transferred onto massive wooden columns.” The oldest buildings date back to the Asuka period and are considered the oldest wooden structures in the world (600 years AD).
2. HEDDAL STAVE CHURCH, NORWAY
The Heddal Stave Church, the largest stave church in Norway The stave church of Heddal is located near Notodden, in Telemark. It is the largest stave church in Norway, measuring 25 meters long and 17 meters wide. With three turrets and a height of 29 meters, it has the impressive appearance of a wooden cathedral. The building is constructed from pine wood, some of which dates back to around the year 1000, though the church itself was erected in the 13th century.
3. THE PEOPLE’S THEATER, FRANCE
The People’s Theater, made entirely of wood, with a stage open to the forest In Bussang, a small village in the high Vosges, the People’s Theater has welcomed spectators since 1896, thanks to Maurice Pottecher, a theater enthusiast who wanted to make this art accessible to all. The building, made entirely of wood, has a stage open to the forest. Destroyed during the First World War, it was rebuilt identically in 1922, with a wooden framework and finally a fully paneled roof and ceiling shaped like a boat hull. In 2021, students of the ABC Master’s program at ENSTIB worked on a new facility: a theater studio for the People’s Theater association on the “Popote” site.
4. KIZHI POGOST HERMITAGE, RUSSIA
The Kizhi Pogost hermitage, built entirely without nails Located on an island in Lake Onega, this hermitage, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, is famous for its 18th-century wooden Orthodox churches and bell tower, built entirely without nails. These constructions are emblematic of the richness of Russian stacked wood architecture. The site underwent a significant renovation program in 2010 and 2016.
5. GAMMELSTAD CHURCH TOWN, SWEDEN
The Gammelstad Church Town in Sweden Gammelstad, at the end of the Gulf of Bothnia, is the best-preserved example of a unique type of town widespread in northern Scandinavia, the church town. Its 404 wooden houses clustered around the early 15th-century stone church were used only on worship days and religious festivals by parishioners from the surrounding countryside, who were prevented by distance and harsh natural conditions from returning home.
6. KAMMERZELL HOUSE, FRANCE
The Kammerzell House, with its three floors of ornamental half-timbering The Gothic foundations of this magnificent building in Strasbourg date back to 1427, with the three ornately timbered floors added in 1467 and 1589 being its most distinctive features. A true gem of half-timbered architecture, it also boasts numerous wood ornaments and carvings on its beams and posts, as well as on the frames of its 75 bottle-glass windows.
7. POMPIDOU CENTER, FRANCE
The Pompidou Center, with its roof entirely made of glued-laminated timber The roof of the Pompidou Center, inaugurated in 2010, forms a 90-meter-wide hexagon. The frame covers an area of 8,000 square meters, made entirely of glued-laminated timber. It is composed of hexagons that evoke a cane pattern, allowing spans of about 40 meters and making the roof self-supporting, resting on a few supports only, the “tulip columns.” The wood used for the frame (spruce) and tulip columns (larch) comes from Germany. The architecture is the work of Shigeru Ban and Jean de Gastines. The frame calculations were carried out by Dominique Calvi, who also performed the calculations for the Philippe Séguin amphitheater, an iconic building at ENSTIB.
8. MJØSTÅRNET TOWER, NORWAY
The Mjøstårnet Tower, the tallest wooden building in the world Officially inaugurated on March 15, 2019, the Mjøstårnet is now the tallest wooden building in the world. Standing 18 stories high, the tower in Brumunddal, Norway, measures 85.4 meters. It houses a hotel, private residences, and office spaces. It symbolizes environmentally friendly construction and proves that large buildings can be made using wood! The structure is similar to a conventional building, but its dimensions are very large. The structure and façade of the Mjøstårnet are made of wood.
9. XUANKONG TEMPLE, CHINA
The Xuankong Temple, or Hanging Temple, rests on wooden pillars embedded in the cliff The Xuankong Temple, also known as the Hanging Temple, is another extraordinary example of wooden architecture in China. Located near Datong in Shanxi Province, it is famous for being built on a cliffside, about 75 meters above the ground, appearing to hang in the air. Established over 1,500 years ago, it is a masterpiece of engineering and architecture. It rests on wooden pillars embedded in the cliff, with balconies and walkways connecting its various structures.
10. KINKAKU-JI TEMPLE (GOLDEN PAVILION), JAPAN
The Kinkaku-ji Temple (Golden Pavilion), with each of its three floors representing a different architectural style This pavilion is a magnificent example of traditional Japanese wooden architecture, with its upper floors entirely covered in gold leaf. This feature gives it a striking beauty, especially when reflected in the surrounding pond. Originally built as a villa for a shogun in the 14th century, it was converted into a Zen temple. The pavilion has survived various historical events, including a fire in 1950, after which it was faithfully rebuilt. Each of its three floors represents a different architectural style (Imperial Palace, samurai style, and Zen style), symbolizing harmony between heaven, man, and earth.
The Winchester Mystery House, built from sequoia and redwood wood And one last magnificent wooden building for a scare: the “Winchester Mystery House” in California. This residence is famous for its complex and labyrinthine architecture and the many legends surrounding it. Built by Sarah Winchester, heir to the Winchester fortune, the house was under continuous construction from 1884 until her death in 1922. It is known for its many architectural oddities, such as staircases leading to ceilings, doors opening onto walls, and windows overlooking other rooms. It is primarily constructed from sequoia and redwood, with meticulous attention to detail. However, since Mrs. Winchester did not like the exterior appearance of wood, it is covered with plaster.
Although this list does not claim to be exhaustive, it demonstrates through these iconic wooden buildings how wood is a timeless and unique material. Whether it is wooden frames, simple claddings, frameworks, religious or agricultural buildings, multi-story buildings, or even wooden skyscrapers, residential buildings, or industrial structures, wooden buildings have been with us since the Neolithic era, and all indicators show: this is just the beginning of a more sustainable wooden world. As Julius Natterer said, “only the increased use of wood in construction can save the world’s forests,” so let’s go for it!
At ENSTIB, each year, with the Wood Challenges, we bring together architects, engineers, and skilled craftsmen to build a microarchitecture in wood. We also train high-level specialists within the specialization engineering program, who immediately take responsibility for highly technical projects.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
- Wood Architecture in 80 Remarkable Buildings – Jean-Claude Bignon / Éditions le Moniteur
- Wood Architecture Now! – by Philip Jodidio*
- Timber Construction Manual – by Thomas Herzog, Julius Natterer, Roland Schweitzer
