Functional distribution in tall timber buildings: Global case insights

Abstract

Tall timber construction (≥8-story) has gained growing attention as a sustainable alternative to conventional concrete and steel systems. Despite extensive research on structural performance, fire safety, and environmental impacts, the programmatic or functional distribution of tall timber buildings remains largely overlooked. Understanding this distribution is crucial, as building use, whether residential, office, hotel, or mixed-use, directly affects technical design requirements, regulatory feasibility, and market acceptance. This study aims to examine the functional characteristics of 79 tall timber towers worldwide and to identify the degree of concentration among different programmatic types. This research contributes novel insight by framing functional distribution, a previously underexplored dimension, as a key factor influencing the broader adoption and diversification of tall timber construction. A descriptive analysis was conducted using an existing dataset of 79 case studies across Europe, North America, and Asia-Pacific, classifying each by primary function and correlating these categories with architectural typologies. The findings reveal: (1) a marked predominance of residential towers (65%), followed by offices (29%) and hotels/mixed-use projects (6%); (2) residential projects are typically associated with prismatic forms and central cores optimized for modular construction; and (3) cross-analysis confirms that function strongly correlates with typological and structural attributes, residential towers relying on all-timber or shear-walled systems, while offices and mixed-use buildings predominantly employ hybrid timber–concrete frameworks and varied core configurations. Overall, this study highlights that expanding the functional diversity of tall timber buildings is essential for advancing their role in sustainable urban development and for promoting broader market acceptance among architects, policymakers, and developers.