Building Roots with Wood

What Makes Roots Special?

Since 2020, an extraordinary structure has been rising in Hamburg. Named Roots, this 65-meter-tall building will be the tallest wooden structure in Germany when it’s completed. The 19-floor project will use over 5,500 cubic meters of softwood to create 128 condos, 53 affordable apartments, and office spaces. With stunning views of the harbor and the Elbe, Roots is set to become a landmark.

Wood was the perfect choice for this storm-surge-prone area of Hamburg. It’s lightweight yet strong, making it ideal for high-rise buildings. It is more sustainable as well – using wood instead of concrete cuts CO₂ emissions by up to 30 percent. Beyond sustainability, wood offers a natural and cozy vibe.

Planning for Success

Building with wood poses unique challenges, especially for fire protection. Detailed planning, involving everyone from engineers to fire safety experts, was crucial for Roots. Unlike concrete construction, where plans evolve during the building phase, every detail of the wooden structure had to be finalized upfront.

“Every pipe, wall, and floor penetration had to be planned ahead of time,” explains Nils Eichentopf-Janssen, a Fire Protection Engineer at Hilti Deutschland AG. “Any deviation in timber construction affects the entire structure’s safety.”

Fire Protection: A Critical Component

Fire protection in a timber skyscraper like Roots is complex. Unlike for concrete buildings, there aren’t clear guidelines for fire safety in large wooden structures. Every seal and joint in the building – around 1,500 in total – needed careful planning and testing to meet the 90-minute fire protection standard.

Sprinkler systems, which run through wooden ceilings and along the façade, required additional tests to ensure fire protection. Fire protection was tendered as a separate package, requiring close coordination between electricians, building services engineers, fire protection experts, and test engineers.

“This approach helped us a lot,” says Nils. “By thinking through all pipes, cables, and ventilation ducts beforehand, we avoided surprises during the build.”

Faster Construction, Thanks to Planning

Though the planning phase was lengthy, it paid off during construction. Site manager Benedict Pielmeier sums it up: “The time spent planning upfront made construction faster and smoother, as most questions had already been resolved.”