Building with cross-laminated timber
Build modern. Live naturally.
Cross-laminated timber — CLT for short — combines solid timber construction with modern design and industrial prefabrication. For us it is the basis for modern, individual and efficiently buildable architecture.
The method
What is cross-laminated timber?
Several timber layers bonded cross-wise form stable, large-format building elements. They can be used as load-bearing walls, floors and roof surfaces — digitally designed and industrially prefabricated.
The advantages
Six reasons for cross-laminated timber.
Cross-laminated timber is not a system for standard houses — it is a precise building system for individual architecture.
The advantages at a glance
- 01Precisely designed — digitally prepared, exactly fabricated elements instead of improvisation on site
- 02Swiftly assembled — large-format elements arrive ready for erection, load-bearing structures rise in a short time
- 03Individually shaped — large openings, open floor plans and modern façades can be realised flexibly
- 04Solidly built — several solid timber layers create a robust, durable structure
- 05Natural feel of space — exposed timber surfaces can become part of the design
- 06Sustainably conceived — timber is a renewable resource for resource-efficient building
From the plant to the site
Every building goes up twice — first digitally, then for real.
Before the first component exists, the building exists in full as a model: every opening, every service run, every connection. The elements are then machine-fabricated from that model — window and door openings cut out, recesses for electrics and plumbing already in place, connections that fit without rework.
On site, the work is assembly rather than decision-making. A storey goes up in days, the building is closed early and protected from the weather. There are no drying times as with concrete or masonry, so the following trades can start straight away.
That effort is paid up front. The design has to be thought through before fabrication begins; what could still be changed at short notice on a conventional site is fixed here. This is precisely why design and construction sit in the same hands with us — whoever answers for both decides early enough.
Living quality
A natural feel of space.
Timber creates a warm, high-quality atmosphere. On request, selected CLT surfaces can remain exposed and become a design feature of the building — the key is good detailing of joints, connections and surfaces.
How we think details through from the startCommon concerns
Three questions that come up almost every time.
Timber construction meets the same three objections every time — usually raised for good reason, rarely answered properly.
Doesn't timber burn?
Timber burns, but it does not fail suddenly. A charred layer forms on the surface of solid components, shielding the cross-section beneath from the heat and slowing further burning. Because that process is predictable, a component can be sized to retain its load-bearing capacity for the required period — demonstrated, not estimated. Unprotected steel, by contrast, loses its strength in heat with no visible warning.
What about sound insulation?
Sound insulation comes from mass, decoupling and the right layered build-up. Timber is lighter than concrete, so it is not a by-product here but something designed in: floating screed, weighted floor build-ups, separated wall leaves, carefully detailed junctions. Where requirements are high — between flats in an apartment building, for instance — we design for it from the outset rather than repairing it afterwards.
And moisture?
Timber lasts as long as it stays dry. That is not a limitation but a design task: constructive weather protection, sufficient clearance from splash water, the right layers in the right places, protected junctions. Components that stay permanently dry barely age — timber buildings standing for centuries are the evidence. It becomes critical where moisture is trapped, and those points are decided in detailed design, not on site.
Asked and answered
What clients want to know.
Is a cross-laminated timber house more expensive than a masonry one?
Not as a rule. The material itself is usually dearer, while the shorter build time, the reduced work on site and the absence of drying times pull the other way. What decides it is how early and how precisely the design is done — a detail changed late costs more in timber than in masonry. The answer only becomes reliable on a specific project.
How long does construction take?
The shell is the fast part: prefabricated elements are assembled rather than built up piece by piece — a storey stands in days. Overall duration is then set by fit-out, building services and permits, and there timber differs little from other methods. The time is won mainly at the start, and because the trades can follow on sooner.
How many storeys are possible?
Multi-storey timber construction is standard today, including in housing. Where the limit lies in a given case follows from building regulations, building class and fire requirements — not from the material. We clarify that before the design, not after.
Will the timber be visible?
Only if you want it. Cross-laminated timber surfaces can be left exposed and shape the rooms, or they can be lined and plastered. The decision comes early, because exposed surfaces call for a higher quality grade and different detailing at joints and junctions.
Is timber construction really more sustainable?
Timber regrows and binds carbon as it grows, carbon that stays bound for the life of the building. Producing the components takes considerably less energy than concrete or brick. What still decides the matter is the origin of the timber, transport distances and how long a building is actually used — sustainability is not a property of the material alone.
Is timber suitable for any site?
Almost any. Timber is an advantage where there is little room for site facilities, where the building must be closed quickly, or where an existing structure is being built onto — its low dead weight is often the decisive argument for adding storeys. The limits come more from crane access and delivery of large elements than from the ground itself.
Does cross-laminated timber suit your project?
Tell us what you would like to build — in a first conversation we clarify whether and how the method makes sense for your project.
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