Finnish Architects’ Attitudes Towards Multi-Storey Timber Residential Buildings

This research aims to understand Finnish architects’ attitudes towards the use of timber as a structural material in multi-storey (over 2-storeys high) residential construction.
The study was conducted through a literature survey mainly including international peer-reviewed journals and similar research projects. Furthermore, the literature survey informed the generation of the web-based survey questionnaire design to gather information on architects’ perceptions, attitudes, and interest in the use of wood in multi-storey (over 2-storeys high) residential buildings.
(1) respondents perceived the most important advantages of wood as a lightweight, local, and ecological material (2) wood construction (compared to concrete) included perceived concerns about it being more costly and needing more complex engineering (3) respondents had a favorable overall attitude towards the use of wood particularly in low-rise residential construction, while their perception of tall housing, including timber ones, was mostly negative.
No studies have evaluated the use of wood in tall residential buildings and architects’ perceptions in Finland.