Hickok Cole Architects, a Washington, D.C. architecture firm, plans to build a timber skyscraper in Philadelphia.
According to a report from Philly Voice, Hickok Cole wants Comcast to build its rumored third tower using mass timber. The firm recently submitted its Timber Towers project to the Skyhive Skyscrapers Challenge, a conceptual design competition that encourages entrants to showcase their creativity within the realm of what can actually be achieved.
“When you think of a skyscraper, you’re usually dealing with steel or concrete,” Sean McTaggart, project architect at Hickok Cole, was quoted as saying. “The problem with those two materials is that they cause a lot of carbon emissions.”
The Timber Towers project is proposed for a site between Arch and Cherry streets and 19th and 20th streets, where Comcast and Liberty Property Trust are believed to be weighing construction of a third high-rise.
The 62-story timber building would be the first high-rise to utilize mass timber. Two office towers are linked by a connecting bridge, with a third tower including residences, a school and ground floor retail.
