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Unveiling of the NICE Tower World's tallest circular wooden residential tower

Oct. 03, 2024

Press Release - On a festive day at the Maaspodium, where the five-year anniversary of NICE Developers was celebrated, Jos Melchers, Director of Urban Development of the Municipality of Rotterdam, unveiled the latest milestone in sustainable urban development: the NICE Tower. This impressive project, a prototype of the world's tallest circular wooden residential tower, is a gift from NICE Developers to the city. With a height of no less than 140 meters and a completely bio-based design, the NICE Tower represents the next step in the revolution of circular wooden high-rise buildings.

NICE Tower: Paris Proof

The world faces major challenges: combating global warming and reducing CO2-emissions are crucial. Concrete and steel still dominate the construction industry and contribute significantly to CO2-emissions. In addition, the housing crisis is growing, and city dwellers are experiencing more loneliness, while biodiversity in urban areas is in sharp decline. NICE Developers is committed to changing this.

The Netherlands is a co-signatory to the Paris Agreement, where it was agreed to strive for a maximum temperature increase of 1.5 degrees by 2050. The NICE Tower is a direct response to this pressing social problem. Designed entirely in wood, the building is free of concrete from the first floor to the elevator core and supporting structure, thus providing a significant reduction in CO2-emissions. Compared to traditional concrete towers, which average 450 kg of CO2 per m², the NICE Tower can reduce emissions to 139 kg CO2 per m². This means that within the same CO2-footprint three biobased NICE Towers can be built instead of one conventional tower made of traditional concrete. With this limited CO2 footprint, the NICE Tower meets the agreements made in the Paris Agreement and is "Paris Proof."

A new standard for circular high-rise buildings

NICE Developers, founded by Mark Compeer and Robert Winkel, has become a pioneer in circular timber construction and sustainable urban development in just five years. With projects such as the acclaimed SAWA in Rotterdam, a 50-meter-high circular wood residential tower, NICE is setting the tone for the future of ecologically and socially responsible building. The NICE Tower builds on the success of SAWA and proves that circular high-rise buildings are also feasible on a large scale.

The circular design of the NICE Tower makes all structural components detachable and reusable in the future, contributing to the building's longevity and circularity. The tower is also designed according to the Open Building principle, which ensures that the housing and workspaces are easily adaptable to changing needs in the future.

Biodiversity and social inclusiveness

NICE believes sustainability goes beyond building materials. Through its nature-inclusive design, the NICE Tower contributes to strengthening the city's biodiversity. Planters and green terraces, spread over several floors, are specially designed to support local flora and fauna. In addition, nesting boxes for birds and insects are integrated into the design, making the tower a breeding ground for biodiversity in the middle of the city.

Social inclusivity and affordability are also core values of NICE Developers. The tower will offer a mix of owner-occupied and rental housing in different price categories, allowing people with essential occupations such as teachers and caregivers to remain in the city. Shared facilities, such as mobility services, chore rooms, vegetable gardens and social gathering places, contribute to a close-knit community and promote residents' well-being and health.

The NICE Tower: a new era for high-rises in wood

With the NICE Tower, NICE Developers proves that sustainable and inclusive high-rise buildings are possible on a large scale. The project not only offers a solution to the urban housing shortage and the climate crisis, but lifts timber construction to unprecedented heights. Rotterdam, as home to NICE, seems the ideal place for this revolutionary building. However, the question is where the tower will rise: will the Municipality of Rotterdam push hard to place the first NICE Tower in its city, or will other cities beat them to it? The future will tell, but one thing is certain: the NICE Tower marks an important step in the future of sustainable urbanism.

NICE Tower Expert team

NICE Tower is the result of an innovative collaboration between several leaders in sustainable construction. NICE Tower is a development of NICE Developers. Mei architects and planners is responsible for the iconic design. For the structural expertise, Pieters Bouwtechniek is involved as consultant for the main bearing structure. In addition, Merosch plays a crucial role in ensuring the sustainability of the project by being responsible for the Paris Proof calculations.

 

For contact, questions and interview requests with NICE Developers:
Please contact Mieke Winkel, PR & Communications:
pr@nicedevelopers.nl,+31 6 249 126 02

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