Unveiling of the NICE Tower The world's tallest circular timber residential tower

Press release – On a festive day at the Maaspodium, where NICE Developers its fifth anniversary, Jos Melchers, Director of Urban Development for 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 the city. With a height of no less than 140 meters and a fully biobased design, the NICE Tower represents the next step in the revolution of circular wooden high-rise buildings.

NICE Tower: Paris Proof

The world faces significant challenges: the fight against global warming and the reduction of CO₂-emissions are crucial. Concrete and steel still dominate the construction sector and contribute significantly to CO₂emissions. In addition, the housing crisis is growing, and city dwellers are experiencing more loneliness, while biodiversity in urban areas is declining sharply. NICE Developers to changing this.

The Netherlands is a co-signatory of the Paris Agreement, which commits to striving for a maximum temperature increase of 1.5 degrees by 2050. The NICE Tower is a direct response to this urgent societal issue. The building is entirely designed in timber, is free of concrete from the ground floor to the elevator core and load-bearing structure, thereby ensuring a significant reduction in CO₂per m² emissions, 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 of traditional concrete. With this limited CO₂footprint, the NICE Tower adheres to the commitments outlined in the Paris Agreement and is thus 'Paris Proof'.₂ per m² emissions, the NICE Tower can reduce emissions to 139 kg CO

A new standard for circular high-rise construction

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

The circular design of the NICE Tower ensures that all structural components can be disassembled and reused in the future, contributing to the building's longevity and circularity. Furthermore, the tower is designed according to the Open Building principle, which guarantees that the residences and workspaces are easily adaptable to changing future needs.

Biodiversity and Social Inclusivity

NICE believes that sustainability extends beyond just construction materials. Through its nature-inclusive design, the NICE Tower contributes to strengthening urban biodiversity. Planters and green terraces, distributed across various floors, are specifically designed to support local flora and fauna. Additionally, nesting boxes for birds and insects are integrated into the design, making the tower a breeding ground for biodiversity in the heart 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 homes in various price categories, enabling people in essential professions such as teachers and healthcare providers to continue living in the city. Shared facilities, such as mobility services, DIY rooms, vegetable gardens, and social meeting places, contribute to a close-knit community and promote the well-being and health of residents.

The NICE Tower: A New Era for Timber High-Rise Construction

With the NICE Tower, NICE Developers proves NICE Developers sustainable and inclusive high-rise construction is possible on a large scale. The project not only offers a solution to the urban housing shortage and the climate crisis, but also takes timber construction to unprecedented heights. Rotterdam, as the home base of NICE, seems the ideal location for this revolutionary building. The question, however, is where the tower will be built: will the Municipality of Rotterdam push to have the first NICE Tower in its city, or will other cities beat them to it? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: the NICE Tower marks an important step in the future of sustainable urban development.

NICE Tower Expert Team

The NICE Tower is the result of an innovative collaboration between various leaders in the field of sustainable construction. NICE Tower is a development by NICE Developers. Mei architects and planners is responsible for the iconic design. Pieters Bouwtechniek is involved as a consultant for the main supporting structure, providing structural expertise. In addition, Merosch plays a crucial role in guaranteeing 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