An entire city made of wood? That is the plan for a city in Sweden to be known as Stockholm Wood City.

The world's largest urban construction project in wood, where the first shovel of dirt is planned to be turned in 2025 and the first buildings are expected to be completed in 2027. This ambitious project demonstrates Swedish sustainable innovation at its best, said Annica Ånäs, CEO of Atrium Ljungberg, developers of the project.

The project extends over 250,000 square meters and is thus the world's largest known construction project in wood. The real estate industry is crucial in the green transition, as buildings account for as much as 40 percent of the world's CO2 emissions. Stockholm Wood City marks a new era for sustainable architecture and urban development. The new area houses an additional 7,000 office spaces and 2,000 homes in Sickla, in the southern parts of Stockholm. It will offer a vibrant, urban environment with a mix of workplaces, housing, restaurants and shops.

“We are proud to introduce Stockholm Wood City. This is not only an important step for us as a company, but a historic milestone for Swedish innovation capability," said Ånäs, "Stockholm Wood City manifests our future. From tenants, there is a strong demand for innovative, sustainable solutions – a demand that we meet with this initiative.”

Modern wooden construction is a hot topic of discussion globally, but the completed projects so far are often individual buildings or blocks. Among others, The New European Bauhaus has in recent years pushed for increased wooden construction, but old conventions and beliefs have slowed down development. The advantages of wooden buildings are many, both for the environment and for people's health and well-being. As shown by various research studies, wooden buildings provide better air quality, reduce stress, increase productivity and store carbon dioxide throughout the time they are in use.

Annica Ånäs continues: "Our industry leaves a big mark, and it is important for us to make a positive difference in both the shorter and longer term. We want to create an environment where our customers, those who will live and work here, can participate in the development and design of the city district of the future."

In addition to the advantages of wood, the project entails several other environmental benefits. The emphasis on office spaces is a way to meet the deficit in workplaces south of Stockholm's inner city, to shorten commuting times for more people. In a country where energy supply and efficiency are high up on the national agenda, the project will focus on self-produced, stored and shared energy. By investing in resource-efficient construction methods and circular material flows, Atrium Ljungberg wants to change the role of the urban developer. Their ambition is to be a catalyst for innovation just as much as its Swedish peers in industries such as technology, manufacturing and retail.

Facts about Stockholm Wood City:

• 250,000 square meters gross floor area
• 7,000 office spaces
• 2,000 homes