At 133 meters in the air, the Netherlands will have the tallest wooden building in the world by 2030

By Bart Brouwers

When it is completely finished in 2030, The Dutch Mountains in Eindhoven will be the largest wooden building in the world, with a height of 133 meters and a size of more than 65,000 m². After years of discussions, Alderman Stijn Steenbakkers and initiators Urban Xchange, Studio Marco Vermeulen, BLOC, and Lingotto finally signed the sales agreement for this iconic project this week.

The Dutch Mountains is part of KnoopXL, the large-scale area development around Eindhoven Central Station that is considered crucial for the scale leap of the Brainport region. The building will include housing, offices, a hotel, and a conference center.

“With The Dutch Mountains, we are truly adding an architectural icon to Eindhoven,” said Alderman Stijn Steenbakkers (area development Eindhoven KnoopXL). “This project gives our city a new look and allure. I am proud that the largest wooden building in the world will have a place here.”

Initial plans for The Dutch Mountains date back to 2016. Construction was initially to be on the south side of the A2 motorway in Veldhoven, where ASML’s new building is being completed.

“Dutch Mountains can become the soul of Brainport”

Veldhoven is confident in the initiators behind the “Largest Wooden Building in the World”. This Friday a letter of intent will be signed.

Eyecatcher

The Dutch Mountains, designed by Studio Marco Vermeulen, will be located on the station’s north side, right next to the TU/e campus. The eyecatcher should form a link between the TU/e and the city center. The Dutch Mountains consists of two towers, 133 and 96 meters high, fluidly connected by a common atrium that functions as the city’s ‘living room’. This will house hospitality, wellness, a conference center and a courtyard garden open to all. The towers will house 224 residential units, 54 short-stay apartments, over 14,000 square meters of offices, and a 221-room hotel.

Of particular note is the choice to realize The Dutch Mountains mainly in wood. The designers promise to use solid wood (Cross-Laminated Timber/CLT) from sustainably managed forests. This would reduce CO2 emissions by 70% compared to traditional construction. Using approximately 9500 m³ of wood, some 8,000 tons of CO2 would also be permanently stored. The Dutch Mountains thus aims to be a model project for high-rise buildings using ‘bio-based materials’.

Over the next 20 to 25 years, Eindhoven KnoopXL will develop a new district with over 9,000 homes, work and office locations, social facilities, and lots of green space.