Ascent
Korb and Associates Architects · Milwaukee, WI
Overview
As the tallest mass timber hybrid structure in the world, Ascent is at the forefront of the of one of the most exciting movements in building technology. The first of its kind, the innovative combination of experiential and biophilic design combine for a project that has brought international attention and hundreds of visitors to downtown Milwaukee, and inspired other mass timber projects in Milwaukee and beyond.
As the tallest mass timber hybrid structure in the world, Ascent is at the forefront of the of one of the most exciting movements in building technology. While mass timber was initially chosen as an aesthetic differentiator, the project proved that in addition to drastically reducing embodied carbon, the design also significantly improved the construction process by compressing the construction schedule, requiring less labor, increasing precision, and reducing waste and emissions. Built primarily from cross laminated timber (CLT), Ascent offers exposed wood in all apartments and common areas. The biophilic and aesthetic benefits of mass timber are a differentiator felt immediately. Countless studies show that mass timber outperforms other materials in fire, earthquake and wind conditions. By utilizing mass timber in its construction, Ascent has a negative carbon footprint equivalent to taking 2,350 cars off the road for a year. Additionally, through forestry timber harvesting, a healthier forest is created. In the span of 23 minutes, a North American forest can regrow the same amount of timber used on Ascent. Ascent has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, NPR, PBS Newshour, NBC (Nightly News), Fortune Magazine, VOX, Fast Company, Viewpoint with Dennis Quaid, and is the subject of the Timber Skyscraper episode of the "Engineering the Future" documentary series on Amazon Prime.
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