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Ascent, at 284ft, is the tallest mass timber building in the world. The 410,000ft2 residential tower designed by Korb + Associates Architects and developed by New Land Enterprises host retail space, amenities, and over 230 apartments. Arup provided façade engineering and fire safety engineering consulting services which have been instrumental in driving the project forward through building code approvals.  Despite the material’s notable sustainability benefits, high-rise mass timber has yet to be popularized in the US, partly due to restrictive code requirements at the time of planning and design. The lack of building code for mass timber buildings over six floors in Milwaukee presented a clear obstacle for Ascent, which stands at 25 stories tall.  Arup consulted regularly with the Department of Neighbourhood Services, who permitted the building, to develop an approvals roadmap for the project. Arup conducted extensive analysis and studies to demonstrate that the building would comply with safety requirements and provided the client with strategies to mitigate fire-related risks.  As the world’s tallest building of its kind, Ascent builds awareness in the US of the fire safety and viability of mass timber structures. 

284ft tallest mass timber building in the world

410,000ft² residential tower with retail space and amenities

The aesthetic appeal of mass timber and its low-carbon footprint are the main drivers for the material to steadily gain traction in the US market. Timber projects can save significant carbon emissions during the production of materials and construction, thus providing a more sustainable solution which aligns with developers’ and municipalities’ goals to decarbonize buildings. 

Arup is a recognized leader in mass timber design and construction. Our experts are collaborating with fire research institutes across the world to improve our understanding of how the new generation of multi-story timber buildings will behave in a real fire, so that designers and regulators can identify risks and devise solutions that meet or, in many cases, exceed existing code requirements. We also advise suppliers on testing procedures to ensure certified solutions, and undertake fire testing for project-specific solutions, including Ascent.

What Arup brings to the table is our ability to understand how fire and mass timber interact at a fundamental level, apply that to a high-rise building, and then understand how to carry out the necessary analysis to get it approved. ” David Barber Principal

Milwaukee, “the forest product state’s biggest city”, was very amenable to the proposed design for Ascent, believing the city would be the perfect location to showcase tall-timber innovation. Arup worked closely with the Department of Neighbourhood Services’ commercial-building code variance committee to drive the project forward through an unprecedented approvals process.  Arup’s fire safety expertise with mass timber construction design, modelling and detailing was key to obtaining the city’s approval. The Arup team used their analysis method to prove the safety of the partly exposed mass timber structure. The building design was supported by three-hour fire resistance tests for glulam columns, which historically are only tested for two-hour ratings. For the building façade Arup carried out in-depth condensation studies to develop effective strategies for the building owners to manage the challenge of condensation in cold-climate residential buildings.  By providing unmatched knowledge about mass timber fire safety, the team played a pivotal role in enabling the construction of Ascent and further demonstrated Arup’s commitment to forging pathways through engineering solutions for a more sustainable future.