Asia’s Largest Mass Timber Building Completed in Singapore

Singapore’s Nanyang Business School, located on the campus of Nanyang Technological University (NTU), recently announced that work has finished on Toyo Ito & Associates’ “Gaia” project, according to the Global Construction Review (5-22-23).

The zero-energy building, which is billed as Asia’s largest mass timber building, takes the form of two six-story curving rectangles that are joined at multiple points. The two buildings are constructed of mainly sustainably sourced cross-laminated timber and glued laminated timber, or glulam, stiffened by a concrete core.

The Gaia building is the eighth building project on the NTU campus to receive the Green Mark Platinum certification for zero energy. The 43,500 square meter structure has open areas, air wells, and terraces to reduce the need for mechanical ventilation.

According to NTU and the Global Construction Review, Gaia was created in collaboration with Malaysian designer RSP Architects and will provide a “space for learning, research and innovation, where NTU students, faculty and staff can meet and connect to uncover new opportunities for collaboration and discovery.”