Bearing the name Tree House Rotterdam, Holland’s new landmark-to-be looks like a gigantic stack of wooden shelves with glass lofts added on top. It aims to take the sustainability of timber high-rises to a new level.

The district where film stars like to congregate is now the setting for one of the biggest environmental projects in the USA: “One Beverly Hills” is creating green towers and gardens alongside legendary VIP hotels. A green “triangle” with master plan by Foster + Partners will offer public zones and – naturally – new luxury.

Homerton College at the University of Cambridge has chosen the design by Alison Brooks Architects for a pavilion that combines modern timber construction with high-tech facilities. It is expected to be a future-facing answer to their needs.

The Swedish university city of Växjö has been named “the Greenest City in Europe”. Half of all its new buildings have been built with timber. But the city plans to go even further.

This project by Foster + Partners for Saudi Arabia is among the most ambitious regenerative tourism developments in the world. Coral Bloom is a paradisiacal destination that is designed to protect and promote the unspoiled nature of Shurayrah Island. Even though there will be eleven hotels, a new lagoon and new beaches.

When it comes to timber construction engineering, the United States has been lagging behind other countries. Ascent Tower in Milwaukee aims to change this. Topping out as the world’s tallest timber tower at a height of 284 feet, the building uses expertise and structural elements from Austria.

Canada’s Earth Tower aims to outshine all existing timber high-rise buildings. Its energy concept means that this 40-storey skyscraper in Vancouver will be the world’s tallest passive house.

On the edge of the tropical rainforest in Mexico, a research museum will explore how nature and progress can be reconciled. Known as Xinatli, its sophisticated design takes a fresh look at circular building materials.