11月30日，位于明尼阿波利斯北环街区的7层高楼T3正式开业，它是由温哥华建筑公司MGA和DLR公司联合设计的美国当今最大的木材建筑。Hine公司委任MGA公司设计此令人激动的项目，他们希望T3是一个独立新颖的办公楼，试图以现代的设计手法在建筑中演绎备俱特点的历史感木材、砖、石头和钢材材质，并将最先进的设施，环境性能和技术手段融入到建筑中。

On November 30, 2016 T3 officially opens its doors. Designed by Vancouver based Michael Green Architecture (MGA) in conjunction with Architect-of-Record DLR Group, the seven storey high-rise in Minneapolis’ North Loop neighbourhood is the largest mass timber building in the United States. When Hines approached MGA with this exciting project they envisioned T3 as a unique model of new-office building; an opportunity to offer a modern interpretation of the robust character of historic wood, brick, stone, and steel buildings with the additional benefits of state of the art amenities, environmental performance, and technical capability.

▽美国当今最大的木材建筑，the largest mass timber building in the United States

此项目是对明尼阿波利斯过去、未来以及仓库区丰富历史的一种投资。T3的设计目标是以现代的视角和手法去建造过去的历史特征。当今，企业都在寻找更具竞争力的办公楼来吸引并留住员工，T3则试图提供一个温暖好客的环境来吸引潜在的雇员和雇主。

The project is an investment in both the past and future of Minneapolis and in the warehouse district’s rich history. The design objective for T3 was to build on the character of the past with a modern perspective. As businesses look to new competitive models for attracting and retaining staff, the goal for T3 was to provide a warm and inviting environment that would attract potential employers and employees.

▽建筑外观，External View

T3意为“木材（Timber），技术（Technology），运输（Transit）”，建筑由22400平房英尺的办公楼和零售空间组成。超过3600立方米裸露的大块木质柱、梁和楼板唤起人们对于建筑先驱—重型木结构建筑的回忆。T3办公楼的屋顶、楼板、柱子和梁都利用了现代技术手法制成的工程木材部件：胶合木和钉层压木。用于制造NLT的大量木材则来自山松甲虫杀死的树木。这些现代的材料演绎出木材温暖美观的特性，并为员工创造了健康的室内环境。

T3, which stands for ‘Timber, Technology, Transit’, offers 224,000 square feet of office and retail space. Over 3,600 cubic meters of exposed mass timber columns, beams, and floor slabs recall the heavy timber construction of the building’s predecessors. T3’s modern technological approach uses engineered wood components (chiefly glulam and nail laminated timber) for the roof, floors, columns and beams, and furniture. A significant amount of the lumber used to fabricate the NLT comes from trees killed by the mountain pine beetle. These modern materials bring the warmth and beauty of wood to the interior, and promote a healthy indoor environment for occupants.

▽现代的材料演绎出木材温暖美观的特性，modern materials bring the warmth and beauty of wood to the interior

由于是木结构建筑，T3建立的速度远远超过了传统的钢结构和混凝土建筑。在不到十周的时间内，180，000平方英尺的木框架已搭建完毕，平均每周搭建30，000平方英尺。它比钢结构和混凝土结构都要轻盈以此减少了地基挖掘的深度和广度。除此之外，木结构建筑的隐含碳排放量比明尼阿波里斯市中心和北环的传统建筑都要低。

As a result of its wood structure, T3 was erected at a speed exceeding conventional steel-framed or concrete buildings. In less than 10 weeks, 180,000 square feet of timber framing went up, averaging 30,000 square feet of floor area installed per week. It is also lighter than comparable steel or concrete structures, reducing the depth and extent of excavation and foundations. Additionally, the embodied carbon in the building’s wood structural system is lower than that found in conventional buildings found throughout most of downtown Minneapolis and the North Loop.

大尺度木材建筑同样塑造了美观的内外部。Candice Nichol, MG合伙人以及T3 项目负责人说道：“暴露NLT的纹理相当美丽，山松甲虫木细微的色差和轻微的不完美细节反而为空间增添了一丝温暖和个性。” 每层的外立面都应用了大片的玻璃，使人们在入口层能欣赏到社交工作空间中的木质家具、站台和一个有特点的楼梯，同时以欢迎的姿态迎接着大众来体验建筑。

The building’s aesthetic success can also be attributed to the mass timber construction. Candice Nichol, MGA Associate and T3 Project Lead, says “the texture of the exposed NLT is quite beautiful. The small imperfections in the lumber and slight variation in colour of the mountain pine beetle wood only add to the warmth and character of the new space.” Extensive exterior glazing at every level as well as views into the ground level social workspace with wood furniture, booths, and a feature stair, allow the public to experience the building.

▽ 山松甲虫木细微的色差和轻微的不完美细节反而为空间增添了一丝温暖和个性，The small imperfections in the lumber and slight variation in colour of the mountain pine beetle wood only add to the warmth and character of the new space.

▽入口社交工作空间，social workspace

整栋建筑像是对木材的颂歌。“T3的木结构被故意暴露出来，天花板与室内照明配合在一起如灯光一样被点亮。” Nichol说道， “在晚上，从外面看去，被点亮的木材像是发光的灯笼。” T3是美国当今最大的全木材建筑。随着北美建筑法规的变化，高层木建筑会越来越普及。T3作为此类建筑的先锋之作，突破了常规并成为了未来商业木建筑的原形。

The use of wood is celebrated throughout the building. “The entire timber structure of T3 was left exposed and illuminated with a percentage of the interior lighting directed up to the ceiling,” Nichol says. At night, “the illuminated wood glows from the exterior similar to a lantern.”T3 is currently the largest completed mass timber building in the U.S. With changing building codes throughout North America, tall wood buildings will become more common. A pioneer in this building type, T3 has broken new ground and is perhaps a prototype for future commercial mass timber buildings.

▽ T3的木结构被故意暴露出来，The entire timber structure of T3 was left exposed

▽建筑夜景，Night External View