At RISE, we believe in material honesty. In designing buildings that respect the earth they rise from, and the future they help shape. So when a material like Superwood enters the conversation—a bio-based innovation that challenges concrete and steel—it catches our attention.
This isn’t timber as we know it. It’s timber reimagined at a molecular level.
Close-up of Superwood: a sustainable, ultra-strong timber alternative redefining what’s possible in low-carbon architecture.
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Imagine a piece of wood that’s ten times stronger than the planks that frame most homes. That’s four times denser, six times lighter than steel, yet shaped by nature and refined by science. That’s what Superwood offers.
Through a patented process, cellulose—the fibre at wood’s core—is preserved while other elements are stripped away. What’s left is compressed, not just to strengthen, but to unify. Hydrogen bonds form. Density increases. Weaknesses vanish.
It’s still wood. But it’s now capable of doing the heavy lifting usually reserved for metal or concrete.
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Superwood performs like steel but behaves like timber: it can be cut, stained, sanded and painted using traditional tools. It has a Class-A fire rating. It resists water, mould, insects. But what excites us most is this:
→ It’s a biogenic material
→ It stores carbon rather than emitting it
→ And it offers scalability without sacrificing sustainability
As architects of low-energy buildings, we know the embodied carbon of materials often outweighs even operational energy use. Concrete and steel, for all their strength, come at a high environmental cost. Superwood flips the equation.
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Superwood isn’t trying to replace nature. It’s an attempt to learn from it. To use the wisdom of trees and the precision of science to create something that serves our cities—without scarring our planet.
We see potential for it in cladding, façades, internal structure, even bespoke furniture. At RISE, we’re not interested in materials that just ‘look good.’ We’re looking for materials that do good—and last.
And when a material delivers on strength, weight, workability, and environmental integrity, it earns a place in the future of regenerative design.
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This isn’t a trend. It’s a tipping point.
If we are to build a future that treads lighter, we need to shift not only how we build—but what we build with. Mass timber products like CLT and glulam have already shown what’s possible. Superwood is the next evolution—a leap from engineered to enhanced.
At RISE, we imagine a future where buildings are carbon stores, not carbon sources. Where materials speak softly, age gracefully, and serve communities without harming ecosystems.
This future isn’t far off. In fact, it’s already being shipped.
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We’ve always believed that architecture is more than form-making. It’s world-shaping. And materials matter deeply in that story.
Superwood won’t suit every project. But it shows us what’s possible when we ask: What if beauty, strength, and sustainability weren’t in conflict? What if they could exist in one material?
→ If you’re planning a project that dares to challenge convention, we’d love to help you shape it.
→ Email us at architects@risedesignstudio.co.uk
→ Or call the studio on 020 3947 5886
RISE Design Studio
Architects · Interior Designers · Sustainability Experts
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