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Australia’s Forte Apartments: The World’s Tallest CTL Building

Introducing the Forte apartments…

Centrally located at Melbourne’s Victoria Harbour, this 10-story eco-friendly building has had no problem fitting in.  As the world’s tallest Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) residential building, the Forte apartments have attracted attention from environmental enthusiasts, architects, and designers alike.  The 32-meter structure cost upwards of $11-million to construct but has given the world a stellar example of what building with CTL can achieve.

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Cross Laminated Timber

It was a revolutionary decision when developer Lend Lease committed to using CLT for the Forte apartments.   Now that the project is complete, the reward from using such material is apparent.  Throughout the building, CLT can be found in the walls, floors, and ceilings, creating a natural exuberance of warmth and delicacy.  Forte’s exterior and interior appearance is striking, durable, and environmental conscious.

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The senior construction manager of Lend Lease, David Cracknell, explained the many benefits discovered in using CLT.  For instance, labourers found that construction time was significantly reduced.  In addition, crew members were exposed to safer working conditions – less dust, noise, vibration, and heavy lifting.  Since CLT is about 20% lighter than concrete – the panels weigh only 2-tonnes instead of 10 – smaller cranes could also be used, saving money in the process.

The small amount of concrete that was needed had a high fly-ash composition, meaning the material was lighter and more energy efficient.  The amount of fresh water required to refine these materials was considerably less, further contributing to the eco-friendly nature of the building.  To truly exemplify sustainably living, developers of Forte also incorporated many in-suite features.  Some of these features include veggie gardens on the balcony, rainwater capture devices, and bike lots to encourage alternate means of transportation.

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Forte Apartments Layout

Each of Forte’s 23 apartments comes equipped with many amenities to maximize sustainable living practice.  Every suite is designed to be “dual aspect,” meaning that the apartment has windows facing two different directions.  While this gives residents a spectacular view of both the city and ocean, the purpose of this design is to enhance natural lighting and fresh air.  The cross breeze works particularly well because of the building’s harbour location.

In terms of Forte apartments’ features, all kitchens come equipped with European stainless steel appliances, a Smeg dishwasher, and induction cook tops.  Additionally, the bathrooms embrace minimalism and are fitted with stainless steel fixtures.  The overall impression of a Forte suite is clean, natural, and functional.  Other environmentally friendly features include:  LED lighting, smart metering, solar shading, reverse cycle heat and air conditioning, and rainwater assisted plumbing.

With all of these features combined, Forte apartments help residents save on their hydro bills while teaching practical means of living green.  For more details on the technologies Forte uses for environmental living, please take a look at the website’s Sustainability Explorer.

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*A special thank you to Fortliving.com for supplying the photographs of the Forte apartments’ interior on this page.

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