Mondragón Opens in Álava the Largest Sawmill in Southern Europe to Lead the European Forest Industry
yesterday at 12:58
,Spain
Wood, one of the oldest building materials in the world, is once again gaining importance in modern architecture. Against the backdrop of the dominance of steel and concrete, architects are actively exploiting its advantages - from industrialization to the properties of new types of wood, which allow the construction of skyscrapers up to 200 meters high. A striking example of this trend is the T3 Diagonal Mar office building, designed by the Catalan studio Batlleiroig, which received an award at the World Architecture Festival (WAF) 2025 in the category «Completed Buildings — Offices».
«Wood adds warmth and spatial quality, and also corresponds to Batlleiroig's strategy to reduce its carbon footprint and use renewable, environmentally friendly materials», — the architects note. With an area of 3,705 m² and five floors made entirely of wood, the building is integrated into the Cristóbal de Moura Green Corridor, an urban project that prioritizes pedestrians, promotes biodiversity and includes sustainable management of rainwater.
T3 Diagonal Mar makes extensive use of CLT (glulam) — a standardized material that allows the production of beams, columns and panels of large dimensions. According to Mass Madera experts, “panels can reach lengths of 18 meters, widths of 3 meters and thicknesses of 25 mm.”
A key tool for the project was the BIM (Building Information Modeling) model, which allowed architects, engineers and builders to work on a single digital model. This allowed for conflicts to be anticipated before they arose on site and the structure to be assembled in just 2.5 months, minimizing waste.
The building is integrated into Districlima, the largest urban heat and cold distribution network in Southern Europe, which provides efficient heating, cooling and hot water. Thanks to this, T3 Diagonal Mar meets the highest certification standards, such as LEED, WELL Platinum and WiredScore.
The wood creates a warm and natural atmosphere in the building. From the facade with sloping columns and large windows to the lobby, where greenery and wood are the main elements, T3 Diagonal Mar prioritizes the comfort of its users. On the upper floors, laminated wood columns rise “like trees in a forest”, harmoniously blending the interior with the surrounding environment.
The interior design emphasizes the presence of wood in the beams and structures. The strategic choice of wood species is also important: Insigne pine is used for the load-bearing structures, and Siberian larch, treated with the Japanese Yakisugi technique, is used for the external elements. The building shell, measuring 1,415 m2, is constructed from prefab panels that provide soundproofing and allow for the installation of a glass curtain wall.
T3 Diagonal Mar demonstrates that modern wood construction can combine sustainable efficiency, technological innovation and aesthetics. The building is establishing itself as a benchmark for a new era of wood architecture, showing that modern spaces can be simultaneously sustainable, beautiful, and focused on human comfort.
