Kerto laminated timber by Finnforest

Architect Jürgen Mayer H. won the competition for redesigning the Plaza de la Encarnación in 2004. With its six distinctive ‘parasol’ structures, Metropol Parasol is one of the most visionary urban projects in Europe. The timber construction reaches a height of 28m and covers a surface area of around 11,000m².

Supplied by Finnforest, Kerto is a laminated veneer lumber suitable for both new buildings and renovations. It can be used as construction elements - beams, joists and frames - as well as for concrete formwork and scaffold planking. Kerto is strong, stable and does not warp or twist. It derives its strength from a homogeneous bonded structure. It is made from 3mm-thick, rotary-peeled softwood veneers glued together to form a continuous billet, cut to length and sawn as required.

Metropol Parasol consists of glued Kerto-Q panels arranged in an orthogonal grid to a spacing of 1.5 x 1.5m. The size of the individual load-bearing elements is adapted to the actual load and is thus highly variable. The thickness of the panels ranges from 68mm to 311mm. The largest of about 3,400 wooden parts measures 16.5m-high by 3.5m-wide.

Finnforest in Aichach/Germany, part of Metsäliitto wood products industry, is a global player in the field of timber construction, but it acts with local knowledge. With operations in over 20 countries, the Finnforest network has the resource flexibility to deliver projects around the world.