Most commercial structures are built using glass walls and stone or concrete façades leaving wood siding to residential building. With the improvements in CLT (cross laminated timber) it’s no surprise that there is an increase in popularity in using wood for exterior facade materials on tall wood buildings and integrating wood façades in commercial construction. Trends in residential siding include color, mixed materials, and innovative finishes like charred wood, also known as shou sugi ban, an ancient Japanese practice.

Creative, innovative or simply interesting, building façades create architectural standout. We explore 10 examples of outstanding wooden façades that don’t disappoint.

Upon first glance, you might not believe this Sound Community Bank was formerly a Burger King. Maybe not on second or third glance, either. Spore Architecture worked off the existing footprint to create an upscale branch featuring custom elements like sliding wall panels and graphic wall art. The crisp, current façade is a combination of corrugated metal, composite panels, and cedar rainscreen that gives the bank a durable look that will last.

For more details of this project, visit Architizer

The Oregon Bach Festival was granted its own building at the University of Oregon for the first time in history. The building, Berwick Hall, is filled with rehearsal, recital, and lecture facilities and is located near the School of Music and Dance. Accoya® wood was chosen for the cladding as it blended in with the other materials in the building and the surrounding neighborhood and the Accoya® requires significantly less maintenance than other wood cladding.

Three coats of permeating and sealing stains are on the Accoya® wood siding of this duplex in Pittsburgh’s upscale Squirrel Hill community. The hands-on homeowner was impressed with both the feature of the shiplap-patterned outer walls and Accoya® wood’s durability, 50-year guarantee above ground and low carbon footprint. This was an important element in the ultra-energy efficient duplex achieving a passive house certification – the first in the area.

Read more here.

Manufactured by reSAWN TIMBER, Accoya® was chosen from the MATSU shou sugi ban charred collection to clad a project in Bellport, New York. Designed by Studio DB, the Accoya® was burnt on the outer facing side of the tongue and groove cladding and specified because of its extreme durability, exterior weathering capabilities and exterior warranty.

Charred using the ancient Japanese technique of shou sugi ban, MATSU is finished without brushing off the soft charcoal layer. This charcoal layer is a sacrificial wear layer that will flake slowly (as is expected for any natural building product) over time to reveal a blackened effect underneath with variations in colour from grey to brown tones – perfect for this heavily wooden landscape.

Charred Accoya® selected for private residence in Bellport, New York