Rendering courtesy of Perkins + Wills

According to Andy Tsay Jacobs, architect and principal of Perkins + Wills' Chicago location, tall timber will likely become a common construction material after some more testing and updated building codes, Curbed reported.

A proposed 80-story beechwood skyscraper could become a pillar of progress for timber construction.

Chicago's River Beech project is a joint research venture between Cambridge University, architecture firm Perkins + Will, and structural engineering firm Thornton Tomasetti, Curbed reported. If it is built, the structure would be a key player in showcasing high-tech timber as the latest building material.

According to Andy Tsay Jacobs, architect and principal of Perkins + Wills' Chicago location, tall timber will likely become a common construction material after some more testing and updated building codes, Curbed reported.

"Mass timber can have a negative carbon footprint," said Tsay Jacobs. "This is building with a renewable natural resource. You can't replant the ore or rocks you're extractive for steel and concrete."

If built, the structure will be the world's tallest wooden tower, Curbed reported.

Today's top stories

Construction Market Boosts Economy

Bobcat Company Donates $885,000 in Equipment to Support Salvation Army's Disaster Relief Efforts

VIDEO: KEMROC Expands; Plans to Increase Nationwide Presence

'Machinery Pete' Interviews Jack Lyon On RFD TV

VIDEO: Two Major Roadway Project Contracts Awarded by State Officials in West Virginia

VIDEO: First of Two Sections of NYC's $1.45B East Side Coastal Resiliency Project Is Complete

John Deere Construction Introduces Flexible Customer Training Options

INFRA Grant Moves Ohio's N. Coast Connector Project Steps Closer