December 23, 2019
20 Photos That Prove Wood is The Best Option for Designing
Wood is arguably Earth’s most renewable resource when it comes to construction, so we set out to find the most amazing feats accomplished utilizing wood to prove it. This article is already long enough as it is, so we’ll just let you jump into it. Here are the 20 of the most amazing and record breaking wood structures in the WORLD!
20. World’s Largest Wooden Pencil
Arguably, there are few other massive pencils in the world that may be larger. However, this pencil is the world’s largest real wooden pencil. This pencil is open to visit all year round since it is out in the streets for all to see.
Length: 32.5ft
City: Casey, Illinois
19. World’s Largest Wooden Shoes
Via trover.com
Housed inside of the Casey’s Candy Depot, the wooden shoes are the largest in the world. The shoes were constructed by gluing boards on top of and side by side of another. Visitors toss money into the opening of the shoes to be donated to charity.
Length: 11.5ft
Width: 5.5ft
City: Casey, Illinois
18. World’s Largest Wooden Nickel
Built to protest the county of Johnson in Iowa’s construction which would have ruined the natural landscape of the builder’s neighborhood, the largest wooden nickel in the world was coincidentally created.
Built: 2006
Diameter: 12ft
City: Iowa City, Iowa
17. The Writer / Lo Scrittore – World’s Largest Wooden Table & Chair
Via avax.news
The Writer, also known as Lo Scrittore, is said to be a monument to the loneliness of writing and writer’s block. The sculptor, Giancarlo Neri, was a soccer player for the New York Apollos before eventually becoming an artist.
Height: 30ft
City: Monza, Italy
16. World’s Largest Wooden Clock
Via abc.net.au
Originally built for a community center in Nannup, when the plans fail through the creator decided to take it upon themselves to ensure the project was completed. Kevin Bird built a shed just to house this massive clock that took about a decade to construct. The clock is now housed in the Nannup clocktower.
Opened: 2019
Tall: 19.69ft
Length: 9.84ft
Width: 9.84ft
City: Nannup, Australia
15. World’s Largest Wooden Rice Scoop
Via atlasobscura.com
Inspired by the legend of Seishin and Benzaiten, it is said to be the largest wooden rice spoon in the world. The scoop, also known as a shamoji, took about three years to make.
Completed: 1996
Length: 25ft
Width: 8.8
Weight: 2.5 tons
City: Miyajima, Japan
14. Southend Pier – World’s Longest Wooden Pleasure Pier
Via en.wikipedia.org
The pier was simply born out of wanting to draw more visitors to the resort since many boats would skip Southend for the lack thereof a pier to dock at. Famous English poet, Sir John Betjeman once said, “the Pier is Southend, Southend is the Pier.” It is the longest pleasure pier to be built in the world.
Length: 7,080
Opened: 1830
City: Southend-on-Sea, United Kingdom
13. Cross in the Woods – World’s Largest Wooden Crucifix
Via en.wikipedia.org
Open 365 days a year, the Cross in the Woods has become one of the most visited shrines in Michigan. The surrounding area of the crucifix is also home to an outdoor church, indoor church, and other facilities. It purportedly holds mass everyday, year round.
Built: 1954
Height: 55ft
City: Indian River, Michegan
12. Tōdai-ji – World’s Largest Wooden Buddhist Temple
Via en.wikimedia.org
Until 1998, this infamous Buddhist temple was the largest building in the world. As of 2020, it is the largest wooden Buddhist temple. Tōdai-ji, home to the Kegon school of Buddhism, it also houses the world’s largest bronze statue of Buddha.
Built: 8th Century
Length: 187ft
Width: 160ft
City: Nara, Japan
11. Hotel Del Coronado – World’s Largest Wood Resort Hotel
Via en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotel_del_Coronado
Hotel del Coronado is one of the largest wooden structures in the United States, only second to the Tillamook Air Museum that we mentioned in a previous list. However, it is the largest wooden resort hotel in the world. This Four Diamond rated hotel is one of the last examples of American Wooden Victorian construction.
Opened: 1888
Floors: 7
Rooms: 757
City: San Diego, California
10. Spruce Goose / H-4 – World’s Largest Wooden Airplane
Via en.wikipedia.org
Flown only one time, The Spruce Goose is the largest wooden airplane to ever be constructed. The Spruce Goose was born out of the culmination of needing to troops across the Atlantic and restrictions on metal materials due to the ongoing war. The plane is actually named H-4, but the press at the time insisted on referring to it as the Spruce Goose.
Built: 1947
Length: 218 ft 8 in
Height: 79ft 4in
Wingspan: 320ft 11in
Displayed: McMinnville, Oregon
9. Schooner – World’s Largest Wooden Ship
Via en.wikipedia.org
Despite being named Wyoming, the wooden ship was actually built and completed in Bath, Maine. The Wyoming was known to be the largest wooden ship to ever exist. Unfortunately, the ship’s wood tended to flex in heavy seas, and in 1924 Wyoming wound up sinking due to this.
Built: 1909
Overall: 450ft
City: Bath, Maine
8. Ark Encounter – World’s Larget Timber Frame Structure
Via en.wikipedia.org
The ark was built by devout Christian, Ken Ham, to show proof that the stories of the Bible were nonfiction. The Ark Encounter is fitted with life like animals and 132 bays that are about 18 feet high. The ark also includes a gift shop, restaurant, and a theater. It is billed as the largest timber-frame structure in the world.
Built: 2016
Length: 510ft
Width: 85ft
Height: 51ft
City: Kentucky, United States
7. Kizhi Pogost, Transfiguration Church – World’s Tallest Entirely Wood Building
Via en.wikipedia.org
Within the Kizhi Pogost there is a Church of Transfiguration that has 22 domes and a height of 123 feet. This Transfiguration Church is believed to be the tallest building in the world to be made entirely of wood.
Built: 17th – 18th Century
Height: 123ft
Perimeter: 65.62 x 95.14ft
City: Republic of Karelia, Russia
6. Metropol Parasol – World’s Largest Wooden Structure
Via en.wikipedia.org
Built between 2005 and 2011, the Metropol Parasol is the largest wooden structure in the world. The structure is three levels that include an open-air plaza, terraces, and a restaurant.
Built: 17th – 18th Century
Overall: 490 by 230ft
City: Seville, Spain
5. Goat Canyon Trestle – World’s Largest Wood Trestle
Via en.wikipedia.org
Originally built as part of the San Diego and Arizona Eastern Railway, the Goat Canyon Trestle is the world’s largest all wood trestle. The railway was still in operation up until 2008 when it was closed indefinitely. The Goat Canyon Trestle is often referred to as the Impossible Railroad.
Built: 17th – 18th Century
Length: 597 – 750ft
Height: 186 – 200ft
City: San Diego, California
4. Goliath – World’s Largest Wooden Roller Coaster Drop
Via en.wikipedia.org
Upon its completion, the Goliath initially set three world records. However, as of 2020, the Goliath only holds the record for longest drop in the world for wooden roller coasters.
Built: 2014
Height 160ft
Drop 180ft
Length 3,100ft
City: Gurnee, Illinois
3. Zheng Chunui: Tree Sculpture – World’s Largest Wooden Sculpture
Via thisiscolossal.com
This hand-carved wooden sculpture took four years of dedication and perseverance to create. The artist behind this massive piece of work is the famous Chinese wood carver, Zheng Chunhui. Zheng’s sculpture is is the longest wooden sculpture in the world.
Sculpted: 2000s
Length: 40ft
Tall: 8-10ft
City: Fuzhou, China
2. Mjøstårnet – World’s Tallest Wooden Tower
As of 2020, Mjøstårnet is the world’s tallest timber building. The building is an 18 story mixed use building comprised of apartments, office space, and a restaurant.
Completed: 2019
Height: 280ft
Stories: 18
City: Brumunddal, Norway
1. The Splinter – World’s First Wooden Supercar
Conceived out of Joe Harman’s love for automobiles and to pushing the envelope of wood construction, The Splinter Supercar was born. The Splinter is an operational, high-performance sports car that took five years to build. Obviously, not all parts of the car could be created using wood, but overall, the Splinter is 90% wood.
Completed: 2015
BHP: 700
Engine: 4.6L V8
Top Speed: 240 MPH
0-60: 3 seconds
Discover the Possibilities
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Be sure to check back often, and don’t hesitate to contact us if you have an idea for a project. We have designers on staff to assist and we provide nationwide shipping.
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