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Easy-to-build School

Campaigns
Gothenburg

Could tiny schools make a big difference? Stora Enso, one of the largest timber producers in the world, aims to solve Europe’s urgent school shortage while launching Sylva™ – a new concept to simplify building in wood and make the construction industry more sustainable. 

The idea centers around a wooden model of a school building: a great way of demonstrating what Sylva – Stora Enso’s new prefabricated building kit in massive wood – is all about.  

“In a very rational industry, we chose to create something close to the heart. This product makes it easier to build sustainable wooden buildings, so we asked ourselves the question ‘since there is such a shortage of school buildings, why aren't they built this way?’ We were blown away by all the wood-related facts we learned. Did you know that being in a wooden environment improves well-being and increases productivity? I didn’t, that’s crazy”, says Anna Karlsson, creative at Forsman & Bodenfors Gothenburg. “It’s time to shift focus from the traditional way of building and show that there are new, innovative solutions out there, better for both our environment and our children.”

Globally, the equivalent of a new Paris is expected to be built every week. In Europe alone, schools account for 17% of non-residential buildings. The benefits of building with timber are extensive, not least when it comes to schools because they are built for future generations. Using wood as a building material can cut up to 70% of emissions and ensure that the construction industry is part of the solution to battle climate change. In short, the environmental benefits of building in wood are massive. 

To make sure our campaign could change something for real, we sent 50 school models to decision-makers in Europe. Putting a possible solution in their hands.

“The Sylva kit is relevant for all building typologies such as offices, multi-story residentials, industrial buildings, and more. But, to start the Sylva campaign, we have identified a true problem to solve. By focusing on schools and our future generations, the communication lets us be more emotional ands relevant to ongoing societal discussions. The advantages of building with wood, such as lower CO2 emissions and faster construction compared to concrete and steel, along with improved health and well-being become more clear.” 

Cathrine Wallenius, SVP Communication and Marketing Stora Enso Wood Products 

“We are making it as easy as possible to plan, design and build a massive timber school. It shouldn’t be hard to build sustainably”, says Sebastian Hernadez, R&D Manager of Building Concepts with Stora Enso.

This is Forsman & Bodenfors first campaign for Stora Enso. It launches across Europe, mainly in the UK, Germany, France, Austria, and Sweden.  

Published 24.01.2023