14th edition of the International Wood Construction Forum at the Grand Palais in Paris, from February 26 to 28, 2025

For Nicole Valkyser Bergmann, founder and organizer of the International Wood Construction Forum: "Ten years after COP21 and the Paris Agreements, will global warming reach +1,5°C in 2025? Will 2025 actually mark the first stage of RE2020, truly limiting carbon emissions from new construction? The RE2020 version 2025 regulation places France at the forefront of the fight against global warming in the Building Industry, a sector where France has always been innovative. Thus, at the moment, we are witnessing in France a strong development of wood, bio-sourced, geo-sourced construction, the emergence of reuse and low-carbon solutions."

An expected edition

At the start of 2025, Paris and the Ile-de-France Region are hosting the International Wood Construction Forum at the Grand Palais, an event that is part of the continuation of the Paris Agreements, marking the transition to RE2025 and reminding us that the goal of carbon neutrality must be achieved at all costs, in just a quarter of a century. For this Parisian edition, the world of construction and development will be able to benefit from the aura of this exceptional monument, which so well hosted the fencing and taekwondo events during the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

For the occasion, the ArtBuild agency has imagined a "Universal Exhibition of Forests, Wood and Bio/Geo-sourced Products" which will bring together the many conferences that have made the International Wood Construction Forum famous, the Innovation Tribune, exhibitions such as "The Gallery of 21st Century Wood/Bio-sourced Architecture", VIP and work spaces. Multiple installations will also punctuate this place, strongly marked by wood, like the Tear of Midas, designed by the artist-designer-builder Michaël Feneux.

Midas' Tear

Symbol of the decarbonization of construction models in the 21st century, this "Wooden Eiffel Tower" highlights the capacity of the wood industry to innovate and to become aware of its role in the ecological transition. This collective and educational project brings together several players in the industry: the Barthès BE Bois (IBC) design office, the France Douglas association, some of whose members are responsible for the supply and initial processing of the wood, and the ICCB-Compagnons du Devoir et du Tour de France for the assembly, lifting and dismantling of the structure.

Innovation at the heart of the 14th edition

The 14th edition of the International Wood Construction Forum will be an opportunity to highlight manufacturers' innovations and financing mechanisms supported by ADEME (France Relance, France 2030, France Nation verte), on the Innovations Tribune. It all started with an observation: the wood and biosourced sector innovates every day and at all levels, from forestry to construction, including renovation and development. For the 3rd consecutive year, the International Wood Construction Forum will present the very latest innovations as part of this unique event in France, promoting the industrial players who ensure the development of the wood and biosourced sector. More than thirty innovations will be presented in a dynamic and interactive 15-minute format. Please note that all the pitches of the Tribune will take place at the imposing Larme de Midas, at the heart of the exhibition space.

A program of exceptional visits to wood projects in Paris and the Île-de-France region

On Wednesday, February 26, from 8 a.m. to 13 p.m., the International Wood Construction Forum will offer its participants four tours of wood and bio/geo-sourced projects. Three tours will be co-organized with Fibois Ile-de-France and the fourth with Ekopolis. On the program of these tours: "Paris Ouest Tour - Working and Living in Wood", "Urban Renewal Tour - Paris Nord", "JOP 2024 Heritage Tour" and "Wood Construction Along the Seine Tour - Wooden Tower" where it will be possible to visit the Wood'Up tower by LAN Architecture for REI Habitat, one of the tallest wooden structure towers in the world. Finally, on Saturday, March 1, the Forum will offer a special itinerary derived from the "Philléas Tour - the Paris by Bike Tour in 99 Wood/Bio-Sourced Constructions" with the Philléas - Montamartre tour during which participants will be able to discover the most emblematic wood projects around Montmartre.

A dizzying scenography

On the forecourt of the Grand Palais, the public will be able to discover the pavilion "Il Tempietto", winner of the Villa Medici in Rome: a wooden beacon that stands out from a monumental and mineral context, designed by Ane Architecture & Atelier Tras and built by Charpente Cénomane. Two afternoons, Wednesday 26 and Friday 28 February, its lights will be green to welcome the general public, students and apprentices to the vast exhibition area.

Under the nave will be the reception forest area, with its green shade made of reciprocal structures of local chestnut, designed by Sinallagma. It will adjoin the planting table, a symbol of the eco-design undertaken by the Forum since 2021. At the end of the path leading to the Paddock, will stand the Tear of Midas designed in Douglas and symbol of this 14th edition of the Forum with its appearance of a wooden Eiffel Tower. The diagonal axes will open onto the two reusable auditoriums (Auditorium Éphémère OSA and Pan'Auditorium), where all the conferences will be held. The Forum's parterre will be completed by Belleville stands made of French hardwoods specially designed for the Grand Palais edition by ENSA Paris Belleville, with the École Supérieure du Bois de Nantes. They will be furnished with reused tables designed by the AAVP agency from 1.200 doors from the St. Vincent-de-Paul hospital, and manufactured by the rehabilitation workshop, Möbius.

The Gallery of 21st Century Wood/Biosourced Architecture

The Gallery of 70st Century Wood/Biosourced Architecture is a unique exhibition, co-organized with Fibois Île-de-France and Ekopolis, which will highlight 1 architectural firms that have come to present their most significant wood and biosourced projects through models, plans, photographs and detailed descriptions. The exhibition will extend over the entire 13.500st floor of the Grand Palais, highlighting the recently renovated alcoves, which offer visitors an immersive experience with a bird's eye view of the majestic 2 mXNUMX nave. Given the success achieved by architectural firms and design offices following the call for exhibitions, this is set to be one of the unmissable highlights of the International Wood Construction Forum, demonstrating once again that wood, the material of the XNUMXst century, is constantly being showcased.

An eco-designed forum

Since its 10th edition at the Grand Palais Éphémère, the Forum has been reusing the Belleville stands developed for the occasion, as well as its furniture made from recycled materials. The Auditorium Éphémère OSA, a major piece of the 2021 Paris edition, has been the subject of a majestic reuse. The eco-design approach also applies to catering, with menus of local products from short supply chains. The mutual reduction of emissions due to the holding of the Forum is done by purchasing plants intended for the reforestation of a devastated forest plot. Since 2021, five forest plots have been replanted with 10.000 trees for an investment of €40.000.

Useful Information

• February 26 – 28, 2025 – Grand Palais Paris
• Live conferences worldwide: Replay of conferences thanks to their live recording and simultaneous French-English translation