Forget steel and concrete. The new material of choice for skyscrapers could be wood if Canadian architect Michael Green has his way.

 

Green's Vancouver-based MGA firm along with French architectural partners DVVD and real estate group REI France recently proposed what they claim would be the tallest wooden building in the world for Reinventer Paris, a design competition which sought new ideas for revitalizing architecture in the city.

 

At 35-storeys tall, the tower at the center of the "Baobab" complex -- which also includes a student hotel, green space, bus station and e-car hub -- aims to help solve the French capital's housing challenges in a sustainable, creative and environmentally-friendly manner.

 

Some within the project have even compared the concept to the Eiffel Tower in the iconic structures stakes.

 

According to Green, the Eiffel Tower had a huge impact in inspiring architects to build with steel when it debuted as the world's tallest structure in 1889. Now he hopes Baobab can do the same.

"Eiffel's vision redefined the skylines of the world, eventually (starting) the race for height in places like New York and Chicago in the 1920's and 30's and even... (in) new global cities in Asia and the Middle East today," Green told CNN via email.

 

"We love the idea that a wood tower in Paris, however modest in some respects ... will help champion a new global wave of building with more sustainable, renewable and beautiful materials," he added.