Why Not Wood?

During Western industrialization, factories and warehouses were often built with heavy timber technology due to the method’s advanced fireproofing qualities. Wood’s natural ability to char rather than burn protected warehouses and factories full of valuable goods from the frequent fires of the 19^th and early 20^th centuries, many of which were caused by candles, gas lamps, and furnaces. Charring refers to the wood beam’s capacity to only burn at the outer edges at a very slow rate, protecting the structural integrity of the inner core of the beam, thereby keeping the building structurally sound. This method is still used in modern construction today, along with additional layering of other wood products around the core of the beam. By “overengineering” the thickness of columns, it slows the charring process even further. This natural quality of mass timber makes it a viable option for even the most stringent safety measures in our modern cities.

With effective and smart forest management, we can harvest the timber products we need to build our cities in ways that not only benefit the urban landscape, but the forestry sector as well. Young forests, the types that produce the timber for mass-market construction materials, are even better at absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere, and by cultivating them for commercial use, we can save the old-growth forests from exploitation. “By looking to sustainable forest management, we can offer the high-quality wood products the market needs,” says Dr. Kurz, who also sees this effort as going hand-in-hand with reducing fossil fuel emissions worldwide.

“In just a matter of weeks, we can see the rapid results of timber framing,” Matt Covall, a designer in our San Francisco studio. “Shortened timelines are already cost saving, and on top of that, expensive finishes are not always necessary, since wood is beautiful when expressed in its natural form.” Speed is also achieved, in part, through the relative light weight of mass timber compared to steel and cement. This is an inherent benefit, and one that cannot be overstated: No engineering is required to lighten the material.

Speed played an important role in planning for a confidential timber project in the northernmost reaches of Canada. With an exceptionally short season for construction, our design for a remote worker’s camp—a temporary building typology that offers living units for oil and gas workers in remote tundra regions—took advantage of mass timber’s flexibility. We developed a kit-of-parts and assembled all the wood pieces offsite to be delivered and then quickly assembled in just a matter of weeks, without sacrificing comfort or style.

Worker’s camps of this sort are often uncomfortable, raw spaces laid out like shipping containers with minimal regard for the well-being of the inhabitants. With the warmth and high-quality character of timber, however, our team was able to offer an inviting home with built-in amenities and a central layout for socializing. The project also allowed us to push the sustainability envelope for our client: The timber parts can be easily taken apart, stored, or transported to a new site as necessary. The ability to easily assemble and dismantle mass timber environments promises a regenerative, rather than disposable, lifecycle for building materials. The Canadian worker’s camp was an exciting way to reimagine the status quo and use the inherent qualities of mass timber to elevate the experience of each worker.

The creative expression of mass timber was also explored in our D.C. Southwest Public Library, an iconic park-side public amenity for an emerging community. “This was a project for and by the community, a neighborhood proud of their history and eager to boldly express their story,” said designer Joshua Rubin. Timber pieces were brought to site ready to be quickly and easily assembled, and easily lifted into place by cranes, cutting construction time significantly. The material was also an ideal form for uplifting southwest D.C.’s mid-century modern character. Glulam beams form bold “V” shapes and a “front porch” protecting a modern glass curtain wall beneath. The result is a well-loved design that complements its surroundings, while also meeting or exceeding sustainability goals and bringing people, books, and support networks together under one roof.