Mass Timber Construction Podcast
Mass Timber Construction Podcast
Mass Timber Market Updates - Feb 2025 - Week Seven
Could mass timber be the future of sustainable construction? Join us as we uncover the transformative projects reshaping the architectural landscape with this eco-friendly material. From the groundbreaking North Academic Complex at Central Washington University to the awe-inspiring Gothenburg Grand Central in Sweden, our latest episode takes you on a journey through some of the most ambitious mass timber projects globally. We'll explore how these developments are not just architectural marvels but also pioneers in sustainability, utilizing innovative combinations of materials like recycled brick and climate-improved concrete to redefine the boundaries of modern construction.
Our conversation doesn't stop there. We dive into the world of biophilic design with a spotlight on the new headquarters of the Advertising Agency Thesis in Portland, illustrating the profound impact of natural materials on workplace well-being. Stay updated on the U.S. mass timber movement with insights into the latest International Building Code adoption across 39 states, and celebrate a stunning architectural feat as Danish architect Group Big unveils its winning design for an opera and ballet theater in Kosovo. This episode promises to leave you inspired and informed about the future of sustainable architecture.
Ladies and gentlemen, we are live. This is the moment you all have been waiting for. It's time for the global sensation, the one, the only the undisputed heavyweight podcast in the world the Mass Timber Construction Podcast. And now here's Paul Rammer, your host. Good morning, good afternoon or good evening wherever you are in the world today, welcome to the Mass Timber Construction Podcast. It is the 7th week of February and my how the weeks are flying. Not too long now until the International Mass Timber Conference.
Speaker 1:Don't forget to hit subscribe and make sure you like, like, share or comment on anything on our social media feed. Thank you for sending in the journal manuscripts to our academic journal. We're getting a few of them coming through now. We greatly appreciate your support. We know you have a choice where you can publish and we're glad that you're choosing our journal publication. Let's have a look at what's making news around the world this week.
Speaker 1:In mass timber construction land and on Central Washington University campus in Ellenburg in Washington, a new mass timber complex is under construction and scheduled for completion in 2026. The massive 106,000 square foot North Academic Complex, the NAC construction project, includes four-story LEED Leadership in Energy, environment, design, gold building funded by the university state legislator in 2023. That will become the home to the large number of classes for first and second year students and will soon be regarded as CWU's preeminent academic facility. If you'd like to see some more photos of this impressive, very large structure they are amazing Head to our LinkedIn feed. And to Sweden now and construction of Gothenburg Grand Central and Gothenburg, sweden, has begun, featuring a new station building in the newly developed district. Sodra, in partnership with Highbridge, is supplying 9,100 square metres of CLT and four parts of the building structure. According to a news report by Sodra, the new station building prioritises sustainability and most of its structural framework is made from timber combined with recycled brick, climate improved concrete and recycled steel. The building will be nearly 120 meters long and more than 20 meters high, with exposed timber elements to promote sustainable construction. The project will be delivered in the first quarter of 2025. The station building is expected to be completed in 2026, with the upper floors finished in nearly 2027. If you want to see some impressive images, please head to our LinkedIn feed and there is a concept design for the particular station. It looks impressive.
Speaker 1:Well done to everyone on the project, and Advertising Agency Thesis has its new headquarters in Northwest Portland as one of the favorite offices of the team at Timber Lab. If you want to have a look at some photos of this beautiful exposed mass timber columns and beams and elevated floor system, the four-story building features exposed mass timber, open interiors and a space for natural light to come through, with very large windows. The company's aim was to try and retain talent, and the biophilic materials like exposed wood and the elevated work environment show that the data for improving the health and well-being of employees is validated, including research by yours truly, and Timberlab has detailed, fabricated and installed all the system for thesis hq 40 000 square foot building, which is ultimately one of the fastest mass timber projects they delivered in the market. During the installation process, the building finished each floor within the mass timber system within six days. Congratulations to everyone at timber lab and everyone on the project and an update from Woodworks and according to them in a report in December 24 of US states that have adopted the IBC the International Building Code, there is now 39 states that have adopted the 2021 version for mass timber project provisions, which is growing, and the codes are now having an impact on constructed projects, with 2,338 multifamily, commercial or institutional projects in progress or built in the US, so congratulations to everyone who's been involved in getting those code changes. It's an impressive undertaking and I'm glad to see that's taking a foothold in the United States.
Speaker 1:And the Danish architect Group Big have won a competition for design for an opera and ballet theater in Kosovo. The 42,394 square meter timber structure is located underneath an undulating exterior skin of photovoltaic cells which then capture the solar energy for light use and for energy use and the bell-shaped skirt, and the project will contain around 1,200 people capacity within the hall in terms of seating with interlocks, and a thousand capacity three-tiered theater with 300 seat auditoriums for one recital on another. The venue will maintain its matte timber aesthetic that contrasts with the velvet upholstery and curtains. It is an impressive building. Please go and have a look at this award-winning entry and congratulations to all the team at big. And japanese giant car maker toyota has signed one of the largest leases in the greater dallas fort worth region in years with its deal to occupy the area's first mass timber office building. Toyota financial services has signed the lease, taking over the seven floor 242 000 square foot mass timber building developed by Dallas-based Crow Holdings and offering the lease in the market and the building at 4401 Cirrus Way in Frisco, texas, a northern suburb with 30 miles from downtown Dallas, sits in a part of the region with more than 8.1 million residents, has become a maturing office destination with lower vacancy rate compared to the rest of northern Texas. If you'd like to have a look at this impressive photo for the Toyota Financial Services office building produced from Mass Timber, you can head to our LinkedIn feed.
Speaker 1:And that's it, folks. That's all we've got time for this week in Mass Timber Construction Land. We hope you have a great week ahead. Thank you for tuning in again. We'll look forward to bringing you more news next week. Don't forget like, subscribe, share, comment any of our content, submit to our academic journal and don't forget to get your tickets for portland. The early bird finishes very, very soon. However, it's just over a month away and you can still get tickets and you can still get down there. Take care of yourself. This is Paul Kramer signing off. Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, wherever you are in the world today, thank you.