The year closed with a mix of steel in the spine and softness in the heart. We share how mass timber scaled to new heights and why living with intention matters just as much as specifying the right glulam beam. From a record free-spanning timber arch cradling Air New Zealand’s fleet to a revised, low‑carbon CLT vision for Liverpool Street Station, the momentum is real and the images are stunning. If you care about sustainable architecture, embodied carbon, and the craft of building at scale, this roundup will leave you energised.

We walk through London’s nine‑storey modular Xylo workspace and the pragmatic hybrid at the University of Arkansas, where a steel lab bar meets a warm mass timber pavilion. Charlotte’s Cordo development shows how CLT can carry homes, co‑working, and wellness spaces with biophilic ease. Then it’s north to the University of Toronto’s Mass Timber Research Centre, a landscape‑savvy campus that pairs exposed timber with climate‑responsive design, covered paths, and shared facilities that foster research, collaboration, and smarter standards. These are not one‑offs; they’re signals that timber is now a credible default in aviation, transport hubs, workplaces, universities, and housing.

Amid the project wins, we pause on health, grief, and the power of short, durable goals for 2026. Former Seahawk Michael Bennett’s Night Chapel in Seattle reminds us that structures can hold more than loads; they can hold community, memory, and a moment to breathe. We close with gratitude to long‑time supporters and to you, the listeners whose steady attention keeps this work alive. If you’re setting plans for the new year, make them clear, manageable, and meaningful—and let mass timber be part of that change.

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Headlines change fast, but this week’s timber stories carry real weight. We start with a personal moment that grounds the show, then move into a tour of breakthroughs and big bets shaping the future of low-carbon construction. From a landmark conference to a new connection system and skyline-defining projects, the conversation is all about making mass timber faster, stronger, and more visible.

We share updates on the International Mass Timber Conference as it heads into a milestone year, reflecting on how a decade of shared research and community has pushed the industry forward. Then we break down Rothoblaas’ Radial connection system and why factory pre-installation, tighter tolerances, and rapid on-site assembly matter to developers and contractors chasing schedule certainty and cost control. If you care about embodied carbon and buildability, these details are the difference between an idea and a signed contract.

Our global tour continues with planning approval for a mixed use campus in Shoreditch, where creative retrofit meets new-build to strengthen the public realm. In Texas, a 212,000-square-foot Mass Timber Experiential Learning Hub at Texas A&M ties regional sourcing to a bold educational vision set to open in 2028. And in Sydney, Atlassian Central’s hybrid timber frame reveals lush “habitats” that make climate leadership tangible in a major commercial tower anchoring the city’s tech precinct.

We close with a major signal from Big Tech: Amazon’s full-scale mass timber trials for data centres. When logistics giants aim to cut embodied carbon without sacrificing speed or reliability, suppliers, engineers, and insurers all pay attention. That momentum, combined with Microsoft and Google exploring similar paths, suggests mass timber is moving from showcase to standard in mission-critical facilities. Subscribe, share with a colleague who needs a spark, and tell us: which project points most clearly to the future you want to build?

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Tired of hearing that mass timber is “promising” but not practical? We dig into what actually moves the needle: turning raw products into clean, repeatable systems that installers love and owners can price with confidence. No fluff—just the playbook that took projects from pause to go, even as tariffs and supply shocks rattled budgets.

We start with the shift from panels to platforms: shaft wall systems that swap in for CMU without fuss, union training and mock‑ups that build real‑world confidence, and a timber bay approach designed for warehouses and data centres. Then we unpack a standout case study—the Amazon final‑mile warehouse in Indiana—where early alignment around a mass‑timber‑forward hybrid, local forests, and a tight grid delivered speed, beauty, and over 40 sustainability strategies. When teams coordinate around the module, cost and schedule stop fighting each other.

Data centre interiors get a rethink too. A patent‑pending CLT base for electrical equipment skids replaces thick steel plates, shortens lead times, and can generate significant sustainability wins. Pair that with the rise of modular, edge data centres and you’ve got a new standard for fit‑out speed and embodied carbon reduction. Along the way, we make the case for hybrid construction as the default future: concrete where it belongs, steel where it performs, and timber where it excels. Use a practical “purity” lens and real invoice volumes to find the tipping points for cost and carbon, region by region.

This conversation champions regional species and honest specs—span tables over wish lists, performance criteria over perfection. Knots are not defects; they’re the story of the forest. And that story extends to circularity: repeatable grids that enable disassembly, second‑life panels, and cross‑market reuse, all supported by a healthy whole‑tree economy that includes sawmills, bioenergy, and paper. Subscribe for more grounded, system‑level insights, share this with a colleague who needs a faster path to low‑carbon builds, and leave a review to tell us which system you want to try next.

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CLTower Shaft Walls

CLTimber Bay System

CLTrainer Mock-up

Design Manual

Amazon DII5 Warehouse - Shout out to ZGF Architects and KPFF Engineers

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Headlines celebrate the big wins, but the real story of mass timber lives in the details: policy nudges that turn into buildings, design that solves for climate and community, and projects that grapple with the cost shocks of a volatile market. We walk through a week where funding unlocks four new demonstrations in British Columbia, a tall hybrid tower in Milwaukee hits pause under tariffs and inflation, and a bold academic centre in Arkansas shows how timber can be both structure and story.

We start with BC’s $2 million push across Vancouver, Surrey and Nelson, where family housing, below-market rentals, mixed-use offices and a rural climbing gym show the range of what wood can deliver. Then we turn to resilience in delivery: the 31-storey Neutral Project pauses to reassess budgets and timing, a candid reminder that even low-carbon materials must navigate procurement risks and capital constraints. Along the way, we spotlight the Anthony Timberlands Center from Grafton Architects and Modus Studio—CLT spanning to glulam gutter beams under a cascading roof that shades, channels rainwater to bioswales, and establishes a civic landmark for arts and design.

Finally, we head to Oregon, where Portland’s Terminal 2 shifts from marine shipping to a mass timber research and manufacturing campus. Soil stabilisation, phased timelines, and a funding gap don’t dampen the ambition: create a regional engine that can lower housing costs, speed delivery, and cut embodied carbon. From Atlassian’s timber beacon in Sydney to local manufacturing bets in the Pacific Northwest, the throughline is clear—mass timber isn’t a trend; it’s an operating system for a cleaner, faster, more human city.

If you’re curious about where wood meets policy, design, and industry, this episode is a concise briefing on what matters now and what’s next. Subscribe, share with a colleague who builds or designs, and leave a review with the project you think will move the needle most.

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Big moves in mass timber are landing across sport, offices, research labs, and civic spaces—and the ripple effects are hard to ignore. We kick off with Fukushima United FC’s proposed 5,000‑seat timber stadium, a circular design that aims to reduce waste, maximise reuse, and stand as a sign of recovery for a community shaped by the 2011 disaster. From modular elements to reversible connections, the vision doubles as a blueprint for how mid‑scale venues can evolve over decades without locking in carbon or demolition costs.

Then we head to Sweden, where the Fire Torrent office tower climbs to 51.5 metres without a concrete core. Glulam frames, CLT slabs, and integrated solar show how a fabric‑first approach can deliver stability, performance, and character. We unpack what this means for lateral systems, fire safety, and whole‑life carbon, and why pure timber towers expand the design space beyond familiar hybrids. If you’re tracking tall timber, this one belongs on your watchlist.

The research front brings a potential game‑changer: Swiss teams demonstrate that timber walls with windows can resist over 100 kN of horizontal load, challenging a long‑held assumption that often forced overdesign. Better data on openings unlocks smarter layouts, more daylight, and lower embodied carbon, while paving the way for code updates. We connect those findings to real projects, including Northstowe’s Unity Centre—now topped out with an exposed CLT frame, a sawtooth roof, and a flexible program of hall, café, civic offices, and co‑working. Finally, we spotlight Scotland’s BEST innovation campus relaunch and its Mass Timber Centre for Excellence inside the national retrofit hub, where industry, academia, and policymakers will accelerate testing, training, and circular construction.

If low‑carbon building, circular design, and code‑level evidence matter to you, this update delivers the signals you need. Follow the links on our LinkedIn feed for visuals and research, subscribe for weekly updates, and share this episode with someone who still thinks wood can’t go tall or carry the load. Got a paper or case study to publish? Send it our way and help move the field forward.

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Headlines are easy; proof is better. This week we track real progress you can use: a global seminar that brings steel, concrete, and timber into one hybrid toolkit; a UK system that simplifies glulam frames, CLT floors, and cassette façades; and a practical moisture guide that turns a common risk into a clear plan. We dig into why hybrids are winning on cost, speed, and carbon—and how design teams can standardise details to deliver predictable results on live sites.

We also spotlight hands-on learning. The Think Wood and SUNY construction management workshop in Syracuse offers 2.5 days of practical skills—erection sequencing, vibration criteria, fire and acoustic planning, logistics, and shop drawing review—so students and professionals can move from curiosity to capability. Then we head to Arkansas, where the Anthony Timberlands Center anchors research and making under one roof: wood and metal shops, 3D printing, and an external yard designed for prototyping joints, testing moisture strategies, and validating spans. It’s a living lab that links regional forestry to high‑performance design and transparent carbon accounting.

Finally, we celebrate a civic milestone: Ireland’s first privately developed net‑zero public building, a mass timber crèche and community centre at Altador Gardens. It’s proof that responsible sourcing, fabric‑first envelopes, and smart systems can bring down embodied and operational carbon in everyday buildings—not just flagships. Along the way, we share links, resources, and ways to participate, from the international seminar in Italy to open guides and our LinkedIn updates. If you value practical timber knowledge, subscribe, share this episode with a colleague who needs a hybrid playbook, and leave a quick review to help others find the show.

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Want a clear view of where mass timber is winning right now? We walk through five fresh stories that tie speed, carbon, and human-centred design into one practical playbook—then cap it with a new moisture management guide that raises the quality bar for everyone building with wood.

We start with Heathrow’s Eastern Business Park, where logistics pressures demand fast delivery and minimal disruption. Prefabricated roof panels arrive with solar arrays integrated, steel frames are pre-assembled and reassembled on site, and cross-laminated timber sections drop into place with precision. It’s a case study in how digital planning and factory-first workflows translate into fewer site hours and better energy performance from day one.

From there, we head to Oregon’s La Plaza Esperanza, a mass timber community hub designed by ZGF that offsets roughly 80% of its energy use with solar. The exposed structure, sloped roof, and light-filled rooms support a bilingual preschool, youth programmes, and a flexible hall for celebrations—proof that CLT can carry beauty, comfort, and equity in the same envelope. We also spotlight Matt’s Place 2.0 in Spokane, an ALS-friendly smart home that pairs CLT and modular construction with voice-activated controls for doors, lighting, and security, protecting dignity as mobility declines. Then it’s over to Gdańsk, where the Fahrenheit student housing complex uses CLT for sustainable, adaptable dorms that balance privacy, daylight, and social spaces—an honest answer to modern student needs.

Threading through every segment is the importance of water tightness and durability. The Danish Technological Institute’s new moisture management guide—supported by Built by Nature—offers practical strategies, role clarity, monitoring plans, and checklists that teams can adopt from design through operations. If you’re serious about mass timber, this is the handbook that keeps performance on track and risk under control.

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Ten years can transform a niche into a movement. We’re back with a packed update that traces mass timber’s surge from small conference rooms to global milestones, spotlighting the people, projects, and playbooks that make low‑carbon building practical. We kick off with the International Mass Timber Conference turning ten in 2026—an open call for submissions that signals how far the field has come and how much the community now drives the agenda with real‑world data and project outcomes.

Research sits at the centre of this momentum. We share a decade‑wide literature review that charts progress in fire strategy, moisture management, acoustics, and connection design—areas that once felt like barriers and now read like solvable design choices. That research energy pairs with education on the ground: the first comprehensive textbook on managing mass timber projects arrives to help builders plan procurement, sequencing, and risk with confidence, while Kew’s Saffron Learning Centre demonstrates net zero performance and Passive House targets through CLT, airtight envelopes, and simple, smart services.

Design innovation is pushing the boundaries of scale and clarity. We dig into a hybrid glulam–steel truss spanning 85 metres, optimised with parametric tools so timber takes compression and steel takes tension, with visible connection craft that teaches as it impresses. We also head to Germany for Brainergy Hub—a circular timber‑hybrid landmark and social heart of a new innovation park focused on renewable energy, bioeconomy, and digitalisation—showing how civic projects can normalise timber at scale and set the tone for a greener urban identity.

If you’re building, studying, or simply curious about where architecture and carbon accountability meet, this conversation maps the latest proof points and the next steps. Subscribe, share this with a colleague who needs a spark, and leave a review telling us which project or insight you want us to unpack next.

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