Mass Timber, Biophilia, and the Return to Natural Materiality

Join us for an insightful session exploring biophilia and natural materiality as experiential and environmental values increasingly embraced by society. This discussion will examine how mass timber can become economically viable enough for owners to choose it without incentives, and how it can make practical sense for owners, developers, code officials, and contractors to encourage broader use across projects. Introducing mass timber does not have to be an all-or-nothing approach. Hybrid structural systems that incorporate mass timber where it provides the most value can help minimize structural and regulatory constraints while still delivering meaningful environmental and substantial benefits.

The session will also provide insight into the North American wood basket where high-quality fiber is sourced, how forests are sustainably managed, and why early alignment on species availability is critical for project feasibility. Early technical input, including span limits, member sizing, machining capabilities, and finishing options, can lead to more efficient, sustainable, and expressive mass timber design solutions. The DOB Technical Affairs team, who are actively involved in mass timber research and development, will share their expertise and discuss several of the learning initiatives connected to the DOB Mass Timber Studio.