Reaching New Heights: Exploring Mass Timber in City-Making
Open Access
- Author:
- Petersen, Alex
- Area of Honors:
- Architecture
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Architecture
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Darla V Lindberg, Thesis Supervisor
Orsolya Gaspar, Thesis Honors Advisor - Keywords:
- mass timber
architecture
wood
timber
urban
structural systems
sustainability
design
construction
Pittsburgh
Tall Wood Buildings - Abstract:
- One of the most critical decisions an architect must make when designing a building is the type of structural system that will be employed throughout. The main systems that an architect will consider are steel, concrete, and wood. Today, steel and concrete dominate the market for mid-rise buildings, often dismissing wood for its perceived weakness and expensive costs. And yet, there has been a movement in recent years among architects and designers to use an innovation in wood structures known as mass timber: a structural system that uses large wood panels, beams, and columns. Their justification is not rooted in strength or costs, but in a more dire need: our environment. Through the photosynthesis process, trees absorb carbon dioxide, the main culprit of climate change, and when made into lumber products, the wood sequesters the carbon. On the contrary, steel and concrete have manufacturing processes that are catastrophic to our environment. With such strong reasoning to back wood construction, it seems that architects today would all specify wood structural systems in their buildings. In reality, the decision is much more complex, and there are many factors that are still preventing a wide-scale use of mass timber. Along with sustainability, other critical topics such as structural capabilities, costs, timelines, life safety and code requirements are all considered by architects. It is imperative to investigate the problems that are hindering mass timber, so that these issues can be resolved. With the population increasing exponentially, and the environment suffering from years of abuse, it is important that we find a way to encourage more mid-rise buildings, especially in urban areas, to use a mass timber structure. A rising percentage of the population is searching for affordable housing, and mass timber might be the most sustainable solution possible.