Five winners selected for $2 million Mass Timber Competition

Five winners were selected to share a $2 million prize in the 2023 Mass Timber Competition: Building to Net-Zero Carbon.

The competition was co-sponsored by the Softwood Lumber Board and USDA Forest Service (USDA) with the intent “to demonstrate mass timber’s applications in architectural design and highlight its significant role in reducing the carbon footprint of the built environment.”

“As wildfires become more prevalent across the United States, a stronger supply chain for lumber and mass timber improves forest health and supports the construction of low carbon buildings—both effective ways to mitigate the impacts of climate change,” says John Crockett, USDA forest service associate deputy chief of state and private forestry.

The winning teams are:

Project: CODA Detroit
Building type: Mixed-use residential
Project team: OOMBRA Architects, Brush Park Properties / IN Development Partners, JDH Engineering, Britt Peters and Associates, and AM Higley.

Project: Up@310 Lofts
Project type: Vertical addition
Project team: Lignin Group, Tim Olson, Banwell Architects, 310 Marlboro St., and Entuitive.

Project: Via/NWA IC Program
Building type: Affordable multifamily housing
Project team: A226, Blue Crane, Modus Studio, Tatum-Smith-Welcher, Aspect Structural Engineers, and Arco Construction.

Project: The Village SF Wellness Center
Building type: Mixed use
Project team: PYATOK architecture + urban design, The Friendship House Association of American Indians, DCI Engineers, and Cahill Contractors.

Project: Woolsey Gardens
Building type: Mid-rise multifamily
Project team: Solomon Cordwell Buenz, Northern California Land Trust, Tipping Structural Engineers, Swinerton Builders, and Timberlab.

The 2023 competition was the second consecutive year of the program. The 2022 edition awarded $2 million in total funds to six recipients.

A new $115 million project recently broke ground at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) that will add housing for 424 students at below-market rates. The 108,000 sf La Playa Residence Hall, funded by the State of California’s Higher Education Student Housing Grant Program, will consist of three five-story structures connected by bridges.

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