With a focus on longevity and environmental stewardship, mass timber is a sustainable, aesthetically rich design option. With these objectives in mind, Moseley is currently collaborating with Clemson University to create their new Forestry and Environmental Conservation (FEC) Building using mass timber, making it the school’s first academic structure to utilize this material.
At The Society for College and University Planning’s (SCUP’s) Southern Symposium on March 20, principal Suzanne McDade will discuss the benefits of pushing limits through mass timber design, as well as how her team overcame related challenges.
Expanding Possibilities
Mass timber facilities are often associated with minimalistic, simple designs. However, in designing the new FEC Building, the Moseley team sought to explore beyond that widely assumed limitation and showcase its potential to support more interesting, dimensional design elements.
“We are pushing the limits of mass timber, in that this is not an orthogonal, rectilinear box building.” said Suzanne.
Dr. Patricia Layton, Clemson’s director of wood utilization and design and former department head of forestry, as well as a stakeholder in the FEC project, helped champion this concept throughout the design process.
“That was one of the things that Dr. Layton was very interested in making known: that mass timber can do different things. It’s not just something that creates simple forms. We can have a curve; we can have a facet.”
The Built Environment as a Teaching Tool
In her presentation, Suzanne will also highlight how the use of regionally harvested mass timber in this project will serve as a teaching tool for students and faculty. Forestry students will be immersed in the byproducts of their future industry, while architecture and engineering students can observe the fruit of an innovative, environmentally responsible design approach.
Environmental Outcomes
The FEC building’s design will highlight the environmental advantages of using mass timber as a sustainable alternative to other materials. The utilization of this renewable resource will aid in minimizing the building’s carbon footprint and help support energy efficiency for years to come.
Breaking the Mold in Design
Suzanne’s ultimate hope for her presentation is to help inspire attendees to recognize new possibilities in design while embracing and conquering any challenges that may accompany a new approach.
“I hope to offer encouragement and inspiration in the realm of innovative, forward-thinking design. I want to empower people to have the courage to try something different. I believe we can learn a lot from these types of projects, and it is important to understand the value in pursuing unique projects and thinking outside the box.”
Learn More
Suzanne’s session, “Pushing Limits: Clemson’s First Mass Timber Academic and Research Facility,” will be held on March 20 at 11:45 a.m. in Clemson’s Madren Center. She welcomes all registered Southern Symposium attendees to join. For additional information, please visit the event website.
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