Tall Timber: The Future of Cities in Wood
Exhibit
This exhibit was hosted from December 10, 2025, to March 4, 2026, at 719 Griswold in downtown Detroit.
What is Mass Timber?
How we plan cities can create or solve big problems. Should cities store or emit carbon? Can they quickly close housing and affordability gaps with modern, quality apartments? How can cities contribute to forest health and resilience – and rural economies? Wood, one of humanity’s oldest construction materials, now takes the form of Mass Timber. These large, engineered materials empower us to create big, beautiful buildings faster – and with a much lower “carbon cost” than ever before – while contributing to healthy forests. In Michigan and beyond.
The technology of Mass Timber relies on manufacturing wood products that are bigger, stronger, and more fire-resistant and durable than common lumber or plywood. Designers, builders, and manufacturers use computers to design and precisely cut giant puzzle pieces of structure that are transported to and assembled on site. To date, Mass Timber building systems have been used in more than 100 high-rises – and thousands of other buildings – worldwide since the first 9-story project in 2009. Its popularity is spreading as buildings grow taller, with structures up to 18 stories now covered by the International Building Code.
Mass Timber can greatly reduce the harmful environmental impact of new buildings. The traditional materials of high-rise construction are produced by extractive industries that, through mining and heating, emit even more carbon, called “embodied energy.” By contrast, during photosynthesis, trees turn sunlight into oxygen and capture and store carbon long-term. Combining the embodied and stored carbon savings, a mass timber structure can have a 76-94% lower global warming potential than other options.
Tall buildings multiply these benefits, especially in high-density scenarios. This exhibition examines recent tall buildings in Mass Timber and proposals for its role in a more sustainable, low-carbon future for our cities and our planet.
TALL TIMBER: The Future of Cities in Wood
MassTimber@MSU and Michigan Department of Natural Resources, with sponsorship support from Bedrock, Rossetti, Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights, The Christman Company / Christman Constructors, Inc., and Metro Signs & Lighting, are hosting the traveling exhibit TALL TIMBER: The Future of Cities in Wood.
This exhibit introduces mass timber to the general public, leaders, and decision-makers – and deepens engagement by practitioners through architectural models, material samples, videos, drawings, and photography that present some of the most interesting, innovative, and beautiful examples of buildings conceived in this new system of design and construction. The exhibition features designs for mixed-use office buildings, social housing, and apartments, as well as models of theoretical projects for Mass Timber towers of 30 to 80 stories
The exhibition originated at the Chicago Architecture Center in 2023, entitled “REFRAMED” (co-curated by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitats). Then an expanded and reconfigured version of the exhibit was on display for 18 months at the NYC Skyscraper Museum.
In the Media
- (The Detroit News) "Tall Timber: The Future of Cities in Wood" in Detroit
- (Michigan DNR) DNR and MassTimber@MSU bring traveling exhibition on mass timber construction to downtown Detroit
- (WILX 10) MSU, DNR team up to bring traveling mass timber construction exhibit to Detroit
- (WILX 10, Video) The Future of Cities... In Wood
- (Local 4 News Detroit) Downtown Detroit exhibit explores future of mass timber construction
Exhibit Programming
Michigan Mass Timber Mornings
Project team members shared insights on design and construction, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and lessons learned from delivering a mass timber project in Michigan.
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MSU STEM Teaching and Learning Facility January 7, 2026 Panelists:
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Michigan Department of Natural Resources Newberry Customer Service Center January 13, 2026 Panelists:
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Mitchell Elementary School, Ann Arbor January 23, 2026 Panelists:
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Innovations In Mass Timber Design - AIA Detroit Committee on the Environment
February 5, 2026
AIA Detroit's Committee on the Environment hosted an evening with LEVER Architecture and Thornton Tomasetti, exploring how mass timber is shaping the future of cities. A lecture, discussion, and a casual reception were included.
Training the Michigan Mass Timber Workforce of the Future
February 6, 2026
This program featured insights from George Berghorn, Assistant Professor of Construction Management and Research Director for Mass Timber at Michigan State University’s School of Planning, Design and Construction; Steve Purchase, Communications Director for the Northern Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters; and Luke Barnett, President of the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute.
Together, the speakers explored key workforce challenges, identified talent gaps, and highlighted opportunities to better align education, training, and industry needs in response to the growing demand for mass timber across Michigan. The event concluded with a panel conversation facilitated by Sandra Lupien, Director of MassTimber@MSU, connecting perspectives and examining what a strong, inclusive mass timber workforce of the future can look like in our state.
Mass Timber Realities: Solving for Cost, Constructability, and Scale
February 24, 2026
Mass Timber Realities, hosted by INFORM Studio, was a panel discussion bringing together leaders in architecture, manufacturing, and construction to explore the real opportunities and challenges of building with mass timber today.
The conversation moved beyond trends and theory into practical insights around cost, constructability, supply chain, insurability, hybrid strategies, and early design decisions that shape feasibility, schedule, and return.
Moderator:
- Erik Knauss, Senior Project Architect at INFORM Studio
Panelists:
- Blake Malliett, Senior Construction Estimator at Cunningham | Limp
- Matt Rucinski, Technical Sales Representative at Rothoblaas
- Sidney Filippis, Director of Design at Sterling Solutions
- Anthony Harvey, Regional Director at WoodWorks
Future Cities in Wood: How Early Design Collaboration Drives Success
February 25, 2026
Structural Engineers Association of Michigan (SEAMi) and CREW Detroit hosted an interactive panel discussion on how design and construction industries are morphing to advance timber design. Guests, students, and emerging professionals were encouraged to attend, as this was a unique opportunity to network closely with leading experts on mass timber.
From Talk to Timber: Inspiring Client Action in Mass Timber
March 3, 2026
A dynamic panel featuring project teams from Gensler, RDG, and Hanbury shared how they partnered with clients to explore, design, and advance mass timber projects. Each firm offered a concise five‑minute “show and tell” highlighting key decisions, obstacles, and lessons learned that shaped the adoption and implementation of sustainable strategies. Following the presentations, Craig Borum, professor at the Taubman School of Architecture, led a moderated discussion on what it really takes to move mass timber from concept to construction.
New Heights, New Horizons: Celebrating the Tall Timber Revolution
March 4, 2026
This closing event marked the last program in the Tall Timber exhibition. Panelists Daniel Safarik of Council on Vertical Urbanism, Eric Karsh of Equilibrium Consulting, and Dean Maltz of Shigeru Ban Architects, moderated by Ben Ridderbos of ROSSETTI Architects, discussed mass timber construction and its role in the future of architecture
Credits: Chicago Architecture Center, Council on Vertical Urbanism, and The Skyscraper Museum
Featured Michigan Mass Timber Projects
- MSU STEM Teaching and Learning Facility - East Lansing
- DNR Newberry Customer Service Center - Newberry
- WMU New Student Housing - Kalamazoo
- Griffith Veterinary Hospital - Westland
- Vineyard View Apartments - Suttons Bay
- Community Center at AB Ford Park - Detroit
- Ann Arbor Public Schools, Mitchell Elementary - Ann Arbor
- The Rink at Stine Community Park - Troy
- UM College of Pharmacy - Ann Arbor
- KRESA Career Connect Campus - Kalamazoo
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