University of Oregon | Allan Price Science Commons
Location: Eugene, Oregon
Architect: Opsis Architecture
Contractor: Andersen Construction
Earning LEED Gold, the Allan Price Commons and Research Library is a glass-enclosed pavilion containing a social commons café and event space overlooking and connecting to the subterranean research library and landscaped courtyard.
Instead of using a deeper glulam beam for the timber curtain wall, the design team chose to create the structural support with steel columns and leave them exposed. The exterior shade canopies are attached through the beams which are tied to the steel columns with exposed brackets.
The project was a complete renovation and addition, guided by feedback from the UO student body. They requested a more user-friendly space for group work as well as peer-to-peer instruction. Considering the library use doubled in the first full term it was open, it seems the students had some great ideas for the design.
The project earned the 2017 AIA/ALA Library Building Award and several other Design awards.
Oregon State University | Forest Science Complex
Location: Corvallis, Oregon
Architect: Michael Green Architecture
Contractor: Andersen Construction
George W. Peavy Forest Science Center | PFSC
Built with Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) panels, Mass Plywood Panels (MPP), and Glulam beams, Peavy Forest Science Center is a remarkable Mass Timber building using innovative designs while creating an ongoing learning opportunity. PFSC is considered a living laboratory. 381 sensors are installed throughout the building, monitoring wood moisture content,
indoor and outdoor weather conditions, heat transfer, long-term movement of walls and floors, tension in self-centering rods, and building and floor vibrations.
A massive Timber Curtain Wall creates the 49’ stairwells on two corners of the building, and the “punched openings” are also designed with glulam beams encasing electrochromic glazing.
See more of the project from the Architect's website here.
A.A. “Red” Emmerson Advanced Wood Products Laboratory (AWP)
The AWP building is another mass timber building and houses the TallWood Design Institute (TDI), a collaboration between OSU’s College of Engineering and University of Oregon’s College of Design, with a collective goal of driving research and education on advanced timber products manufacturing, design, and construction. TDI’s primary activities, which include a wide range of testing, state-of-the-art timber research, and education, are reinforced by diverse faculty expertise, cutting-edge facilities and dynamic partnerships with manufacturers, designers and other stakeholders.
Note the name of the building – in case you don’t already know, A.A. Red Emmerson is the founder of Sierra Pacific Industries. The Emmerson's wanted to help fund an advanced wood products laboratory and made a significant donation to the College of Forestry.
The Oregon Forest Science Complex is a perfect example of how sustainably managed forests can be used to create beautiful buildings out of wood and establish a connection with the outdoor landscapes. If you know the Sierra Pacific story, you know this is the perfect project for us to be involved with and support.
Pictured: Red and Maria Emmerson
Stanford University | Denning House
Location: Stanford, CA
Architect: Ennead Architects
Contractor: Devcon Construction, Inc.
When we first heard about this project, we were very intrigued about the purpose of this building. It is home to the Knight-Hennessy Scholars, an international graduate-level scholarship program, and overlooks Lake Lagunita on the Stanford Campus. The Denning House, gives the Scholars a place to share a meal, share ideas and experiences, and collaborate and interact. The building features small-group spaces, a lounge, classrooms, and a dining space to accommodate up to 100 people when they gather regularly for dinner.
You will see a beautifully designed curved Timber Curtain Wall with a slanting roof line, an all wood interior curtain wall, motorized awning windows that tie into the building information system, and a custom exterior Cypress “fin” on the vertical mullions. The stunning wall of wood and glass allows the students to feel closer to nature and appreciate the densely forested landscape of California oaks.
Louisiana State University | Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority House
Location: Baton Rouge, LA
Architect: Fusch Architects, Inc.
Contractor: Milton J. Womack Inc
LUCKY GIRLS! 
What do you do when your sorority mansion is too small and no longer suits the needs of the local chapter? You raise $1.38 million and get the sorority house of your dreams! Tear it down and build a bigger one! The new house opened in 2020, is built on the same site and is 25% larger to gain more common areas for the girls to study and meet. The arched metal panels at the top of the single hung windows were a custom solution our Architectural Services Group came up with to meet the architect’s design intent. To keep the project moving, we first made a 3D printed model to show the architect what we could do and to gain their approval. The new house hits all the right notes for both historic architecture and a fresh nod to the future.
We think the faculty and students attending these schools are very lucky to study and socialize in such beautiful buildings! During one of our newer AIA CE courses: Seeds of Sustainability, we explain the attributes of wood and the added benefits of having wood in your interior environment. Reduced stress, improved air quality, peaceful environment with better acoustics, and improved productivity… to name just a few! If you’d like help with a project, find out more about our products, or would like a Continuing Education lunch & learn, please find your local Architectural Consultant here.
Photo credits for blog: Project 1: Marcus Berg, Unique Angles Photography Project 2: Josh Partee Project 3: Ema Peter Photography Project 4: Craig Cozart Photography Project 5: Robbie Kelley & Derek Criswell project and photography
