Winners of the 2022 Mass Timber Competition: Building to Net-Zero Carbon have been announced

Winning entries to the Softwood Lumber Board (SLB) and USDA Forest Service-sponsored 2022 Mass Timber Competition: Building to Net-Zero Carbon were announced yesterday as part of this weekend’s A’22 Conference in Chicago.

Six projects will split the total $2 million prize as judged by a panel of nine over a month-long period that culminated on June 2nd. Each was selected based on its ability to demonstrate the yet-unrealized potential of applications of mass timber in the design industry and built environment. Engineering nonprofit WoodWorks handled the project evaluation for the competition as well.

The panel selected concepts that were repeatable and scalable. The source and sustainability of the materials was also considered as a deciding factor. In a statement, the Forest Service’s John Crockett added a personal note about the importance of the material’s popularity within the industry as it impacts the agency’s efforts to combat wildfire and said that domestic forests are currently “overstocked.” 

“The SLB is gratified to see the breadth of concepts and building typologies entered in the competition. With nearly 60 submissions, we saw excellent examples of the innovative designs mass timber makes possible,” SLB Chief Marketing Officer Ryan Flom said at the announcement. “These six winning designs will serve to advance not just our body of knowledge for mass timber construction, they will inform the growing shift towards building for occupancy well-being, resilience and a minimal carbon footprint.”

View the full list of winners below.         

Project: Vancouver Ambulatory Care Center. 
Building Type: Medical Center.
Project Team: ZGF Architects, Timberlab, Swinerton, and PCS Structural Solutions.