A new pavilion to be constructed at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, Washington, is the latest project to use a new type of mass timber—mass ply panels—providing visitors with a far superior up-close and personal experience of viewing forest kangaroos and red pandas.
Designed by LMN Architects, the new 12,000-square-foot pavilion, slated to open in 2026, ticks a lot of sustainable boxes. In addition to using mass plywood, it seeks to eliminate waste and use solar panels on the roof to reduce costs and achieve a LEED Gold rating.
“From the outset, Woodland Park Zoo’s global conservation work has inspired and shaped all aspects of the Forest Trailhead,” said Scott Crawford, LMN Architects partner. “Interconnectedness was a driving theme as we considered community outreach and engagement, the building form and circulation, materials, interpretive stories and the visitor experience.”
As per renders, the building will be clad in dark wood, with the exterior material sourced from recycled composite. The glazing offers a look inside an atrium outfitted in mass plywood:
“With connection as its watchword, the new pavilion signals the future of zoo experiences, where visitors are given agency to find their path, uncovering the inherent interconnectedness of the world’s forests,” according to Jennifer DuHamel, LMN Architects principal.
Stronger than CLT, Lighter than Steel: Mass Ply Panels Secret Recipe
The push comes as one of North America’s leading timber manufacturers – Frers Engineered Wood, has developed a patent for a new mass timber product used in post-and-plate timber high-rises, is now using robots to manufacture timber panels for walls, ceilings, and floors, a move that is ‘future-proofing” the business for hundred years or more.
The product in question is Mass Ply Panels, which Freres claims has superior properties to cross-laminated timber, glulam, and solid timber.
Last year, Wood Central covered the use of the product in oWow’s 1510 Webster development, billed as the tallest beamless mass plywood structure in the world.
At the time, Andrew Dunn, CEO of Australia’s Timber Development Association, stated that “the product’s unique construction and performance advantages make it a game-changer in the world of sustainable construction materials.”
“A fascinating aspect of MPP’s manufacturing process is the cutting of the scarf joint. Three robots perform a synchronised ballet to cut scarfs at each panel end, showcasing the marriage of technology and timber innovation.”
- To learn more about the Mass Ply Panels and how it uses robotics to supercharge the production of oversized panels that are being used in mid-rise and high-rise projects across the United States, click on the Wood Central special feature.
