While the benefits of mass timber as an environmentally responsible building material have been well documented, research is growing around its positive impact on student wellbeing and learning. Despite this, there are currently only a handful of mass-timber schools around the country. The lack of adoption can be attributed to a range of factors, including outdated building codes, risk-averse clients, lack of experience among architects regarding design implications, and cost mark-ups by builders wary of undertaking a new construction technology. Join the AIANY Architecture for Education Committee as we learn from a panel of professionals about how Evergreen Charter School overcame these obstacles as one of the first mass-timber schools in the Northeast. Located in one of Nassau County’s most impoverished neighborhoods, Evergreen provides under-served families with an attractive alternative to public schools. We will discuss the benefits and challenges of working with mass timber through the lens of the architect, school leadership, structural engineer and construction manager.
