The 2024 “Design with Wood Competition,” sponsored by the Idaho Forest Products Commission, awarded prizes to architecture students from University of Idaho and Washington State University for their innovative use of wood in architectural design.
“This competition not only exposes the students to how incredible wood products are in terms of design, it also gives them a chance to learn about Idaho forests, sustainable forest management, wood products and manufacturing,” says Idaho Forest Products Commission Director Jennifer Okerlund. “These students come away from the competition with a much deeper understanding and appreciation for wood — the only building material derived from a resource that is both sustainable and renewable.”
University of Idaho’s Art and Architecture program challenged students to reimagine Spokane’s Lincoln Heights Neighborhood Library. UI’s Mauricio Lagunes won first place for his design, Bridging the Gap, which connected three disjointed building structures to a nearby park, apartments and a shopping center. His design incorporated engineered wood products such as cross laminated timber and glulam columns, beams and trusses.
“Through this competition, I discovered that wood can be emphasized in numerous facets of a building,” said Lagunes. “Mass timber is positioned as the material of tomorrow due to its sustainability and low embodied carbon footprint.”
Second place winner for UI was Krishna Sumedh Kattamuri, while third place went to Suzzanne Storhok. Storhok discovered a lot about the limitless ways in which wood can be used in a structure.
“The physical shape of these wood elements can be very flexible and used to create a higher spatial experience,” said Storkhok.
WSU’s Architectural Studies students gained awards for incorporating wood into a variety of urban mixed-use designs.
Elijah Hansen was recognized by WSU for his design of Lillie Center, which used CLT panels, beams and columns in this community-building design that anchored an apartment structure to a ground-level art and gathering space. Prizes also went to Tyler Combs, Nathan Keldsen and Connor Hsu; and Evy Wacker and Kai Schonborn.
In its 13th year, more than 100 students participated in this year’s competition, which fosters learning experiences about the energy efficiency, strengths, codes, and the environmental benefits of wood. Winners receive cash prizes.
What are the other benefits of wood as a building material?
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- Trees remove carbon from the atmosphere and store it in wood. As a result, about half the dry weight of wood is carbon, which remains sequestered in wood products used to construct buildings, and helps offset carbon dioxide emissions – a major contributor to global warming.
- About 99 percent of each log processed winds up in a usable product, reducing waste to near zero.
- Wood requires less energy and water to produce than other construction materials.
- Idaho wood products are made from timber that’s harvested sustainably. State forest protection laws mandate prompt replanting after harvest and require landowners to protect wildlife habitat and water quality, ensuring sustainable forests in perpetuity.