Harvard GSD Mass Timber

Here we present the final projects by the students at the Harvard GSD Mass Timber run by Hanif Kara and Jennifer Bonner.

Hanif Kara (AKT II) Professor in Practice and Jennifer Bonner (MALL) Associate Professor of Architecture along with 14 graduate students at Harvard University Graduate School of Design, published ideas on mass timber through the design of houses located in the American South. The studio titled “Mass Timber and the Scandinavian Effect” tackles questions of the aesthetics of wood and CLT Blanks (15m x 3m panels) as a pedagogical experiment.

CLT TOWER

“The inherent axial strength of CLT blanks coupled with their ability to span as deep beams while bearing vertical load “end grain to end grain” posits new structural potential at both the scale of the house & tower.” -Hanif Kara

CLT HOUSE

“Harvard GSD Mass Timber studio has conceptually positioned CLT as a series of large structural sheets -or blanks- comprised of 3,5 and 7-ply laminated timber panels measuring 9 feet in width and 50 foot lengths with endless possibilities for openings, shape, and geometry.” Hanif Kara

“From balloon framing to %3D structural laminations: CLT offers an alternative as 2X6S are now laminated together into large panels, instead of framed out at 16″ on center.” – Jennifer Bonner