ARCHIVED

Reframed: The Future of Cities in Wood

The Exhibition

With breakthroughs in engineering and manufacturing, “mass timber” has become a fresh way of using sustainably sourced wood to build structures with breathtaking design while enriching life in urban settings.

REFRAMED: The Future of Cities in Wood told the story of building with mass timber and features architectural models of mass timber projects from around the world, from public spaces to office buildings and adaptive reuse to new construction.

This exhibition explored the many positive aspects of building with mass timber, including sustainability and safety. It also reflected on biophilia, the human instinct to seek connections with nature. Biophilic design centered around the use of wood creates aesthetically pleasing environments and has been proven to promote well-being and positive mental health benefits among occupants.

REFRAMED also offered the hands-on opportunity to experience wood through a learning pavilion constructed from mass timber, as well as a striking visual demonstration of the superior ability of mass timber to withstand fire.

REFRAMED was on view April 25, 2023 through January 7, 2024.

REFRAMED was co-curated by the Chicago Architecture Center and the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, and presented by the Softwood Lumber Board. The exhibition was made possible by generous support from primary sponsors Gensler, Moelven, Schmidt/Hammer/Lassen Architects, and Perkins&Will and additional sponsors 3XN, Arup, Enlightened Technologies, HPA, KPF, Mercer, Rothoblaas, SOM, Studio Gang, StructureCraft, and UL Solutions.

TALKING TIMBER INTERVIEWS:

A sit down with exhibition contributors.

Todd Snapp, Principal, Perkins&Will

Ryan Flom, Chief Marketing Officer, Softwood Lumber Board

Javier Quintana, CEO, Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat

Catherine Joseph, AIA, Architect, 3XN

Leif Johnson, Structural Engineering Director, StructureCraft

Inside a gallery space with floor to ceiling windows with models of skyscrapers and people milling around. Inside a gallery space with floor to ceiling windows with models of skyscrapers and people milling around.

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Located at 111 E. Wacker Drive in Chicago and opened to the public in 2018, the Center’s riverfront location is in the heart of the city. Nearly 10,000 square feet of exhibition space features super-sized models and views of iconic skyscrapers. Learn more about the Chicago Architecture Center and its mission to inspire people to discover why design matters.
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