Though it is one of the world’s oldest building materials, wood is still revolutionizing the way buildings are designed and constructed today. Timber design and construction necessitate an interdisciplinary approach from the outset of a project. With the emergence of mass timber, it is important to begin by considering the impact of building codes, and what is possible within a given jurisdiction. At an elemental level, material selection is tied to both material performance and critical environmental considerations, including regional availability, carbon sequestration, and life cycle analysis. Once underway, the delivery of complex mass timber structures often involves novel approaches to construction documentation, from collaborative drawing and modeling software to parametric CNC fabrication. The end product – buildings with unencapsulated timber – creates architecture designed for occupant health and happiness, with the biophilic benefits of natural materials, abundant light, and carefully-considered building systems. Through a series of wood and mass timber case studies, this lecture presents the 38-year trajectory of Shigeru Ban Architects’ work in wood, emerging from an interdisciplinary approach. As an introduction to this presentation, there will be a panel discussion with Colorado-based professionals who do work related to the intersection of resiliency and building materials. In particular, they will discuss examples of how post-disaster rebuilds can benefit from designing to newer codes, pursue lower lifetime energy costs, and how wood construction should consider future disasters in how it is implemented.  Presented in partnership with AIA Colorado

Public Spaces and places are essential infrastructure that makes our cities livable. Besides providing space for essential transactions, our public spaces express our history, values, and future vision. The best spaces bring us together to share culture and diverse backgrounds while celebrating our shared values. Design unleashes the potential for public space and architects can foster community and inspire progress. Design is our superpower. As an introduction to this presentation, there will be a panel discussion with Colorado-based professionals who work for local jurisdictions on macro-level urban design and visioning. In particular, they will discuss how they establish goals with local organizations and elected officials that are then developed and implemented by planning departments.  Presented in partnership with AIA Colorado.

Tom Kundig, FAIA, RIBA, is principal/owner & founder of Olson Kundig—a collaborative global design practice whose work expands the context of built and natural landscapes. Tom’s diverse body of work champions the formal and technical yet makes a genuine connection with the people who inhabit it. His longstanding interest in the ways people engage with their environments, both built and natural, was honed throughout his extensive career designing private residences, but it is just as present in his larger scale work. In this way, Tom’s design practice is an ongoing exploration of architecture’s elemental qualities: materiality, texture, and detail in dialogue with the human condition. In this session, Tom will speak to his contextual approach to design, providing an overview of his work that often serves as a backdrop to the built, cultural, or natural landscapes that surround them. Moderated by Sarah Broughton, Tom will share his philosophies around craftmanship, collaboration, and what it means for humans to be in a relationship with architecture. Presented in partnership with AIA Colorado.