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Wednesday, April 1, 2026
From Panel to Pod: Case Studies in Modular Mass Timber Execution
Oregon Ballroom 203Moderator:
Mass Timber at Scale: Lessons Learned from Volumetric Modular Construction
Stora Enso has completed over 23,000 projects globally, and a small but increasing share of these projects are using a modular volumetric approach. This presentation will use several case studies from our volumetric led clients, with deep dives into how they achieved standardization at a mass scale, while still being able to retain architectural freedom and avoid “cookie cutter” repeated designs. We will look at the design and connection details, building physics, etc., but more importantly focus on the lessons learned, and challenges faced, as well as how they were overcome.
Stora Enso at one point owned its own volumetric factory in Finland and so knows firsthand the challenges and benefits of volumetric construction and now are honored to supply some of the leading mass timber volumetric companies globally. This will be a case study-led presentation for interesting and real-life examples of what can be achieved, and how — from design restrictions to installation on site.
From Panelized to Volumetric: Lessons in Modular Mass Timber From Matt’s Place
Matt’s Place 2.0 (MP2.0), completed in 2023, demonstrates how cross-laminated timber (CLT) can deliver modular, rapidly deployable, cost-effective, and dignified housing for families living with ALS. This 1,500 sf, three-bed home uses exposed CLT walls and ceilings to create a biophilic, healthy interior environment while streamlining fabrication and assembly. Innovative module-to-module joints align across floor, wall, and roof planes to integrate structural splines, weather barriers, and accessible service chases, allowing the wood to remain visible and perform structurally.
This presentation will review lessons learned from MP2.0, including why the team pivoted from a fully volumetric approach—originally designed for room-sized modules that could fit on a truck bed—to a panelized modular system that simplified fabrication, transport, and on-site assembly based on North American manufacturing capabilities at that time.
Building on MP2.0, Matt’s Place 3.0 (MP3.0) expands these principles into a three-story, nine-unit CLT apartment building now in design. This next iteration explores full volumetric fabrication, multi-module stacking, and hybrid foundation systems to further reduce construction time and embodied carbon.
Together, these projects show how mass timber’s precision, sustainability, and light-carbon footprint make it uniquely suited to modular construction, offering replicable strategies for off-site fabrication, transport logistics, and scalable, high-performance housing.
UC Santa Cruz: Kresge College Modular Construction
California’s public universities face a severe housing shortage, with thousands of beds needed to support growing student populations. Traditional construction is costly, slow, labor-intensive, and disruptive. At UC Santa Cruz, Truebeck Construction addressed this challenge through modular construction in the Kresge College Renewal project.
The campus required urgent housing expansion and seismic upgrades for its aging 1970s infrastructure. The $250 million redevelopment replaces 11 buildings with 186 rooms and 592 beds, adds eight new modular dormitories, a new town hall, renovates five academic buildings, and demolished 10 structures.
Due to the campus’s remote location and labor shortages, Truebeck used prefabricated CLT (cross-laminated timber) decks, walls, and bathroom pods built offsite. These pods support seismic loads, accelerate construction, reduce onsite labor, and improve quality while minimizing disruption. Mass timber also offers biophilic benefits, lowers fire risk, and reduces building weight.
Truebeck partnered with the carpenters’ union to streamline trades, cutting labor needs from 400 to 200 workers. This reduced costs by 25–40%, preserved union integrity, and avoided dual-gate issues. Modular construction is not just efficient—it’s essential for building in remote areas with limited labor.
Modular Mass Timber for Scalable Buildings
This session explores how mass timber can be effectively integrated into modular construction through the development of a scalable, fabrication-oriented building system capable of supporting a wide range of programs, including multifamily housing, workforce housing, student residences, schools, offices, and hotels.
Drawing from lessons learned on the recently completed Knight Building in Big Sky, Montana, the first large-scale modular mass timber project in the U.S., the presentation will examine key design and planning principles for modular mass timber construction. Topics include structural and dimensional strategies, delineation of off-site versus on-site scopes, and the integration of building systems within transportable CLT volumetric modules.
The session will emphasize the importance of comprehensive digital coordination and early collaboration among architects, engineers, and fabricators to achieve precision manufacturing, efficient assembly, and consistent quality. It will also address the current challenges of designing modular mass timber buildings, including limited testing data related to fire ratings, firestopping, and acoustic performance.
