Encore Architects of Seattle Partners with Freres Lumber to Create Exhibit Using Mass Ply

September 16, 2019

The diverse design and functionality possibilities inherent in Freres Lumber’s Mass Ply Panels were on display in BALhaus, a structure designed by Encore Architects for the Seattle Design Festival 2019 Block Party.

Exploring “Balance” through construction

The challenge posed by festival organizers was to create a structure that demonstrated “balance” through a large-scale design installation. The exhibits were designed for both the general public and the design community and were meant to be enjoyed by all people, regardless of age, size and abilities.Encore Architects chose Freres Lumber’s Mass Ply as their building material to demonstrate a new way to design and construct a building’s frame.

Diverse design and functionalitycapabilitiesdepict housing transitions

Inspired to create a space that could represent different types of housing, Encore Architects designed BALhaus. It addressed the life transitions, circumstances and conditions that are found in all of our lives. It also provided an example of a new way to frame a home while promoting sustainability, flexibility, strength, aesthetics and functionality. Once completed, the design was a physical, interactive representation of the baseline of stability and balance. An essential component of a stable community.

A new, inspired approach to construction

“We were looking for an innovative and sustainable product that would allow us to build unique designs such as the BALhausnesting frame which was built from one piece rather than the typical framing methodology,” said Uwe Bergk, senior associate at Encore Architects. “The opportunity to work with this new construction material allowed us all to better understand the properties and opportunities Mass Ply has in the construction industry.”

More Mass Ply possibilities to explore

Encore Architects’s choice to use our Mass Ply Panels as their preferred building material for their entry in the Seattle Design Festival is another indicator of the value architects see in this new building material. As we move forward with our production lines, we look forward to seeing the many innovative ways architectural firms incorporate Mass Ply into their designs.