Oregon Mass Ply Helps Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo Share Its Conservation Message
When LMN Architects set out to design a 12,000-square-foot pavilion at the heart of the new Forest Trailhead exhibit at Woodland Park Zoo, they needed a structurally sound material that could also carry the zoo’s conservation message. Freres Engineered Wood’s Mass Ply met both needs.
The pavilion’s main roof is formed by Mass Ply CLT panels supported by custom-cut Mass Ply girders. Secondary and tertiary Mass Ply beams build out the structure’s distinctive form, all carried by Mass Ply columns. CNC cutting enabled the design team to shape custom beams with curved undersides and faceted tops, resulting in a dome-like interior. Prefabricated panels also helped compress the construction schedule and cut labor costs. A series of round skylights punctures the roof, letting dappled light filter through, mimicking gaps in a forest canopy. Mass Ply also extends beyond the building envelope to the eaves and a cantilevered terrace. Panels topped with a concrete slab form the floors and sloped walkways throughout.
“Mass Ply was chosen for the project primarily because it evokes the feeling of being in a tree canopy — perfect for an exhibit focused on forests and sustainable forest management,” – Mark La Venture, Associate (PA), LMN Architects
On the sustainability front, Mass Ply emits less carbon than concrete and steel and is produced primarily from small-diameter trees, thereby thinning overstocked forests. The building incorporates several other sustainable design strategies, including bird-safe glazing throughout to protect local wildlife, on-site stormwater management, and solar panels. Forest Trailhead officially opened on May 1, 2026, and is targeting LEED Gold certification.
Case Study about Woodland Park Zoo Forest Trailhead Pavilion
Project Summary
Specs
Type of Building
Commercial, Community / Civic
Location
Seattle, WA
Architect
LMN Architects
Sq. Footage
12,000
Year Completed
2026
Challenge
Design a mass timber pavilion that could serve as a functional structure and a visual expression of the Woodland Park Zoo’s conservation message.
Solution
LMN Architects selected Mass Ply for its thematic resonance, aesthetic versatility, and value. They used Mass Ply panels, beams, and columns throughout the pavilion.
Result
Forest Trailhead exhibit opened May 1, 2026, in Seattle, delivering an immersive forest canopy experience in a Pacific Northwest-made mass timber pavilion targeting LEED Gold certification.
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