Detroit Hosts “Tall Timber” Exhibit Showcasing Future of Mass Timber Construction

An exhibit in Detroit is highlighting what future buildings in Michigan and beyond could look like using mass timber construction, WILX reported (1-26-26).

The “Tall Timber” exhibit is hosted by MassTimber@MSU in partnership with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

“What people will see here is a variety of architectural models highlighting innovative mass timber design,” said Sandra Lupien, director of MassTimber@MSU, a Michigan State University program that promotes sustainable building practices and the advancement of mass timber in construction.

Lupien said mass timber could also help address Michigan’s housing gap, which she said requires nearly 200,000 new housing units.

Companies such as The Christman Company have found that mass timber can help projects stay on schedule. The firm is using mass timber in a 275,000-square-foot student housing project at Western Michigan University, expected to open in the fall of 2026.

“We use mass timber to accelerate the construction schedule,” Andy Riess, Christman’s director of mass timber, told WILX, noting that mass timber decks helped avoid lengthy concrete cure times.