Feedback from the Judges: The Limberlost Place project confronts the challenge of creating an envelope that both responds to environmental constraints and reinforces the building’s identity as North America’s first tall mass timber assembly occupancy structure.

In a climate inhospitable to exposed exterior wood, the design achieves a refined and balanced expression through the strategic use of unitized glass and aluminum panels, evoking the warmth and character of wood, without its direct application.

The deliberate composition of transparency and opacity enhances the legibility of the mass timber structure, showcasing its inherent beauty while allowing it to be experienced from within and appreciated from the surrounding public realm.

This submission is determined to be the winner of OGMA’s 2026 Design Award as it transcends the building envelope as solely exterior aesthetic or skin and instead positions it as a significant and integral component of this novel mass timber project.