Welcome back! We’ve been busy…like, ‘there’s more than just a concrete slab’ busy.

Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) Pod

Mid-February, we were finished taping the slab. Fast forward to the end of March, and the structure is up!

CLT walls are up. Stiffeners are in. Stick-frame walls are framed. The CLT roof is set. And yes, plenty of bracing to make sure it all stays that way.

Seeing the pod come together at full scale has been a big moment. What started as drawings is now a space we can walk through, giving us a clearer understanding of how our design choices play out in real life.

Deborah’s Home

At the same time, the house project has been moving along. We have a new site and a new client, just five minutes down the road from campus: close enough to feel familiar, different enough to require some real adjustments.

We revisited the design to better respond to the site, while keeping the core ideas intact. Along the way, we had a strong round of consultant input that helped sharpen the project.

Andrew Berman with Andrew Berman Architects pushed us to rethink the wall system, encouraging us to test a single CLT panel instead of stacking two, simplifying the build and speeding up construction. Katrina Van Valkenburgh with CHS Solutions, Mike Newman with SHED Studio, and Pete Landon with LBBA helped us tighten the plan by maximizing shared spaces and being more intentional about where stick framing does the work. Amanda Loper with David Baker Architects worked with us on refining the entry sequence, double-height space, floor plan, and window placement.

Right before Spring Break, we had our first big test—Executive Review One. The question was simple: Are we ready to build this?

Overall, it went well. We got strong feedback on our exterior cladding, floor plan, detailing, and interior strategies. Enough validation to keep moving, and enough critique to know exactly what needs more work. Thanks to Justin Miller, Rusty Smith, Emily McGlohn, John Marusich, Steven Long, and Andrew Freear!

Now things are getting more specific. We are digging into mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (a.k.a. MEP) systems, material specifications, and the actual sequence of construction. Less guessing, more decision-making.

Well, this pod isn’t gonna build itself! Catch ya next post!