Amenities and aesthetics are key considerations when booking a hotel stay. Today, architects are finding that mass timber can provide ample benefits—and be a differentiator—when designing in the hospitality space. Concrete and steel have long been the go-to materials for ski resorts, luxury hotels, and boutique spas, but in the age of sustainable building and biophilia, these architects are finding that the natural beauty and warmth of exposed wood pairs perfectly with high-end luxury. Offering lower embodied carbon, wide spans, and wellness benefits, mass timber provides the perfect combination of benefits for hospitality projects.

This AIA-accredited continuing education webinar is tailored for architects and engineers seeking advanced knowledge in the design and specification of innovative mass timber and hybrid wood systems in hotels, resorts, spas, and other hospitality-related buildings. It will include a discussion on how mass timber can enhance the aesthetics of hotels and resorts while also serving as a low-carbon building alternative with the potential to positively impact the health, well-being, and safety of occupants.

Photo courtesy of Skylab

Humbird at Schweitzer Mountain Resort Sandpoint, Idaho

Brent Grubb’s of Skylab will present the new Humbird Hotel at Schweitzier Moountain Resort, Sandpoint, ID. It redefines destination mountain architecture. Located in the heart of Schweitzer village is set within the Rocky Mountains of northern Idaho at the nexus of two distinct ranges, the Selkirk and Cabinet Mountains, offering easy access to a wide variety of seasonal recreation activities. Schweitzer brand with a boutique hotel arrival experience that reflects the next generation of local ski culture. Humbird Hotel is Phase 1 of this plan. To help restore the village concept, the 31-unit, 66,580 sf, hotel is strategically placed among a disparate group of older buildings with the purpose of transforming the predictable resort experience into a newly invigorated, European-inspired mountain village. By siting the building in such a way, the collection of structures are now united by narrow walkable streets and knit together multiple covered parking areas. Care was taken to orient the lodge with spectacular views of Lake Pend Oreille. The result is a ski-in, ski-out hotel providing essential arrival services and on-slope accommodations to re-frame Schweitzer as a year-round destination for the 21st century. Seattle urbanite meets Idaho ski bum.

The new hotel and restaurant anchors the village. The barbell-shaped hotel takes advantage of the steep site by nestling into a notch cut into the slope creating space for a sheltered parking garage, which is essential in a location that gets up to 400 inches of snow a year. The exterior of the hotel is expressed through board formed concrete, metal panels, large expanses of glass, and glimpses of the wood ceilings inside. Structural elements are evident and highlighted to enhance the sense of enclosure and warmth inside the lodge. The palette draws upon the architectural heritage of the Schweitzer basin. Primary gathering spaces feature exposed cross-laminated timber (CLT), including ceiling planes, glulam beams, and columns to deliver a modern take on a familiar lodge aesthetic. Mass timber construction was selected for its ties to the logging history of the area as well as being inherently beautiful and sustainable. CLT was also employed for the dining area and ski locker warming hut. In doing so, the hotel embraces a time-honored resort aesthetic while using next generation construction technologies.

Lever Architects Timothy Cook will present the firm’s Cascada project, which is a hybrid mass timber development serves as a new urban model for an all-inclusive luxury hotel experience. Seamlessly integrating within Portland's vibrant Alberta Arts community, the building's massing breaks down the overall scale to emphasize connections with the active neighborhood streetscape.

The building offers a unique experience to guests on each level with a program that includes hotel, restaurant, wellness-oriented health facilities, leasable ground level retail spaces, and below-grade parking. The wellness program occupies three floors of the building which includes hammam-inspired bath and steam rooms, a swimming pool, reception, gym, and treatment rooms. The second floor features an indoor/outdoor dining terrace, workspaces, conference rooms, and an indoor bridge that leads to a reception area for the spa and wellness center. The third through fifth floors include 100 hotel units designed with simplicity and efficiency in mind.

Michael Britt from Lake | Flato will present the Hotel Magdalena project located in the heart of Austin’s South Congress neighborhood, Hotel Magdalena is the first mass timber boutique hotel in North America. The mass timber wood structure honors the history of the site including the former 1950s Austin Terrace Motel – previously constructed of exposed heavy timber beams and columns in the mid-century modern aesthetic. The design team sought to reference this history and material aesthetic by creating warm, inviting structures. Through its carefully crafted environment, Hotel Magdalena provides an oasis for guests to enjoy within one of Austin’s most beloved neighborhoods.

Common exterior spaces, outdoor walkways and lushly planted terraces enhance the outdoor experience for guests and foster a sense of community. Welcomed by a feature 2-way gridded porte-cochère structure, visitors enjoy an entry walkway shaded by one of several existing Oak heritage trees preserved on the site. Deeply shaded porches and outdoor terraces create a unique experience that recalls the lake houses and natural artesian springs found in the Texas Hill Country.

The mass timber panels, structural walls and heavy timber porches were prefabricated off-site, delivered and erected using a streamlined schedule, ensuring efficiency and quality control. A multi-story timber walkway structure with gapped DLT panels outside of the hotel rooms required careful organization of boards with spacers and was designed to accommodate the existing Oak heritage trees. By exposing the wood structure to guests, the materials tell the story of how the structure was built while providing a warm, textured material in the guest rooms and common outdoor porches. Showcasing the mass timber panels and heavy timber structural components ensures that they become an integral component of the hotel experience, thus allowing sustainable structures and construction practices to be viewed and shared by visitors from around the world.

	Brent Grubb, is Skylab's Managing Principal. Since 2008, Brent has contributed his skills in project management, design, and business leadership to the firm – always looking toward the future. He brings over 20 years of experience overseeing a wide range of projects including hospitality, mixed use, multifamily, custom residential, large scale commercial, and municipal. Raised and educated in Indiana, Brent earned his B.Arch from Ball State University.
	Timothy Cooke, is a Senior Associate at LEVER Architecture and a licensed architect whose work focuses on integrating a keen understanding of material and energy use into the design process. In addition to his project work, Timothy leads interdisciplinary research at LEVER that is focused on increasing transparency and access to information about the forest practices associated with wood products used in the built environment.
	Michael Britt, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Associate Lake | Flato Architects has a deep commitment to sustainable design and responsible stewardship of the natural environment. Prior to joining Lake|Flato, his post-graduate research work at the University of Virginia focused on working with local modular home builders to construct sustainable housing for low-income families in Southern Virginia. This research eventually led him to become the office’s first Certified Passive House Consultant. Michael works in the Eco-Conservation studio and is currently managing The Headwaters at the Comal project which aims to restore a former utility maintenance yard in New Braunfels, TX to a community center with 18 acres of native plant ecosystems. He is also pursuing the Living Building Petals recognition for his recently completed, net-positive home in downtown San Antonio.