About
A partnership between the Colleges of Forestry and Engineering at Oregon State University (OSU) and the College of Design at the University of Oregon (UO), TallWood Design Institute (TDI) is one of the nation’s first interdisciplinary research collaboratives focused exclusively on the advancement of mass timber and other wood products building solutions. Through diverse faculty expertise, cutting-edge facilities, and dynamic partnerships with manufacturers, designers, and other stakeholders, TDI oversees a wide range of testing and applied research and provides unique educational opportunities for a growing mass timber workforce.
TDI's Three Pillars
Applied Research
At the core of TDI’s strength is the power of partnership and science. TDI collaborates closely with public agencies, industry stakeholders, and our own faculty partners to drive a strong applied research program. Our research agenda aims at quantifying, qualifying and advancing the performance of mass timber products and building systems with near-term and practicable results in mind.
Many of the projects we fund and collaborate on are interdisciplinary, with core areas including:
- structural and seismic engineering;
- fire performance;
- moisture performance and durability;
- sustainability and carbon impacts;
- manufacturing and supply chain;
- acoustics;
- energy performance.
R&D Services
TDI provides a wide range of R&D services for public and private partners, . Our staff and faculty partners are well versed in working with companies through the development and pre-certification of new engineered wood products, as well as in testing larger-scale assemblies and building systems for various metrics, such as structural performance or durability against moisture intrusion. Our access to a large network of researchers and laboratories means that we can connect you with the right expertise and equipment to get the information you need.
Click here to learn more about our testing services and capabilities.
Education
Central to TDI is our passion for generating and sharing knowledge about timber in the built environment, particularly focusing on the state-of-the-art mass timber sector. It is our mission to provide a range of high-quality and accessible educational opportunities for anyone interested in advancing their timber knowledge, whether they are traditional students or working professionals. Events and educational opportunities currently offered include:
- Peer-to-peer learning and networking events, such as our Mass Timber Meetup group;
- Online programs, such as our Certificate in Mass Timber Manufacturing and Construction;
- Workshops, such as our Mass Timber Design/Fab/Build Workshop;
- Traditional academic programs, such as University of Oregon’s new Master of Science in Architecture program, focusing on mass timber design.
