Building Fundamentals

Construction mockups are temporary structures used to test materials and assembly processes during building projects. Recognizing their educational value, I have curated a digital collection of these ephemeral structures. Now hosted on buildingfundamentals.com, this dedicated category serves as a virtual museum, preserving detailed images of mockups to help others understand building layers and design decisions.

Experience the full construction of the John W. Olver Design building at UMass Amherst through an extensive timelapse video. Filmed over 200 days, this footage provides an up-close look at mass timber assembly, including the placement of columns, beams, and CLT slabs. Watch the entire structural process unfold in this detailed 72-minute visual record.

A little while ago, Peggi Clouston and I joined Galen Nelson, MassCEC’s Chief Climate Officer, to talk about mass timber. This was part of their Thoughtful Climate Live Interview Series, which is a dialogue that features experts, pioneers, and practitioners from a variety of existing and emerging climatetech sectors and disciplines, as well as subject […]