A New Conference to Connect Experts and Drive the Future of Mass Timber
Fayetteville, Arkansas, December 12, 2024 – The Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design, the University of Arkansas and ISG are excited to announce the 2025 Arkansas Mass Timber Conference. As a national hub for mass timber design, construction, and manufacturing, Arkansas became the ideal location for this conference that is bringing together industry design professionals, academic researchers, and manufacturers of mass timber systems and components.
In the building industry, mass timber is an emerging material with significant potential. As populations grow and infrastructure demands increase, sustainable development will increasingly rely on this rapidly renewable resource. Beyond its environmental benefits, mass timber offers a unique aesthetic appeal and, in some circumstances, an opportunity to accelerate construction timelines. The conference, taking place February 7–9, 2025 at the University of Arkansas’s Vol Walker Hall, aims to educate and prepare attendees on this emerging field.
“Our mission is to advance the mass timber movement in Arkansas and regionally and drive the future of sustainable building by exploring the use of local resources and manufacturing capacities, industry insights and trends, university research, and innovative timber technologies,” said Ryan King, ISG’s Residential + Mixed-Use Business Unit Leader. “This conference will be a valuable opportunity to learn from experts, share ideas, and prepare for the future of sustainable building practices.”
“The Fay Jones School is pleased to partner with ISG and our alumnus Ryan King in this historic conference for the university, region, and state,” said Peter MacKeith, dean of the school. “Our commitment to advancing the state’s forest- and wood-product centered economy through education, applied research, and advocacy is well known. Working with industry partner ISG through this conference, we can now advance these ambitions in even stronger ways, demonstrating to the nation that Arkansas truly sits at the epicenter of a national forest-centered economy.”
The conference is expected to draw over 250 attendees from the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry, as well as academia, manufacturers, allied partners, elected officials, and staff from the University of Arkansas and ISG. It will bridge the gap between research and real-world application with keynote presentations from industry leaders, engaging breakout sessions, and the opportunity to network with some of the top names in mass timber. Attendees will discover the environmental benefits, expressive design potential, and constructional advantages that mass timber has to offer.
For the full conference agenda and additional information, visit https://bit.ly/2025AR_MassTimberConference. Click here to add your email to receive an update when registration opens. Registration will be available until January 31, 2025.
About the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design
The Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design at the University of Arkansas houses undergraduate professional design programs of architecture, landscape architecture, and interior architecture and design together with a liberal studies program. The school also offers a Master of Design Studies, with concentrations in integrated wood design, health and wellness design, resiliency design, preservation design, and retail and hospitality design. The DesignIntelligence 2019 School Rankings Survey listed the school among the most hired from architecture, landscape architecture, and interior design schools, ranking 10th, 14th and eighth, respectively, as well as 28th among most admired architecture schools.
About the University of Arkansas
As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $3 billion to Arkansas’ economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. The U of A has invested more than $250 million in campus mass timber design and construction projects. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research and Economic Development News.
Media Contacts
Ryan King, AIA, NCARB
ISG Rogers Office Leader, Residential + Mixed-Use Business Unit Leader
479.644.3883
Ryan.King@ISGInc.com
Peter B. MacKeith
Dean and Professor of Architecture
Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design
University of Arkansas
479.575.2702
mackeith@uark.edu
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