Stacked & Sloped

I recently had the chance to photograph the new Forest Trailhead exhibit at Woodland Park Zoo, a space designed by LMN Architects and built almost entirely around Mass Plywood Panels (MPP) from Freres Engineered Wood. What struck me first wasn't the animals, it was the circulation: two full levels where stairs take a back seat to a series of interior and exterior ramps that gently slope and zigzag through the exhibit, keeping the whole experience open to every visitor.

The MPP does the heavy lifting, literally and visually. Overhead, it forms a domed ceiling built from a mesh of triangular beams, each one framing a circular skylight that draws natural light down into the space. Along the side walls, exposed MPP beams reveal their stacked layers, a material that reads as both structural and warm, strong and textured at the same time. Every time I photograph a new application of MPP, I come away impressed by how far architects and manufacturers are pushing what mass timber can do. This project is a great example of that creativity in action.

Matt Swain Photography is based out of the Pacific North West and serves Seattle, WA and the West Coast with quality architectural and drone photography.