Limber Timber

with Natalie Rendleman and Johnathan Michka

Limber Timber is a mass timber and affordable housing project located at University Square, in New Orleans, with a FAR of 2.2. The theme of flexibility over time is central to the project because mass timber structures require longevity in order to successfully sequester carbon.

Influenced by Stuart Brand's Shearing Layers of Change

Stuart Brand's concept of shearing layers of change was a starting point for analyzing the components of residential buildings that vary in degrees of permanence and temporality. How can a mass timber structure specifically foster the goal of long lasting carbon sequestration over time? By implementing domestic modules, the building becomes flexible in that it can adapt to an unpredictable future. The module types include kitchens, bathrooms, and closets.

Typical CLT and Glulam Unit Structure and Components

The modules are able to be moved in and out of the units in order for the building to adapt to non-residential programs in the future. Exterior single loaded corridors connect to elevator cores and experiential staircases on every floor.

Added clip on balconies and subtracted balcony systems are placed strategically depending on their orientation to the site and the sun. These configurations optimize passive strategies and lower cooling loads.