The benefits of mass timber—a structural system of engineered lumber formed by joining wood boards into larger members, each stronger and more durable than its constituent parts—are well known. Wood is a renewable resource and therefore has sustainable attributes. As trees grow, they capture carbon dioxide (CO₂), a primary cause both of air pollution and global climate change. The production of concrete and steel, on the other hand, releases vast quantities of CO₂ into the atmosphere. It follows that using sustainably produced timber as a structural material reduces the harmful environmental impact of buildings.

But is minimizing the negative effects of construction the best that architects can do? According to REFRAMED: The Future of Cities in Wood, an exhibition at the Chicago Architecture Center (CAC), the answer is a resounding no.