Mass timber delivered to the Golden Oaks residence hall construction site
KALAMAZOO, Mich. - A special delivery of mass timber was recently delivered to the future site of Golden Oaks, a 1,000+ bed, 270,000 square foot residence hall for first-year students located in Goldsworth Valley.
The new, state-of-the-art residence hall, which is scheduled to open its doors for the fall 2026 semester, utilizes a combination of mass timber and prefabricated materials to construct the 4-story building’s wall panels and floor slabs. The cutting-edge materials were chosen to reflect the natural landscape of Goldsworth Valley while also meeting the University’s rigorous building schedule and sustainability goals.
Harvested from a sustainably managed forest in Arkansas, the mass timber used in the hall reduces the carbon footprint of traditional steel and concrete residence hall builds by 3 times. According to the project designer Hanbury Design, a mass timber building of Golden Oak’s scale can also "offset emissions equivalent to removing 600 cars from the road annually.”
In addition to meeting the cost and logistical needs of the accelerated building schedule, the mass timber is an integral visual design feature of the new residence hall. Mass timber columns, beams, and ceilings will be installed in all common spaces to complement the abundance of natural light in student rooms and community gathering spaces. The high-quality materials used also eliminate the need for traditional drop ceilings, allowing each student bedroom to have exposed wood ceilings.
“This project is an entirely different approach to a residence hall at Western,” says Barry Olson, associate vice president for campus life. “The use of mass timber, as well as a strong sense of connection to the wooded environment surrounding the Valleys, will provide a cutting-edge residence hall experience that adds warmth and a true sense of home. With varying levels of privacy, as well as adding spaces for virtual study, play and reflection, Golden Oaks will serve as a wonderful starting point for student success.”
The prominent biophilic aesthetics may connect students to one of WMU’s most iconic landscapes, but it also positively contributes to the student living and learning experience. Light from the large bay windows and the warm wood tones and textures of the mass timber are all proven to lower stress and increase overall satisfaction for students who live in the hall, helping to ease the transition for first-year students.
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