DIALOG’s Craig Applegath, Partner and architect, and Dr. Anne Koven, Director, Mass Timber Institute, are hosts of Mass Timber Institute’s podcast, Mass Timber Today, where they sit down with guests to examine the intersection between engineering, construction, design, and forestry.

Episode 11 | Jeff Ranson: Mass Timber in Master Plans

In the latest podcast episode, Craig Applegath speaks with Jeff Ranson, Director of Responsible Development, Northcrest Developments, who shares his interest in sustainability and how mass timber fits into sustainable building design. Highlighting the beauty and form of mass timber as a compelling aspect and its potential for creating good urban density, Ranson describes mass timber in relation to the development goals of the Downsview Airport Lands master plan. He touches on sustainability, economic viability, and procurement methods.

This episode emphasizes the role of mass timber in addressing the housing crisis and the potential for hybrid structures and low carbon materials in the future. Applegath and Ranson discuss areas for innovation in mass timber construction and the importance of considering the environmental impacts of different building materials as a system.

Listen to the episode: 

About Mass Timber Today

Created by the Mass Timber Institute at the University of Toronto’s John H. Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design, the Mass Timber Today podcast series explores the opportunities and challenges of sustainable mass timber construction.

One-on-one interviews are conducted by hosts, Craig Applegath and Dr. Anne Koven. Craig Applegath is a Founding Partner at DIALOG; and Anne is the co-founder and Director of the Mass Timber Institute, an Honourary Registered Professional Forester. Craig and Anne sit down with guests to explore their insights about mass timber technology. The podcast aims to be a platform for a conversation amongst foresters, architects, engineers, builders, Indigenous community members, and developers.