Out of the Woodworks: Mass Timber Tech at Texas A&M
Texas A&M architecture students will swap digital models for mass timber mock-ups.
Starting in spring 2026, students in the second-year design studio will assemble real cross-laminated timber (CLT) structures using hands-on kits developed by Rothoblaas, a leading timber construction company headquartered in Italy. The kits are part of a new partnership that’s reshaping how the Department of Architecture integrates design education with material practice.
The collaboration, which began with a chance connection between Rothoblaas leadership and Assistant Professor Benjamin Ennemoser, has quickly grown into a cross-college initiative supported by research grants, faculty expertise and global industry backing.
“We already have a concrete plan for how we want to integrate Rothoblaas and their educational learning kits into our classroom,” said Ennemoser, who co-coordinates the second-year undergraduate studios. “This is an amazing opportunity to teach students the latest trends in construction while giving them hands-on experience.”
Teaching the Future
Rothoblaas is known internationally for its innovative structural systems, fasteners and safety technologies focused on timber. Its Rothoschool training platform offers practical instruction for carpenters, engineers and architects in collaboration through partnerships with universities and research institutions.
At Texas A&M, Rothoblaas is introducing its hands-on teaching models to undergraduate design education for the first time.
Last spring, students in ARCH 206 Architecture Design II explored affordable housing typologies for Austin using timber-based design strategies. The studio — co-coordinated by Associate Professor James Michael Tate and Ennemoser — introduced over 180 students to CLT assembly methods and design strategies. The course emphasized modular design, repeated architectural elements and the use of East Texas timber.
Beyond his design work, Tate has played a key role in fostering partnerships and developing curriculum innovations that advance the college’s commitment to sustainable timber construction.
In an ARCH 206 section taught by María Peñalver Izaguirre, students Ashley D’Angelo ’26, Hallie O’Higgins ’26 and Kimberly Ester ’27 were among those whose designs showcased the potential of modular mass timber in affordable housing. The projects reflect how sustainable materials and thoughtful design can shape practical solutions.
Ennemoser said the upcoming integration of Rothoblaas’s teaching kits will deepen students’ understanding of structural connections, giving them physical insight into how CLT systems come together at full scale.
A Broader Vision
The Rothoblaas partnership is part of a wider initiative to rethink how architecture, forestry and construction can collaborate to shape a more sustainable built environment.
Faculty across architecture, construction science and landscape architecture are exploring interdisciplinary projects with Rothoblaas, ranging from smart construction and safety systems to affordable housing and sustainable timber sourcing.
Early momentum came from a scholarship program created by the Texas A&M Forest Service, led by Dr. Aaron Stottlemyer, which sponsored students and faculty to attend the International Mass Timber Conference (IMTC) in Portland. That trip helped spark the college’s collaboration with Rothoblaas, including a presentation to the College Research Council and plans for future site visits to Austin-area projects.
“Our goal was to give students and faculty a real-world look at how mass timber is changing the way we think about forests and buildings,” Stottlemyer said. “By helping them get to the conference, we wanted to spark ideas and build connections that go beyond the classroom.”
Stottlemyer said the scholarship program reflects a larger mission: growing a “community of practice” across the Texas A&M System — one that connects what happens in the woods with what gets built in cities and towns.
Tate has been key to building an ongoing collaboration between the College of Architecture and the Texas A&M Forest Service. This partnership has spurred further outreach efforts and the scholarship program that supports students and faculty attending the IMTC.
“We need designers who understand where the wood comes from, and foresters who know how design choices shape demand,” he said. “By working together, we can keep forests healthy, support local jobs and design buildings that benefit communities for generations.”
Texas’s timber supply makes the region a natural fit for this vision. Faculty are exploring how East Texas pine and other locally sourced materials can support a more scalable and climate-conscious model of construction, bridging the gap between sustainable forestry and mass timber innovation.
“We want to integrate what Rothoblaas is doing globally with what we’re teaching locally,” said Ennemoser. “From augmented reality and advanced research at the graduate level to hands-on undergraduate learning, this is about connecting the dots between material, method and meaning.”
This fall, college leadership and Rothoblaas representatives will meet on campus to explore further collaboration. Future goals include expanded fieldwork, new teaching models and the development of integrated research that links education to the real world.
“In a changing industry, we’re giving students the skills and mindset they need to lead,” Ennemoser said.
