[archited]

It would be great to find better ways to use aspen/poplar so that companies don't feel such an intense need to control them.

That is on the horizon -- Poplar, such a fast-growing species in particular, will have numerous uses being developed.

 

[ADob]

^ You've got it. There are so many advancements in wood both in a structural sense and from an aesthetic perspective and Edmonton sitting in the middle of a softwood forest of no small scale with Structural species like Lodgepole Pine and White Spruce. More decorative species with a fair diversity of graining and grain coloration include Tamarack, Birch and Poplar. Were you able to check out my link to SuperWood? https://www.inventwood.com/technology It should cause your forestry buds to salivate.

Have you seen this? Pretty neat (although I speak purely from a non-engineery and non-architecty point of view):

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

 

[archited]

^ I am using the same construction techniques on my latest projects (located in Rural Alberta and the High Desert in Southern California). Thanks for sharing the Instagram attachment!

 

[Airboy]

Reimagine has been doing a lot with wood. You have to look at what they have been doing out at Frog Lake the last few years.

 

[Airboy]

And didn't Western Archrib build some of the largest Glue lam beams recently.

 

[ryspot]

Reimagine has been doing a lot with wood. You have to look at what they have been doing out at Frog Lake the last few years.

https://www.instagram.com/huesserholzleimbau?igsh=MXhuaTUwMzg4cng0dw==

If we're just going to fawn over beautiful mass timber projects, this company in Switzerland is doing some amazing things.

 

[Airboy]

There are some pretty interesting mass timber structures around, I would love to see some here.

 

[archited]

It would be brilliant if some of the mid-rise developers and infill housing companies would make that happen in lieu of the misguided stick-frame anomalies that we are currently witnessing being constructed.