PSU’s Stunning Mass Timber Art School Is Almost Ready — And It’s a Showcase for Pacific Northwest Construction Innovation

Portland State University’s new Schnitzer School of Art + Art History + Design — a landmark mass timber building on the South Park Blocks designed by LEVER Architecture — is scheduled for completion in May 2026 with move-in planned for late summer, making it one of the most architecturally significant buildings to open in Portland in years. The building’s exposed timber frame uses 520,000 board feet of glulam components sourced entirely from regional Douglas Fir, with more than half coming from Native-managed forests — making it both a construction showcase and a statement about sustainable Pacific Northwest building practice. General contractor Swinerton worked closely with timber fabricator Timberlab, whose prefabricated mass timber components allowed 27,000 square feet of first-floor structure to be erected in just ten working days — a compelling demonstration of the speed and precision advantages that modern mass timber construction offers. For NW contractors, the project — funded by $81.6 million in public bonds and $8.7 million in private donations — is a master class in how prefabrication, digital coordination, and sustainable materials can come together to deliver a complex project efficiently. Washington State Department of Transportation + 2

Source URL: https://www.koin.com/news/portland/psu-says-new-art-building-a-game-changer-opens-fall-2026/