WholeTrees Elevates Structural Round Timber as a High-Performance System for Schools
WholeTrees Elevates Structural Round Timber as a High-Performance System for Schools
Biogenic wood columns serve both structural and spatial roles in new projects across the country
Blakely Elementary School. Photo courtesy: Mithun
Madison, WI (NOVEMBER 20, 2025) — WholeTrees Structures, a certified B Corp and national leader in unmilled timber engineering, is expanding its work in educational architecture and introducing new digital modeling and fabrication processes to support school design as biophilic strategies gain traction across K–12 and higher education. Research linking natural materials to reduced stress and improved student focus has prompted districts to explore how wood, organic forms, and daylight can contribute to healthier, low-carbon learning environments.
Working within this shift, WholeTrees Structures collaborates with architects and civic partners to integrate structural round timber (unmilled, biogenic wood) into contemporary educational projects. The firm’s digital modeling, structural analysis, and forest-to-fabrication processes make natural form viable as both load-bearing system and spatial organizing element.
At Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University (Hayward, WI), WholeTrees and LSE Architects introduced Douglas Fir columns into the university’s first student-housing facility, including a sculptural three-column grouping at the entrance that reflects Ojibwe cultural traditions and the surrounding forest.
In Washington, D.C., the Sheridan School worked with WholeTrees and MTFA Architecture to install a sculptural white-oak element within its two-story expansion. Using 3D scanning, the team modeled and engineered the tree’s geometry to serve as a structural anchor for the central stair while preserving its natural character.
At Lakeridge Middle School (Lake Oswego, OR), WholeTrees and Mahlum Architects reclaimed on-site trees removed during construction and transformed them into 29 structural columns for the school’s commons and entry hall—an approach that supported the district’s sustainability and resilience goals.
On Bainbridge Island, Blakely Elementary School, designed by Mithun, uses 13 engineered white-oak columns to define its main commons and circulation spine. WholeTrees’ digital engineering ensured structural performance while maintaining the natural form of each log, strengthening the building’s connection to its wooded context.
“WholeTrees’ work in education reflects a broader shift in how architects and engineers engage with natural materials—not as visual accents, but as high-performance systems,” said Amelia Baxter, Co-Founder and CEO of WholeTrees Structures. “Our goal is to make structural round timber an accessible design technology that supports carbon-smart construction and connects communities to their ecosystems.”
Evidence continues to support the inclusion of natural materials in learning environments: studies have shown reduced stress and heart rate in classrooms with exposed wood and improved cognitive performance in wood-finished interiors. WholeTrees’ work builds on these findings, demonstrating how biogenic materials can meet performance requirements while contributing to healthier, more responsive educational spaces.
For more information on WholeTrees’ educational and institutional collaborations, visit wholetrees.com/portfolio.
Top left and middle: The Sheridan School. Photo courtesy: Coakley & Williams. Top right and bottom: Lakeridge School. Photo courtesy: Mahlum
About WholeTrees Structures
Founded in 2007, WholeTrees uses the inherent strength of Structural Round Timber (SRT) and millions of years of organic structural engineering to provide beautiful, affordable, and durable biophilic structural systems that restore forests. Headquartered in Madison, WI, with teams positioned coast to coast, the company serves as the singular hub between well-managed forests, biophilic architectural designs, cutting edge 3D scanning and inventory management tools, and solid structural timber products and services. For more information, visit www.wholetrees.com
Media Contact:
Dalia Stoniene
Blue Medium, Inc
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