Mass Timber Takes Shape at Kalamazoo Country Club

It’s been an exciting few months at the Kalamazoo Country Club where the installation of the mass timber and glulam structural elements is nearing completion.

Working with the architecture and interior design firm Chambers USA, TowerPinkster provided structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection engineering, as well as security and audiovisual solutions for the new Kalamazoo Country Club, which is slated to open in 2025.

The project includes a large clubhouse, a tennis and aquatics building, a golf performance center, and a central utilities plant set on a rolling campus site. The buildings will also feature a bowling alley, multiple dining rooms and lounges, locker rooms, swimming pools, a two-story parking deck, and more. The engineering solution balances sustainability and energy conservation with an integration strategy of quiet, invisible building systems.

At the core of this transformation is a strong commitment to sustainability, demonstrated through the strategic integration of two types of mass timber within the structure.

The first, cross-laminated timber (CLT), consists of engineered wood panels with layers arranged perpendicularly, which are prominently used in the building’s floor and roof systems.

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The second, glued-laminated timber (glulam), is composed of parallel layers of timber, making it ideal for the large columns and beams that support the structure.

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These carefully selected engineered wood products provide the foundation for the building’s structural integrity while offering significant environmental benefits. By opting for mass timber, the project achieves a substantial reduction in embodied carbon compared to conventional materials. Unlike concrete or steel, wood products require less energy to manufacture and naturally sequester carbon throughout their lifecycle, further enhancing the building’s sustainability profile.

This structural engineering achievement wouldn’t be possible without the expertise of Element 5, our partners from Ontario, Canada, and the CSM construction team. Element 5’s specialized knowledge in mass timber design has been instrumental in bringing this vision to life.

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It’s been an exciting few months at the Kalamazoo Country Club where the installation of the mass timber and glulam structural elements is nearing completion.