For years, architects have flirted with the idea of tall buildings made from mass timber, an engineered wood product that some argue is more sustainable than resource-intensive, nonrenewable steel. Now architecture firm, SOM, is working with Oregon State University to develop and test new mass-timber structural systems, hoping that the research will help mainstream what’s currently an alternative and novel construction methodology. Early findings from the this research, show that reinforced wood framing can be just as robust as conventional building techniques, which is the latest step toward making mass timber more commonplace in the U.S.