BACKGROUND

Mass timber doesn’t always equal sustainable. The world of wood products and forest management is complex and can be hard to navigate. We designed a webtool with LEVER Architecture, EcoTrust, and Sustainable Northwest that architects, contractors, engineers, and clients can use to set up projects for success in understanding regional forest practices, making better-informed decisions when specifying wood products and designing buildings. In addition to allowing people to source and specify sustainable wood products, the webtool offers educational resources and knowledge sharing in a learning “hub,” exploration and connection to the ecosystem through a map view, and contextualized project guidance through a “companion” mode. The user interface, inspired by dappled forest light, uses a bright gradating color palette, fun hover states, and DIY, people-and process-focused photography to create an innovative yet trustworthy look and feel, and underline the tool’s mission to connect the forest with people.