Mercer Mass Timber, MMT, a leading manufacturer of sustainable timber building materials and a subsidiary of Mercer International Inc., on Tuesday announced its role in the design and fabrication of Alabama’s largest mass timber project—the new Cheaha State Park Lodge in Delta, Alabama. “The 26,000-square-foot lodge exemplifies how material innovation can honor place, heritage, and ecology through modern mass timber construction,” MMT said.
The new Cheaha State Park Lodge design “reinterprets legacy through a contemporary lens,” employing a hybrid structural system of cross-laminated timber and glulam, all manufactured by Mercer Mass Timber in Conway, AR using FSC-certified, locally sourced Southern Yellow Pine from within Alabama. Known for its high density and stiffness, SYP is well-suited to the elevation and climate demands of the Appalachian foothills.
Designed by Chambless King Architects for the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the lodge draws inspiration from the park’s original 1930s-era stone structures, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the New Deal. “Throughout, the architecture invites visitors to reconnect with nature through the tactility and warmth of exposed wood, and a biophilic design approach that intersects forest and structure,” MMT shared.
“Designing the new lodge at Cheaha has truly been the project of a lifetime,” said Jared Fulton, AIA, principal at Chambless King Architects. “We sought to design the space as an extension of the mountain, cascading the building form to follow the site grades and connect visitors back to nature. The material choices—specifically the inclusion of mass timber—celebrate renewable building materials in their raw, natural state and complement the distinctive features of Cheaha’s New Deal Era Civilian Conservation Corps structures. Beyond enriching the guest experience, we hope the new lodge becomes a meaningful asset to the local community and a lasting tribute to the mountain’s legacy.”…