WRNS Studio, FABRIC Mass Timber unveil design for California’s first regenerative mass timber facility

California Construction News staff writer

WRNS Studio and FABRIC Mass Timber have begun design work on California’s first regenerative mass timber manufacturing facility, a 200,000-square-foot building that will transform wildfire fuel into climate-positive building materials while creating advanced manufacturing jobs in Northern California.

Gifford Construction Inc. is the general contractor.

Backed by the California Jobs First program, the facility will make California — the largest consumer of mass timber in North America — a leading producer and innovator in mass timber construction. Timber will be 100% locally sourced, supporting hundreds of high-paid, high-skilled jobs in rural communities.

The building will serve as FABRIC’s headquarters and flagship operation, integrating consulting, engineering, manufacturing, testing, and demonstration under one roof. The design emphasizes daylighting, biophilia, and flexibility, providing a human-centered and adaptable industrial space. The facility will also act as a hub connecting forestry, construction, research, policy, and workforce training to advance low-carbon, regenerative design.

“Drawing on our mass timber expertise from recent projects for Microsoft and Princeton, we’re excited to help this organization create a vibrant flagship facility and a new beacon of sustainability in California,” said Ben Mickus, partner at WRNS Studio.

The project team also includes Timber Engineering Inc., CMG Landscape Architecture, PACE Engineering, RDH Building Science, Salter and Evergreen Engineering.

FABRIC Mass Timber said it will share further updates on team members, products, and factory development as the project progresses.