The Village at Mines Park, Colorado School of Mines

The Colorado School of Mines needed more student housing, but they had a tight budget, strict schedule, and ambitious sustainability goals. To meet these requirements, designers chose a hybrid of mass timber and light-frame wood to build five new four- and five-story buildings. The development provides a variety of study spaces along with a fitness center, student union with lounge and café, and beds for more than 650 students.

The hybrid system allowed the project team to overcome several building site challenges, including a steep grade and a 50-foot height limitation along one edge of the property, where four of the five buildings needed to be located. CLT panels helped minimize the floor and roof assemblies, enabling the team to meet the height restriction, and the mass timber/light-frame hybrid system helped the university meet their cost, schedule, and sustainability goals. The fifth building, not impacted by the height limitation, was built using a full light-frame wood system.

Speed and efficiency of construction helped reduce project costs. The contractor panelized the light-frame wood walls off site, and CLT panels were quickly and efficiently dropped into place. The four hybrid buildings were topped out in less than five months, allowing the entire project to be completed in time for fall semester.

Five buildings, three building types:
III-B: 5-story mass timber/light-frame wood (three buildings)
V-A: 4-story mass timber/light-frame wood
V-A over I-A: 4-story light-frame wood over a concrete podium

The development is surrounded by sweeping views of the Rocky Mountain foothills, and the use of natural materials forms a visual connection with the landscape. Mass timber was left exposed wherever possible, creating a variety of warm spaces for students to live, study, and relax. The natural aesthetic also supports the school’s commitment to promote student wellbeing.

WoodWorks Technical Case Study: to be published April 2026