Mass timber construction is a form of off site prefabricated construction where wall, floor and roof panels are made using strips of wood (lamellas) layed up in layers at opposing angles to each other. This creates a solid 'massive' timber panel with incredible strength, similar to prefabricated concrete in which all door and window openings are already present.
The use of these strong and lightweight panels allows for lighter foundation details and less gross tonnage to be transported to the site of the new building. The prefabricated panels can be assembled quickly on site, resulting in lower costs and less waste than traditional construction. Laminated timber beams and/or steel beams can be used to create large open plan areas in the design, as-well as cantilevers and vaulted ceilings. CLT combined with good imagination can result in some truely amazing architecture