We are excited to share that Jon Guttello  will be speaking at the 10th Annual Young Engineers Symposium , hosted by the Structural Engineers Association of Illinois . The symposium brings together emerging professionals from across the region for a day focused on connection, learning, discussion, and professional growth. Jon’s presentation will focus on the three hour mass timber fire test  in which Forefront recently participated. The testing provided valuable real world da

After we shared our reflections on the 3-hour mass timber fire test , I had the opportunity to continue that conversation in a different format. I was recently invited by Neutral  to join their podcast and talk more openly about why the testing mattered, what we learned, and how it’s shaping the way I think about mass timber moving forward. In Episode 19 of the Neutral Podcast , I talk through the motivation behind the test, what it was like to see the assembly perform in rea

As structural engineers, we’re often asked to advocate for new systems, while also being responsible for public safety, durability, and long-term performance. That balance is exactly why participating in a full-scale, 3-hour mass timber fire test was so important to us at Forefront Structural Engineers. Working closely with Neutral Architects  on projects like The Edison , we’ve seen firsthand how questions around fire performance can shape design decisions early. This test