INTRO Columbus is a new 13 story, 252,000 square foot student housing development located along High Street near The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. Developed by Harbor Bay Ventures and designed by DLR Group, the project includes 186 residential units with 493 beds in a combination of townhomes and traditional apartment layouts. Rising 12 stories in mass timber above a concrete base, INTRO Columbus is the tallest mass timber student housing project in the United States and represents a new approach to large scale residential construction.

Mass timber is central to both the structural system and architectural character of the project. Exposed timber is incorporated throughout the residential units and shared spaces, creating a direct connection between the building's structure and the experience of its occupants. The project utilizes a highly optimized structural grid that supports efficient mass timber construction while accommodating the varied residential layouts, generous natural light, and open amenity spaces envisioned by the architectural team.

One of the project's primary structural challenges occurs at Level 2, where the mass timber residential structure transitions to the concrete construction below. Forefront Structural Engineers developed a post tensioned transfer slab consisting of a combination of 24 inch concrete slab areas and 8 inch concrete slab areas with transfer beams. The system allows the column layout at the lower levels to respond independently to the townhouse and ground level program while maintaining an optimized and repetitive mass timber grid throughout the residential floors above.

The 24 inch portions of the transfer slab allow the concrete column grid below to shift where necessary without disrupting the timber structure above. In other areas, the 8 inch slab and transfer beam system significantly reduces concrete volume and allows select concrete columns, and their associated foundations, to be eliminated entirely. Together, these approaches concentrate material where it provides the greatest structural benefit while maintaining flexibility between the different building programs. The Level 2 structure also supports an exterior residential amenity terrace, further integrating the structural transition with the building's architectural and programmatic requirements.

The mass timber superstructure utilizes cross laminated timber floor panels supported by glulam beams and columns sourced and manufactured in the United States. Repetition within the structural grid was carefully considered to support prefabrication, erection efficiency, and constructability while allowing the timber to remain an important exposed architectural element throughout the building.

From early design through construction, Forefront worked closely with Harbor Bay Ventures, DLR Group, the timber supplier, and the broader project team to coordinate the relationship between architecture, structure, fabrication, and construction. The result is a hybrid structural system that uses concrete and mass timber where each material performs most effectively, demonstrating how thoughtful structural design and early collaboration can make mass timber practical for larger scale residential development.