Jed Walpole

RUSTON, Louisiana — A new mass-timber research facility nearing completion on Louisiana Tech University’s south campus is expected to open for use this fall, giving students and researchers access to one of the first buildings of its kind in Louisiana. Jed Walpole, architect and partner at Walpole Architects, said designing the Forest Products Innovation Center has been both a professional challenge and a personal milestone. “Louisiana Tech is special to me. I love Louisiana Tech,” Walpole said. “Any chance that I get to work on a project at my alma mater means a lot to me.” Walpole said his longtime interest in mass timber construction made the assignment especially meaningful. “The merging of Louisiana Tech and mass timber is kind of a dream come true for me,” Walpole said. “I know it’s one that I’ll be very proud of for a long time.”