Please turn your device to portrait.
Mass timber construction meets LEGO modular building approach.
The LEGO Group has confirmed plans to construct an office building using engineered mass timber as part of its new manufacturing facility in Chesterfield County, Virginia, scheduled to open in 2027.
The broader development represents an investment of more than $1 billion (AUD $1.5 billion) and will span approximately 1.7 million square feet (157,935 square metres), incorporating production, processing, packing and warehouse functions. The site is expected to generate more than 1,700 jobs once operational.
While the primary manufacturing buildings will rely on steel, concrete and glass, the office component introduces a more selective material strategy.
The office component will use engineered mass timber, with early project modelling indicating a reduction in embodied carbon of up to 40 per cent compared with conventional structural systems. The approach reflects a targeted substitution strategy, applying timber where it can materially reduce carbon intensity without affecting structural performance or delivery timelines.
Designed by LS3P with Gray | Hourigan as general contractor, the building will draw on timber sourced from regions close to Virginia, including native species. This localised supply approach reduces transport inputs while aligning with regional forestry outputs.
The link between LEGO’s product logic and the construction approach is hard to ignore. Both are built on repeatable components and controlled assembly, with construction now adopting similar kit-of-parts methods at building scale.
Engineered mass timber supports low carbon manufacturing facilities
Beyond material selection, the facility has been designed to reduce operational energy demand across its lifecycle.
An on-site solar installation of up to 60,000 panels will generate between 30 and 35 megawatts, supporting the site’s energy requirements. Additional measures include high-performance insulation and automated building systems that regulate lighting, heating and cooling based on occupancy.
The project is targeting at least LEED Gold certification, with an ambition to reach LEED Platinum.
From an offsite perspective, mass timber is being used here in a defined part of the project rather than across the full facility. In this case, it sits within the office building, where the structure and programme are more contained, while the main industrial buildings continue to rely on conventional systems.
Find LS3P HERE
