Mattaforma, 2026 design award winner, on mass-timber design.

A one-on-one talk at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum between museum director Maria Nicanor and Mattaforma, winner of the 2026 National Design Award for Emerging Designer, part of a monthly Director's Talks series with this year's award winners. Mattaforma is a New York–based architecture and research studio founded by Lindsey Wikstrom that redefines sustainable design through mass-timber innovation and healthy materials. The studio's projects begin with field research into nearby forests, quarries, and farms, creating classrooms, homes, and community venues designed for disassembly and reuse. The program, held in the museum's wheelchair-accessible Carnegie Library with live CART captioning, features a moderated conversation followed by an optional audience Q&A.