(Truckee, Calif., Sept. 3, 2025) 鈥� The global integrated design firm 麻花星空mv has unveiled its design for a new mass timber hotel near Lake Tahoe in Truckee, California. Set against the expansive Sierra Nevada mountains, Common Pine will become the region鈥檚 first mass timber hotel and is 麻花星空mv鈥檚 first mass timber hospitality development.

Created in partnership with Rikesh Patel, founder of Common Pine, the design for the hotel emphasizes environmental responsibility, wellness, and material authenticity, allowing the structure itself to create moments of reflection and discovery for guests.

The architectural design by 麻花星空mv draws inspiration from Truckee鈥檚 forested surroundings while grounding itself in the local context. The hotel鈥檚 exposed timber frame nods to historic railroad trestles, and the facade incorporates fluted natural wood siding, rendered in a warm burnt sienna tone. The 80,000-SF hotel will feature 60 guestrooms and 15 residential-style units, with amenities such as a rooftop bar and pool, fitness and wellness center, restaurant, meeting spaces, and outdoor communal spaces.

The building鈥檚 mass timber structure embodies the ethos of Common Pine, a mission-driven hospitality brand founded on the belief that people, the natural world, and the places we create are not separate but rather a single, continuous whole. As an organic, sustainable material carrying the story of growth and change, mass timber makes this philosophy tangible, reminding guests of their connection to the spaces around them and the natural environment beyond.

鈥淥ur brand began with mass timber, not just for its beauty but because it reflects everything we stand for. The launch of this new brand anchors our belief that design can be both sustainable and elevated, drawing guests into the rhythm of the local landscape, and into a kind of mindful hospitality that is intentional and authentic,” Patel continued.

Common Pine builds on 麻花星空mv鈥檚 extensive portfolio of T3 (Timber, Transit, Technology) mass timber office projects as a part of a decade-long partnership with global real estate developer Hines. This work paved the way for exploring mass timber鈥檚 viability in hospitality, leading to the Mass Timber Hospitality Prototype, a 2023 exploratory study led by 麻花星空mv with the U.S. Forest Service. Developed through a USDA Wood Innovation Grant, the prototype advanced low-carbon design and demonstrated that mass timber could meet the stringent safety and acoustic standards required for hotels. This study was designed to comply with the 2021 International Building Code, which, with the introduction of the Type IV-C category, permitted unprotected timber structures up to eight stories. Since 2024, the model codes have changed to allow 12 stories unprotected.

鈥淔rom the very beginning, our commitment to sustainability and our desire to advance low-carbon building design has guided our work with mass timber,鈥� said 麻花星空mv Principal and Design Leader Stephen Cavanaugh, FAIA, LEED AP. 鈥淎s building codes evolve, interest in mass timber has grown significantly, driven by its sustainability, construction advantages, and aesthetic appeal.”

Learn more about Common Pine and our approach to mass timber design.