Mass Timber Workshop 2026 in Ahmedabad: Artius Founder Vivekabhilash Sharma Shares the Journey of the Umbergaon Glulam Project
From a site visit in Umbergaon to a workshop in Ahmedabad, three days of conversations brought mass timber construction in India closer to the people who will design and build with it.
Karnavati University students visit the Umbergaon project
Vivekabhilash Sharma discussing timber construction with Karnavati University students at the Umberg 
Vivekabhilash Sharma discussing timber construction with Karnavati University students at the Umberg Vivekabhilash Sharma discussing timber construction with Karnavati University students at the Umberg
On 23 September 2026, students from Karnavati University, Gujarat, visited Artius’s Umbergaon Mass Timber Building Project. At the site, Vivekabhilash Sharma, Founder & Director of Artius, spoke with them about building with wood and what goes into turning a design into a Glulam structure.
Seeing the project in person gave students a closer look at the timber frame and the work involved in putting it together. It was an opportunity to connect classroom discussions on mass timber with construction happening in India.
The Umbergaon journey at the Mass Timber Workshop
On 24–25 September, Vivekabhilash joined the Mass Timber Workshop 2026 at Anant National University, Ahmedabad, as a speaker. His session, “Umbergaon Mass Timber Building Project: Journey Till Now and Way Forward,” shared Artius’s experience of bringing the project from design and engineering through manufacturing and site assembly.
The Umbergaon project shows what close coordination between an architect, engineers, fabricators and an installation team can make possible. Sharing its journey gave workshop participants a real project to consider alongside the technical and policy discussions.
Ar. Ujjaval Parekh of RIAS Studio LLP at the Umbergaon mass timber project in Gujarat Vivekabhilash Sharma, Founder and Director of Artius, speaking at the Mass Timber Workshop 2026 in A
Building capacity for mass timber in India
The workshop’s theme was “Advancing Policy, Showcasing Performance and Building Capacity for Mass Timber in India.” More than 80 participants took part in discussions covering the National Building Code, green credits, the builder’s perspective, material performance, Glulam production and structural connections.
For Artius, the site visit and workshop were a chance to share lessons from the Umbergaon project with students and professionals exploring timber construction. Conversations grounded in real buildings can help architects better understand how mass timber is designed, made and assembled in India.
The workshop was organised by the Softwood Export Council (SEC) and CINTRAFOR, in partnership with the University of Washington, Oregon State University, the Institute of Wood Science and Technology (IWST) and Anant National University.
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