Super Wood: Redefining Luxury Fenestration Through Accoya® and Architectural Innovation
November 14, 2025 / Learning Center / by Dynamic Fenestration
The Evolution of Wood in Modern Luxury Design
Across luxury residential and hospitality markets, wood is experiencing a remarkable renaissance. What was once seen as a traditional material is now celebrated as a symbol of sustainable innovation and design sophistication. The rise of engineered and modified wood products — from cross-laminated timber (CLT) to Accoya® — has redefined what is possible in architectural expression.
At Dynamic Fenestration, we’ve witnessed this transformation firsthand. Architects, developers, and contractors working on the most exclusive projects are increasingly turning to wood for its natural warmth, tactile beauty, and environmental integrity — all while demanding uncompromising performance. This is where the era of super wood begins.
What’s New With Wood as a Building Material?
Sustainability has become a defining value in luxury design. High-end clients expect their architects and builders to specify materials that not only perform but also reflect environmental responsibility.
When the Brock Commons Tallwood House was completed at the University of British Columbia in 2018, it stood as the world’s tallest mass timber structure. At 18 stories and 53 meters tall, it proved that wood could compete with concrete and steel — both structurally and symbolically. In the years since, mass timber innovation has only accelerated, with ever taller and more complex buildings redefining modern skylines.
Unlike steel or concrete, wood is a renewable resource that stores carbon rather than emitting it. Engineered products like CLT and glulam (GLT) provide strength and stability with a fraction of the environmental footprint. They assemble faster, weigh less, and can even outperform traditional materials in strength-to-weight ratios.
For architects in the luxury sector, these advantages resonate deeply. They align environmental consciousness with the precision and artistry demanded by the world’s most refined projects.
The Rise of Super Woods
The past decade has seen extraordinary breakthroughs in wood modification and molecular engineering. Scientists and material specialists have developed processes that transform ordinary timber into super wood — natural wood that’s been densified and restructured to achieve new levels of strength, durability, and dimensional stability.
Super woods can exhibit up to ten times the strength of natural wood, rivaling steel in performance while maintaining the beauty and authenticity of timber. This opens new possibilities across architecture, automotive, and aerospace applications — and, importantly, in luxury fenestration.
For architects and builders at the forefront of sustainable design, this innovation represents a turning point: wood can now meet the rigorous performance standards of modern architecture while preserving the elegance that defines luxury environments.
Accoya®: The Pinnacle of Super Wood for Fenestration
Among these next-generation materials, Accoya® has emerged as a benchmark for performance and sustainability. At Dynamic Fenestration, demand for Accoya windows and doors has surged among luxury residential and hospitality architects — and for good reason.
Accoya begins with sustainably grown pine from managed forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Through a patented acetylation process, the wood’s molecular structure is transformed, increasing its dimensional stability and reducing moisture absorption to nearly zero. The result: a super wood that resists swelling, warping, and decay — all without compromising its natural character.
For architects specifying high-performance wood windows and doors, Accoya offers:
- Exceptional dimensional stability — maintaining tight tolerances even in challenging climates.
- Enhanced insulation — superior thermal performance compared to traditional hardwoods.
- Durability and longevity — backed by a 50-year above-ground warranty and 25-year in-ground warranty.
- Sustainability credentials — FSC certification and alignment with LEED and WELL standards.
- Design versatility — readily accepts painted and stained finishes for both modern and classical aesthetics.
- Resistance to insects and decay — ensuring long-term material integrity in luxury applications.
In essence, Accoya performs as a material engineered for architects who refuse to compromise. It enables oversized glass panels, slim sightlines, and precision detailing — all core requirements of the luxury fenestration market.
As Accoya states:
“Some wood species are naturally durable… Accoya wood, on the other hand, is consistently durable. Its performance exceeds even the world’s most durable natural species, including teak.”
Sustainability as the New Luxury
In today’s market, sustainability has become synonymous with luxury. The world’s leading design firms and branded residences are moving toward materials that reflect longevity, responsibility, and craftsmanship.
Accoya embodies this shift perfectly. It represents not only an environmentally sound choice but also a statement of architectural intent — one that prioritizes endurance, authenticity, and innovation. For decision-makers, this convergence of performance and sustainability defines what “modern luxury” truly means.
Dynamic used Accoya wood cores for these windows on the Clinton Hill Italianate project for The Brooklyn Studio.
Is Wood Back for Fenestration? Absolutely.
From Brock Commons to bespoke estates in Malibu, the return of wood is undeniable — and its evolution is unstoppable. Super woods like Accoya are transforming fenestration, enabling windows and doors that marry natural beauty with technical mastery.
Whether it’s an estate home in the Hamptons, a branded residence in Dubai, or a mountain retreat in Aspen, Dynamic Fenestration partners with architects and contractors to bring their design visions to life — integrating sustainable super wood technology with meticulous engineering and refined aesthetics.
Wood is not merely back; it has evolved. And for the world’s most ambitious architectural projects, it remains the material of choice for beauty, performance, and enduring value.
**Originally published March 19, 2018, as “Wood Structures & Wood Windows: The Resurgence Continues” in the Learning Center on dynamicfenestration.com. Updated for 2025.
