In Part 4 of our series with naturally:wood, we head to the Vancouver Area to explore the cutting edge of mass timber innovation, from world-class engineering workshops to construction sites pushing the limits of height, seismic resistance, and sustainability.
What we cover in this episode:
StructureCraft: An engineering and fabrication studio working on some of the most ambitious mass timber structures in the world. We explore their dowel lam factory, their custom software ‘Branch’ for structural analysis, design, detailing and manufacturing, and their collaborative approach to design that puts structure at the heart of architecture.
Richmond Oval: Built for the 2010 Winter Olympics, this pioneering building used pine beetle-infested timber in short lengths to create its iconic wave roof structure, a turning point for British Columbia’s mass timber industry.
Fulmer Family Centre for Childhood Studies, Capilano University: A beautifully considered building that integrates childcare and university education under one roof, using mass timber to create a building that feels like a small city, with transparency, connection, and learning at every level.
The Hive: North America’s most advanced seismic-resistant mass timber building. Ten storeys of CLT and glulam with an 18-metre CLT lift core and fire stair, pushing the boundaries of what mass timber can do in a high-seismic zone.
837 Beatty Street: An adaptive reuse project by OMB Architects adding new mass timber floors to a heritage brick building, using NLT and glulam while carefully preserving and restoring the original structure.
981 Davie Street: A 17-storey affordable housing project by ZGF Architects built to passive house standards, using a CLT and steel hybrid system with prefabricated thermally broken facade panels.
Learn more about the folks we visited:
StructureCraft: https://www.naturallywood.com/projects/structurecraft-manufacturing-facility/
Richmond Oval: https://www.naturallywood.com/projects/richmond-olympic-oval/
Fulmer Family Centre for Childhood Studies: https://www.naturallywood.com/projects/capu-fulmer-family-centre-for-childhood-studies/
The Hive: https://www.naturallywood.com/projects/the-hive/
837 Beatty Street: https://www.naturallywood.com/projects/837-beatty-street/
981 Davie Street: https://www.naturallywood.com/projects/981-davie-street/
Projects by:
https://www.youtube.com/@StructureCraftInc
https://www.youtube.com/@cannondesign
https://www.youtube.com/@CityofRichmondBC
https://www.youtube.com/@FastEpp
https://www.youtube.com/@CapilanoUniversity
https://www.youtube.com/@kalesnikoff
https://www.youtube.com/@smithbros1897
https://www.youtube.com/@StartDIALOG
https://www.youtube.com/@teambgo
https://www.youtube.com/@ventanaconstructionvancouver
https://www.youtube.com/@kinsoltimber
https://www.youtube.com/@westernarchrib1168
https://www.youtube.com/@etroconstruction4724
https://www.youtube.com/@EntuitiveCorporation
https://www.youtube.com/@kindredconstruction4114
https://www.youtube.com/@ZGFArchitectsLLP
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