KPF’s first hybrid mass timber project set to rise in Vancouver
By David Malone, Managing Editor
Hudson Pacific Properties has recently unveiled a proposed addition to Vancouver’s Bentall Centre. The project, dubbed Burrard Exchange at Bentall Centre, will be a 16-story hybrid mass timber office and retail development. The building represents Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates’ (KPF) first mass timber project.
Under the proposed plans, the 450,000-sf project would become one of the tallest exposed mass timber office buildings in North America. Burrard Exchange’s design prioritizes both indoor and outdoor spaces to enhance connections to nature from within the building and meet growing demand for high-function outdoor areas and fresh air access. The development will create new street frontages, amenities, and retail space to service the entire campus and public.
Burrard Exchange will feature approximately 30,000-sf floor plates and natural interior finishes unique to mass timber construction with 14.5-foot floor-to-floor heights that allow for more natural light. Terraces and loggias will be featured on half of Burrard Exchange’s 16 floors, totaling 21,000 sf. A rooftop deck with a conference area, meeting spaces, and outdoor seating will be included and for exclusive use of building tenants.
An at-grade pavilion will unite the new 20,000-sf plaza to create one of the largest outdoor gathering spaces in downtown. A lobby connection to the below-grade Shops at Bentall Centre will also be included.
In addition to KPF, Adamson Associates Architects is the architect of record. Upon completion, building operations will be 100% carbon neutral. The project is expected to create more than 2,000 direct and indirect jobs, with construction set to begin as early as 2023.