Terrace House, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Shigeru Ban, with its highest point sitting at 232 feet above ground level, has received official approval to use exposed mass timber in the top seven stories of the 19-story building, according to the project’s developer, PortLiving.
The issuance of the building permit required approval of an “Alternative Solution” to demonstrate compliance with Vancouver’s building code, thereby allowing the use of mass timber in the construction of a high-rise building. This approval from the Chief Building Official’s Office makes Terrace House the tallest hybrid wood structure approved for construction in North America.
Prior to the official approval of Terrace House, the use of exposed mass timber in a hybrid wood structure of this height had never been permitted in either Canada or the U.S. While there has been much discussion of the environmental benefits of tall mass timber buildings, few exceeding six stories have been permitted or constructed.
The recently completed Brock Commons, an 18-story student residence at the University of British Columbia, was permitted only as an exception to the B.C. building code, and the acceptance was based in part on covering all the timber with fire-rated gypsum wallboard.
The approval is a milestone for Terrace House and the city of Vancouver. It was achieved through a process of performance-based fire and structural engineering tests supported by analysis of fire risks, including risk of fire after earthquake. Tests demonstrated to the city and the expert peer reviewers that this hybrid mass timber building is as safe as a conventional concrete or steel high-rise.
According to the Vancouver Sun, the new building has been designed as a tribute to its neighbor, Arthur Erickson’s Evergreen building. Triangular shapes, natural materials, and terraces are used to connect the two designs. Additionally, Cornelia Oberlander, the landscape architect who worked on the Evergreen building, was contracted to work on the Terrace House project.
Shigeru Ban’s design maximizes natural light and creates cohesive indoor/outdoor environments. The project holds one of the most intricate glass systems in the world, where large enclosed terraces equipped with electronic motorized glass-sliding panels retract to create an outdoor terrace. The timber construction of Terrace House will be visible from the exterior through low-e glass.
The interior design, also conceptualized by Ban, will create a sense of serenity and sophistication through the integration of natural materials, including oak and marble, coupled with state-of-the-art lighting and smart-home technology. Terrace House holds only 20 homes, many of which will occupy an entire level within the building. Prices start at $3 million.
Related Stories
Giants 400 | Nov 13, 2023
Top 65 Airport Facility Architecture Firms for 2023
Gensler, Corgan, PGAL, and HOK top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest airport terminal and airport facilities architecture and architecture engineering (AE) firms for 2023, as reported in the 2023 Giants 400 Report.
Data Centers | Nov 13, 2023
Data center sector trends for 2023-2024
Demand for more data centers is soaring, but delivery can be stymied by supply delays, manpower shortages, and NIMBYism.
Education Facilities | Nov 9, 2023
Oakland schools’ central kitchen cooks up lessons along with 30,000 meals daily
CAW Architects recently completed a facility for the Oakland, Calif., school district that feeds students and teaches them how to grow, harvest, and cook produce grown onsite. The production kitchen at the Unified School District Central Kitchen, Instructional Farm, and Education Center, (“The Center”) prepares and distributes about 30,000 meals a day for district schools lacking their own kitchens.
Laboratories | Nov 8, 2023
Boston’s FORUM building to support cutting-edge life sciences research and development
Global real estate companies Lendlease and Ivanhoé Cambridge recently announced the topping-out of FORUM, a nine-story, 350,000-sf life science building in Boston. Located in Boston Landing, a 15-acre mixed-use community, the $545 million project will achieve operational net zero carbon upon completion in 2024.
Retail Centers | Nov 7, 2023
Omnichannel experiences, mixed-use development among top retail design trends for 2023-2024
Retailer survival continues to hinge on retail design trends like blending online and in-person shopping and mixing retail with other building types, such as offices and residential.
Giants 400 | Nov 6, 2023
Top 110 Cultural Facility Architecture Firms for 2023
Populous, Gensler, HGA, DLR Group, and Quinn Evans top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest cultural facilities sector architecture and architecture engineering (AE) firms for 2023, as reported in the 2023 Giants 400 Report. Note: This ranking includes revenue from all cultural building sectors, including concert venues, art galleries, museums, performing arts centers, and public libraries.
Giants 400 | Nov 6, 2023
Top 170 Government Building Architecture Firms for 2023
Page Southerland Page, Gensler, Stantec, HOK, and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest government building sector architecture and architecture engineering (AE) firms for 2023, as reported in the 2023 Giants 400 Report. Note: This ranking includes revenue from all government building sectors, including federal, state, local, military, and Veterans Affairs (VA) buildings.
Designers | Nov 6, 2023
DLR Group opens office in Nashville, Tenn.
DLR Group is expanding its presence in the Southeast with the opening of an office in downtown Nashville, Tenn.—a collaborative effort led by DLR Group Principals Matthew Gulsvig, AIA, LEED AP, and Randall Coy.
Healthcare Facilities | Nov 3, 2023
The University of Chicago Medicine is building its city’s first freestanding cancer center with inpatient and outpatient services
The University of Chicago Medicine (UChicago Medicine) is building Chicago’s first freestanding cancer center with inpatient and outpatient services. Aiming to bridge longstanding health disparities on Chicago’s South Side, the $815 million project will consolidate care and about 200 team members currently spread across at least five buildings. The new facility, which broke ground in September, is expected to open to patients in spring 2027.
Office Buildings | Nov 2, 2023
Amazon’s second headquarters completes its first buildings: a pair of 22-story towers
Amazon has completed construction of the first two buildings of its second headquarters, located in Arlington, Va. The all-electric structures, featuring low carbon concrete and mass timber, help further the company’s commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2040 and 100% renewable energy consumption by 2030. Designed by ZGF Architects, the two 22-story buildings are on track to become the largest LEED v4 Platinum buildings in the U.S.