A Mass Timber Solution for Social Housing

This 9-storey social housing project for First Nations residents at 1766 Frances Street in Vancouver, BC has amenities such as community gathering areas, an on-site sweat lodge, and a rooftop with areas for children to play and for residents to grow food. The project is called Khupkhahpay’ay meaning ‘Cedar Tree’ in Squamish. The project is comprised of 81 social housing units, childcare facility, and features Indigenous cultural motifs in its design. The building will achieve Passive House designation to align with Indigenous respect for natural resources.

Hybrid Mass Timber Construction

This building features hybrid mass timber construction. Cross-laminated timber floor and envelope panels were utilized, as well as steel structural columns and a concrete core encasing the elevator shafts and emergency staircase. This concrete core provides added fire and seismic safety.

Kalesnikoff provided the mass timber for the prefabricated cross-laminated timber floor and roof. The panels for the 96 ft tall were prefabricated off-site and fit together seamlessly on-site. This innovative approach reduced the project’s environmental footprint. The cross-laminated timber envelope panels provide the façade with a design inspired by the Coast Salish Peoples basket-weaving tradition.