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Shigeru Ban's Terrace House development at 1255 West Pender Street has received licence to proceed with its hybrid timber skeleton. An approved building permit gives developer PortLiving authorization to use exposed mass timber for the upper seven storeys of the 19-storey structure, making the development the tallest hybrid wood structure in North America approved for construction.
The approval marks a departure from the status quo, where only a handful of mass timber buildings above six storeys were granted permission. The 18-storey Tallwood House at the University of British Columbia was only allowed as an exception to the BC Building Code, requiring the timber to be sheathed in fire-rated gypsum wallboard.
The issuance of a building permit came only after an exhaustive series of performance-based fire and structural engineering tests that demonstrated the building is at least as safe as a traditional concrete or steel highrise. Wood has increasingly a target building material for its ease of construction, versatility, and sustainability.
The Coal Harbour development will only include 20 condominiums, and with them starting at $3 million, are among the most expensive in Vancouver. Nearly half of the units will stretch across the entire floor plate, with the others split over several levels. The residences will feature "museum-quality glazing" that helps control temperature while providing UV protection.
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