Wood-framed buildings are taking root around the world, including in forest-laden British Columbia, where one of the tallest mass timber structures is now under construction. The vertical expansion of the University of British Columbia's Point Grey Campus in Vancouver is exhibited by the 18-storey Brock Commons Phase 1. 

Brock Commons Phase 1, image courtesy of Acton Ostry Architects Inc. & University of British Columbia

The residence complex will provide a mix of studio and quad units for 404 students. Designed by Acton Ostry Architects, with Austrian firm Architekten Hermann Kaufmann ZT GmbH acting as Tall Wood Advisor, the structure will be composed of cross laminated timber floor slabs, glulam columns, and steel connectors. A facade comprised of gold and charcoal-coloured prefabricated metal panels is expected to grace the structural skeleton. 

Brock Commons Phase 1, image courtesy of Acton Ostry Architects Inc. & University of British Columbia

A recent image from the site shows two freestanding concrete cores erupting from the ground. Construction of the cores will be completed by the end of May, by which time the mass wood floors will begin assembly. After the British Columbia government passed the provincial Building Act, a regulation was developed — in collaboration with the project's design team — to permit the construction of the student residence. Advances in wood technology and manufacturing have made tall wood buildings an increasingly viable option for construction contractors. Safe, cost-effective, and quick to build, wood structures provide architects and developers with a practical alternative to concrete and steel construction.

Brock Commons Phase 1 construction, image courtesy of Acton Ostry Architects Inc. & University of British Columbia

The trend is quickly gaining traction around the world. Earlier this year, a 14-storey housing project in Norway took the record for tallest wood construction from an apartment building in Melbourne by reaching its 52.8-metre peak. Brock Commons Phase 1 is set to surpass the Norwegian structure in height by less than one metre. But even more ambitious proposals are pouring down the development pipeline. Skyscraping plans in Vienna, Stockholm, and London are all looking to capitalize on wood's wide-ranging benefits while also incorporating their aesthetic warmth into key facets of the design. 

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