Acton Ostry Architects’ UBC Residence Will be Among World’s Tallest Wood Buildings

by Elsa Lam
Canadian Architect, Oct 8, 2015

(Image: Structural schematic – hybrid mass timber and concrete core structure. Courtesy of Acton Ostry Architects, Canadian Architect)

Acton Ostry Architects have released renderings of Brock Commons Phase 1, a 404-bed student residence at the University of British Columbia. When completed, the $51.5-million residence building will stand 53 metres tall, making it among the tallest mass timber buildings in the world.

The use of a hybrid mass wood and concrete structure was investigated to demonstrate the applicability of wood in BC’s development and construction industries. Rigorous analysis concluded that the cost of a mass timber structure was similar to that for a typical concrete or steel structure. “Advances in wood technology and manufacturing make tall wood buildings not only possible but also safe and cost effective, while providing a way to lessen the carbon footprint of the built environment,” explain the architects in a press release. Read more…