f2a architecture ltd.hcma (interior design)
Size1,600 square metres
Structural EngineerFast + Epp
Construction ManagerLedcor Construction
Wood SupplierMercer Mass Timber LLCWestern Archrib
Timber InstallerSeagate Mass Timber
Earthquake devicesTectonus
Structural systemsHybrid / WoodMass timberMid risePassive House / High performancePost + beamPrefabricated
Project materialsCross-laminated timber (CLT)Glue-laminated timber (Glulam)
With six global offices and growing, structural engineering firm Fast + Epp needed more space. Internationally recognized for a portfolio of expressive hybrid wood structures, they built a new headquarters to showcase what is possible with mass timber construction and design.
When engineering firm Fast + Epp needed a new head office, it made sense to apply the same fresh thinking to its design as they do to the state-of-the-art projects on which they consult.
The four-storey building features an exposed hybrid mass timber structure and advanced seismic design. The result is a mass timber building that the broader construction and design industry can learn from, all the while offering an inspiring, light-filled workspace, complemented with the warmth of wood.
By using mass timber, this project benefits from the material’s sustainable merits and lower carbon footprint, something the City of Vancouver is focusing on in their Climate Emergency Action Plan.
The project used prefabricated mass timber components, for strength and structural simplicity, and to help decrease construction time. Speedy prefabricated construction methods benefited the busy neighbourhood near Vancouver’s Broadway-City Hall Skytrain Station, reducing noise, waste and traffic disruption. The prefabricated wood members are tightly-fit and precise to ensure energy efficiency. Because they naturally reflect the beauty of wood, the mass timber panels and beams are left exposed, eliminating the need for additional interior finishes.
The building’s superstructure includes a mix of mass timber and steel columns with steel brace frames. Glue-laminated timber (glulam) beams are decked with cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels; the long spans allows for fewer columns for a more flexible interior space. An easy-to-install CLT firewall, prefabricated with fire-resistant exterior finishes, is used in place of a conventional concrete firewall.
The design includes earthquake resistant lateral shear walls. This earthquake-resistance building technology uses patented friction dampers to anchor the CLT shear walls and help the building self-centre during an earthquake. To help their new headquarters serve as a living laboratory, Fast + Epp used vibration sensor equipment to evaluate the vibration performance of the long-span mass timber floor system at various stages through construction and continues to do so during occupancy. They are sharing results with the broader engineering community to improve understanding of how mass timber floors behave when it comes to vibration performance.
Fast + Epp details the design and construction of their home office mass timber project.
The architect shares their perspective on the project’s design.
This paper presents a series of experimental and numerical vibration assessments completed on the long-span floor system of Fast + Epp’s Home Office.
This WoodWork BC case study discusses three innovative commercial buildings using mass timber.
