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South view rendering of exterior of proposed tower at Main Street and 5th Avenue showing “latticework inspired by the woven pattern of traditional baskets,” with angled cladding patterns providing solar shading.

Main Street and 5th Avenue (M5)

Location: Vancouver, B.C.
Architect: Henriquez Partners Architects
Completion: 2027
Rendering courtesy of Henriquez Partners Architects

Size
16,641 square metres

Developer
Westbank

Structural engineer
Glotman Simpson

Mechanical engineer
Zenon Management

Building code consultant
GHL Consultants Ltd.

Green Building consultant
Recollective Consulting

Structural systems
Hybrid / Other
Mass timber
Passive House / High performance
Post + beam
Prefabricated
Taller wood

Project materials
Cross-laminated timber (CLT)

One of the first tall wood market rental housing buildings of its kind in Canada

One of the first of its kind as a tall wood building delivering affordable market rental housing

This 25-storey mass timber residential building proposed for Main Street and 5th Avenue (hence M5) demonstrates how low-carbon tall wood construction is a viable option for purpose-built rental housing. Located in Vancouver’s vibrant Mount Pleasant neighbourhood, the project aims to deliver a mix of units affordable to moderate-income residents. The building, originally named “Prototype”, sets out to be a model for future tall wood housing projects that are sustainable, cost-effective and replicable. This includes optimizing wood usage, minimizing the number of elements required for each floor and connection designs to reduce crane time and quicken construction.

Exploring two possible innovative mass timber hybrid systems

Currently, in the design concept phase, the team is exploring two mass timber hybrid systems. The first, a post and platform system made up of 5-ply cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels spanning two ways to steel posts. With this system, steel posts are best suited due to their reduced cross-sectional area. The second system is a post, beam and panel system comprised of beams spanning to steel or timber columns, supporting a one-way heavy timber panel. With this system, beams are situated to align with partitions when possible to avoid impacting the head height. The project keeps the mass timber exposed when feasible as an architectural expression of warmth, texture and tactility. In doing so, attention is given to advanced fire design and protective measures.

Project design meets bold environmental targets

Due in part to its use of mass timber, the building surpasses the requirements of the most aggressive municipal building code in the country, according to the City of Vancouver’s Zero Emissions Building (ZEB) Plan (external link). In addition to reporting embodied emissions, the project aims to select materials with carbon emissions below 100 kg/m2/yr. This represents more than a 75 per cent reduction in embodied carbon. The project will purchase offsets for residual operational and embodied emissions. When it comes to meeting operational greenhouse gas emission intensity (GHGI), the project aspires to exceed ZEB requirements. The GHGI of the proposed system is 2.2 kg/m2/yr, a 60 per cent reduction over ZEB compliance and greater than 90 per cent reduction relative to a conventional gas-heated building.

BC Mass Timber Demonstration Program logo.

The Mass Timber Demonstration Program (MTDP) provides funding for incremental costs in the design and construction of buildings that showcase emerging or new mass timber and mass timber hybrid building systems and construction processes. The program supports jobs and employment recovery in the design, engineering, construction, and product manufacturing sector. B.C. industry will benefit from lessons learned, results, and research findings that can help support future mass timber projects in the province. Learn more about the MTDP.

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