Size8,804 square metres
OwnerCapilano University
Structural EngineerAspect Structural Engineers
Construction ManagerScott Construction
Prefabricated light-frame wood and mass timber are being used to build the first-ever on-campus housing and social hub for Capilano University’s growing student population.
Capilano University, once primarily a commuter-focused post-secondary institution, is rapidly adopting a hybrid model with the construction of a nearly 9,000-square-metre student housing and dining facility. This facility is envisioned as a central gathering hub for the North Shore campus. The six-storey building provides over 360 beds, including 52 single units (12 designed to be universally accessible), 154 double units, and a two-bedroom suite.
Along with much needed housing, the project includes common spaces for all students and staff, including a main floor 250-seat café and dining hall, resident support offices, secure bicycle storage, multipurpose spaces and an Indigenous-focused reflection room. Designed for campus-wide use, these communal amenities contribute to the growing vitality of Capilano University’s campus life.
Five storeys of light-frame wood construction sit atop a concrete podium, forming the project’s L-shaped student housing component. The project’s affordability is enhanced by the efficient use of light-frame, prefabricated wood construction, which reduces waste and improves overall efficiency. Panelized walls and prefabricated components were shipped to the site, labelled and protected from the weather as needed, allowing on-site construction crews to quickly assemble each floor, significantly saving time and labour costs.
Light-frame construction is complemented by a show-piece mass timber atrium, with cross-laminated timber (CLT) serving as the primary structure for the dining hall and related main floor gathering spaces. The nearly all-glass pavilion is crowned with an expansive floating CLT-built green roof, giving the exposed timber maximum visibility inside and out. CLT is also used as a fire-safe, eco-friendly and cost-effective solution for the project’s two elevator shafts.
Along with housing and enhanced dining services, the project reinvigorates Capilano University’s campus plan by establishing a student life hub to the north as a counterpoint to the institution’s library and academic hub to the south. A landscaped central outdoor courtyard offers seating areas, raised plant beds and integrated gathering spaces. Drought-resistant vegetation bordering the building and in raised plant beds reflect local, indigenous species.
The project’s abundant use of wood, along with eco-friendly design strategies, helps Capilano University achieve its sustainable building objectives and LEED Gold certification. The facility takes advantage of wood’s thermal benefits, along with an energy-efficient design that achieves BC Energy Step Code 4—the Province’s highest operational energy rating.
Living-unit floors are kept cool through the building envelope’s deeply recessed operable windows and exterior sun-shielding façade, negating the need for mechanical cooling. The CLT-built decking, a central feature of the project, supports an expansive green roof that retains rainwater, providing enhanced habitat with improved insulation for wildlife. Water consumption is further reduced through low-flow fixtures and drought-resistant planting. Overall, the project aims to reduce GHG emissions by 86 per cent.
“Timber plays a vital ecological, cultural, and economic role in this pivotal project for Capilano University. Prefabricated wood-frame systems accelerate construction and enhance affordability, while the use of CLT (cross-laminated timber) as a low-carbon material becomes a key focal point of this landmark project. This development marks the transition from a commuter to a 24-hour community.” RYAN BLADES, ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT, FACILITIES AND CAMPUS PLANNING, CAPILANO UNIVERSITY
“Timber plays a vital ecological, cultural, and economic role in this pivotal project for Capilano University. Prefabricated wood-frame systems accelerate construction and enhance affordability, while the use of CLT (cross-laminated timber) as a low-carbon material becomes a key focal point of this landmark project. This development marks the transition from a commuter to a 24-hour community.”
RYAN BLADES, ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT, FACILITIES AND CAMPUS PLANNING, CAPILANO UNIVERSITY
