Size15,096 square metres
Development ManagerBentallGreenOak
Structural EngineerFast + Epp
General ContractorVentana Construction
Mass Timber FabricatorKalesnikoff
Structural systemsHybrid / OtherMass timberPost + beamPrefabricatedTaller wood
Project materialsCross-laminated timber (CLT)Glue-laminated timber (Glulam)
The bold design of this 10-storey tall wood office building in Vancouver’s emerging False Creek Flats neighbourhood features a honeycomb-shaped exterior, an expression of the mass timber building’s unique perimeter-braced seismic system.
The Hive at 2150 Keith Drive, Vancouver, has recently celebrated its topping-off, marking a significant milestone in the construction of one of the most seismically advanced mass timber projects in North America. This 10-storey office development, currently under construction, will rise to nearly 45 meters above its location in False Creek Flats. The building will feature nine levels of mass timber construction, sitting atop a concrete base, with a honeycomb structure of diagonally oriented braces arranged in a cellular pattern.
Exposed wood will be a key element in the building’s interior design. The use of mass timber is complemented by a palette of earth-toned materials, including composite metal panels, wood soffits, and abundant glazing. Balconies, located between the brace bays on the south, west, and east elevations, will provide unique alternating outdoor spaces on each floor. At the top, the facade extends beyond the highest office floor to create a windscreen and guard for an open-air roof deck. This rooftop space will feature plants, urban agriculture, and stunning views of the North Shore mountains and downtown Vancouver skyline.
This project will use a variety of engineered wood products to achieve its design goals. The wood components and systems include glulam beams, columns and braces, CLT floor panels, shear walls and balconies.
The building’s design uses a perimeter braced structural system that creates a striking expression of the building from the exterior and eliminates the need for conventional cast-in-place concrete cores. A mass timber structure for all floors above Level 2; a series of timber shear walls in the interior and a series of structural braces at the exterior resist the wind and seismic load.
The distinctive structural seismic and lateral design of diagonal glulam buckling-restrained braces creates a cellular expression on the façade that wraps around the building and is continuous to all elevations. This design is a direct reflection of the structural system, achieved through a self-supporting thermally broken series of balconies.
The Hive is being constructed of fire-resistant CLT mass timber panels, as well as glulam wood columns and beams. These large timber members have been specially designed and engineered through extensive testing to withstand the flames and intense heat that would result from a fire. They will do that by burning and charring around the outside, to a carefully calculated depth that is only a fraction of the total thickness. That outer layer of charring forms a barrier that protects the bulk of the column or panel, as well as structural steel connections inside the columns.
Charred panels and columns will meet the two-hour fire-resistance rating building code requirement, which allows ample time to fully evacuate the building and for the fire department to safely fight the fire. The primary concern in the event of a fire is life safety, which is delivered through this design.
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 and upcoming projects.
The project’s structural engineer shares insights on the design and construction of The Hive.
To support the associated The Hive project in pushing the boundaries forward for tall wood construction in seismic zones, this testing project aims to establish the rotational capacity of the project specific Megant concealed beam hanger to ensure that these gravity connections are able to withstand the movement this type of building would experience in a seismic event.
This paper outlines the structural design approach used for The Hive a 10-storey mass timber building in Vancouver, B.C.
