Brock Commons Tallwood House is an 18-storey mass timber hybrid residence at the University of British Columbia.
As part of UBC’s mandate to increase student housing on campus, Brock Commons has capacity for just over 400 upper-year and graduate students. Each unit contains a kitchen and bathroom, with floorplans ranging from single bed studios to 4-bed accommodations.
Study and social spaces are located on the ground floor with a student lounge on the 18th floor, where the wood structure has been left exposed for demonstration purposes. UBC’s building requirements reflect the university’s commitment to sustainability. Wood, a renewable material, was chosen in part to reflect this commitment, and the building was also designed to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Gold certification.
Extensive construction planning and detailed coordination of the prefabricated elements and installation activities all contributed to a successful project, proving the case for tall wood buildings.