Timber House

Client
Aragon Properties Ltd.

This remarkable, mid-rise, multi-family housing development is part of a greater planned community, along the Fraser River, one that draws its architectural inspiration from its industrial surroundings.

Set up as a U-shaped complex, it encircles a central landscaped courtyard.

One of the key design choices in this project was the use of Cross Laminated Timber (CLT). Not only did this provide a cost-effective way of establishing a structural system, it was also used as the interior finish in strategic areas, providing an exposed ceiling and feature wall in each unit, as well as in other key areas, such as the lobby and sitting area, as well as the gym area, shown here.

CLT is an amazing product. The wood to make it is harvested responsibly, promoting forest preservation and cultural heritage. The prefabricated CLT panels minimize on-site material waste during installation. The structural strength of CLT panels surpasses traditional wall materials, providing design choices that allow for more open spaces.

I learned that using CLT has significant environmental advantages, too. For instance, each cubic meter of CLT offsets one ton of carbon. So, in effect, the Timber House project, which was constructed with 2,842 cubic meters of CLT, removed the equivalent of 617 cars off the road for a year or, put another way, it was like planting 12,927 trees annually!