KPF unveils Burrard Exchange in Vancouver as its first mass-timber building

A hybrid mass-timber office building slated for Vancouver will become architecture firm Kohn Pedersen Fox's first timber project, and one of the tallest of its type in North America.

The Burrard Exchange will be developed as part of the Bentall Centre, a 1.5 million-square-foot (140,000-square-metre) business campus in Downtown Vancouver owned by Hudson Pacific Properties.

The same company is behind this new addition, which will create further office and retail spaces within a 16-storey, hybrid mass-timber tower.

The timber structure of Burrard Exchange will be exposed throughout its office spaces

Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF), with the Vancouver studio of Adamson Associates Architects acting as the architect of record, the building is planned to showcase its timber structure.

"KPF's innovative design utilizes mass timber, typically reserved for low-rise structures, to create a state-of-the-art green office tower, reducing the building's embodied carbon," said the firm.

"The mass timber is also a key design feature, intended to be unencapsulated and visible, highlighting and celebrating the project's sustainable aspirations."

Exposed beams and columns will run throughout the interiors, which will be naturally illuminated by 14.5-foot (4.4-metre), floor-to-ceiling glazing around the perimeter.

Open-plan, flexible floor plates will each measure 30,000 square feet, while terraces on half of the building's levels will allow occupants to enjoy outdoor spaces and easy access to fresh air.

A rooftop deck will also provide a conference area, meeting spaces and outdoor seating exclusively for tenant use.

The 16-storey tower will form part of the Bentall Centre campus in Downtown Vancouver

At ground level, a new public plaza will create one of the largest outdoor gathering places in the area, while the building's lobby will connect to the Bentall Centre's below-grade shops.

Construction on Burrard Exchange is currently scheduled to begin early 2023, becoming the latest in a series of improvements to the Bentall Centre. These have included upgraded public spaces, additional arts and culture offerings, and enhanced tenant amenities.

Vancouver has seen a spate of proposals for hybrid mass-timber towers in recent years, including for a mixed-use high-rise by Perkins+Will and a pair of sculptural towers by Heatherwick Studio.

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