Si x do l l ars

Fa l l 2 017 — Nu m be r 76
Pu bli c ati o ns Ma i l agr eem ent #40063877

Washington Fruit & Produce Co. CLT Seismic Design

An oasis in a sea of New tech accelerates BC’s seismic upgrade program uses
industrial concrete North American adoption wood as primary structural material
 The strong &
silent type
AWARD WINNING DEVELOPER
ADERA CHOSE MASS TIMBER
PRODUCTS FROM STRUCTURLAM RENEWABLE
RESOURCE
FOR THEIR STRENGTH AND
ACOUSTIC PERFORMANCE.

REDUCED
QUIET CONSTRUCTION
BUILDINGS CROSSLAM® CLT ROOF TIME
WITH LOW
SOUND
TRANSMISSION

CROSSLAM® CLT FLOORS

CROSSLAM® CLT ELEVATOR CORE

FIRE
RESISTANCE

SEISMIC
RESILIENCE

GLULAM PLUS COLUMNS

When real estate developer Adera designed Virtuoso

— a 6 story multi-family building at UBC, they choose
mass timber for its strength and acoustic performance.
In comparison to concrete, building with mass timber
offered Adera a compelling array of advantages Setting a new standard in real Blending wood science together
including sustainability, reduced construction time and estate development through with advanced manufacturing to
innovative design, sustainability produce the finest mass timber
low noise levels. Constructed with CrossLam® CLT by & quality customer service. products & packages.
Structurlam and Adera’s Quiet Home™ technology, the Adera.com Structurlam.com
result is a serene and healthy indoor environment that
has minimal impact on Mother Nature.
 c o n t e n t s
O     C    
Washington Fruit & Produce
Co. Headquarters 11
An exposed structure lends this
building a contemporary aesthetic.
          
Against the Grain 6
Ceilings
Wood Chips 8 in North America 31
News and events on
wood-related subjects
Wood Ware 46
Gaming Systems Covers
Above and on the cover:
Washington Fruit & Produce Co. Headquarters, Seattle, WA
Photo Credit: Kevin Scott
F       
Writers Theatre 16
Timber Vierendeel trusses and light wood lattice
come together to form a dynamic performance space.
Cadboro Bay Residence 20
Residence resurrects ancient Japanese
technique of flame-charred wood.
Vimy Visitor Education Centre 26
Architects pay tribute to the sacrifice of Canadian
soldiers in the construction of new center.
The Evolution of CLT Manufacturing
Low-cost CLT manufacturing equipment
is opening the door to mass timber.
Seismic Design with Wood 42
Ductility is an important consideration when
designing earthquake-proof wood structures.
Technical Solutions 38
Partners conduct research and testing to validate fire safety
of mass timber buildings with promising results.
PHOTO CREDIT: Laura Hasburgh (FPL)
 Would you like to see your project in the pages of our
2017-18 Celebrating Excellence in Wood Architecture
book? Enter the Wood Design & Building awards. Go to
www.wooddesignawards.com and submit your entries
online. The deadline is midnight, Nov. 21, 2017.
Good luck! Don’t forget to follow along on Twitter
@WoodDesignAward and @WoodDesignMag !

Taking it Outside
I can’t believe it’s fall. With time flying by and everyone busier than ever, I’ve been making an effort
to connect with friends and family outside – outdoors and outside of the city – away from daily
stresses.
My summer was filled with camping and hiking around Ontario. Nothing feels better to me than
being out in the forest. One recent day hike took us on an 11-mile trek of forest trails and lookout
points in the Rattlesnake Point area outside of Toronto.
The park includes a 15th century Iroquoian village which is open to the public and is a great
chance to explore local history. Between 1973 and 1987, excavations uncovered 11 longhouses on
the site and more than 10,000 artifacts from the lives of the Iroquoian people who once lived in
the village. Three of the longhouses have been reconstructed based on the archaeological findings.
We explored the village, marveling at the bark siding and construction techniques used 600 years
ago. One longhouse has been finished and wired to modern standards and houses First Nations art
exhibits and educational videos. (See photos, right.)
Speaking of history, make sure you check out the Vimy Visitor Education Centre on p. 26. The
historic site is a 107-hectare battlefield complete with trenches and tunnels, situated in the French
countryside. A temporary visitor center was built in 2005 but was not able to support the needs of the
vast number of people that visit each year. Architects were engaged to create a new permanent visitor
center, which opened earlier this year. Wouldn’t it be great to visit on Remembrance Day (Canada)
and Veterans Day (U.S.)?
Though it’s fall, we’ve finally got summer-like weather in southern Ontario and I’m going camping
again this weekend. I’m looking forward to more hiking. This time it will be even better with the
changing colors of the trees framing the views.
I hope your fall is inspiring!

Theresa Rogers
Executive Editor
trogers@dvtail.com

Wood Design & Building magazine invites you to submit your project for consideration and possible publication.
We welcome contributed projects, bylined articles and letters to the editor, as well as comments or suggestions
for improving our magazine. Please send your submissions to Theresa Rogers at trogers@dvtail.com.

4                    ‒ f a ll 2 0 1 7
 inspiration Board www.wooddesignandbuilding.com
Fall 2017, Volume 20, Issue 77
What I’ve fallen for this month... PUBLISHER Etienne Lalonde
elalonde@cwc.ca
Publishing manager Sarah Hicks
shicks@wood-works.ca
sponsored by
COMMUNICATION MANAGER Natalie Tarini
ntarini@cwc.ca
Special ProjectS Manager Ioana lazea
Longhouses ilazea@cwc.ca
Executive EDITOR Theresa Rogers
trogers@dvtail.com
Staff writerS Hermione Wilson
hwilson@dvtail.com
Kelly Townsend
ktownsend@dvtail.com
Contributors Kenneth Bland
Patrick Chouinard
Jim Taggart

ART DIRECTOR sharon MacIntosh

smacintosh@dvtail.com
Advertising sales
Sales manager Beth Kukkonen
bkukkonen@dvtail.com
905-886-6641 ext. 306
The Turtle Clan Longhouse would have been home to about 30 people, making it
the smallest longhouse found in the village. There are three fire pits inside, with Senior ACCOUNT executive Gillian Thomas
one family sleeping on each side of the fire. People would have slept on the bottom gthomas@dvtail.com
bunks to be close to the fires and away from the smoky air above. Cedar boughs 905-886-6641 ext. 308
and warm fur blankets would have covered the sleeping platforms while V.P. Production Services Roberta Dick
the fragrant cedar would have helped keep insects away. robertad@dvtail.com
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EDITORIAL BOARD
Mary-Anne Dalkowski, VP Marketing, Timber Specialties, Campbellville, ON
Gerry Epp, StructureCraft, Vancouver, BC
Laura Hartman, Principal, Fernau & Hartman Architects, Berkeley, CA
Vivian Manasc, Senior Principal, Manasc Isaac Architects, Edmonton, AB
Larry McFarland, Principal, Larry McFarland Architects Ltd., Vancouver, BC
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The state-of-the-art Deer Clan Longhouse opened in 2014 and features Copyright by Canadian Wood Council. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reprinted or
seasonal contemporary art exhibits from local First Nations artists. reproduced without written permission. Views expressed herein are those of the authors exclusively.
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Against the GRAIN

Ceilings 1

Kelly Townsend
What would be your response if you were asked to provide an example
of a well-designed ceiling? Would your mind immediately jump to the
Vatican’s Sistine Chapel? Frescos can add undeniable aesthetic value, but
their function is purely decorative; they don’t contribute to the structure
itself. Wood materials, however, can do both, offering a unique opportu-
nity to build upon and support the design elsewhere in the space.
The porous wood liner that fans across the ceiling of the Bloomberg
Tech Hub is a striking design element visitors will note immediately upon
entry. The individually sculpted boards create a three-dimensional look 2
and define the area.
Invoking natural formations found outside is often the intention behind
a unique ceiling design. The exhibition hall of Shanghai’s “The Hub” pur-
posefully parallels the forest found outside, with walnut and oak-covered
aluminum “sticks” adorning the ceiling to mimic tree branches.
At the Student Zone, Polytechnique Montreal, the undulating birch
slats form the ceiling and curve down the wall to create built-in seating.
This installation connects meeting and service areas while defining
the space.
The Bon Lait Sports Center ceiling’s laminated timber slats serve
an important purpose, providing terrific acoustics for this dynamic
recreational building. They are formed as wooden pyramids to evenly
distribute sunlight. 3
The Collaborative architects were charged with designing a modern,
inviting core for the new La-Z-Boy Headquarters. Armstrong’s Wood-
Works Grille panels were installed in the ceiling to add texture and
warmth to the space. The slats are reminiscent of the company’s original
wooden patio chair design from the 1920s.
Utilizing the variable properties of wood is an effective way to add
visual interest to a project. Whether it’s a simple arrangement or intri-
cate machine-carved pieces, wood ceilings are versatile – fun, elegant,
understated, modern, or tailored – in a way other materials are not.

1. Bloomberg Tech Hub (2015) 4. Bon Lait Sports Center (2016)

Architect: IwamotoScott Architecture
Location: San Francisco, CA
PHOTO CREDIT: Bruce Damonte
2. The Hub Performance and
Exhibition Center (2015)
Architect: Neri&Hu
Design and Research Office
Location: Shanghai, China
PHOTO CREDIT: Dirk Weiblen
3. Student Zone,
Polytechnique Montreal (2016)
Architect: Menkès Shooner Dagenais
LeTourneux Architectes
Location: Montreal, QC
PHOTO CREDIT: Stéphane Groleau
Architect: Dietrich | Untertrifaller
Architects, Tekhnê Architectes
Location: Place du Traité de Rome, 4
Lyon, France
PHOTO CREDIT: Julien Lanoo
5. La-Z-Boy World Headquarters (2015)
Architect: The Collaborative
Location: Toledo, OH
PHOTO CREDIT: Armstrong Ceiling
Solutions
5

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Service,
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WOODCHIPS
k George Brown College Set to Build
Ontario’s First Tall Wood Institutional Building
Toronto’s George
Brown College is
planning to construct
a 12-story wood
building to house
its new Tall Wood
Building Research
Institute. “The
Arbour” will be
Ontario’s first tall
wood institutional
building and will serve
as a living laboratory both during its construction and once
complete, where students and researchers will learn to design,
construct, operate and monitor climate-friendly buildings. It
will be located on George Brown’s Waterfront Campus, to the
north of the LEED Gold certified Daphne Cockwell Centre
for Health Sciences. The college recently purchased the land
from the City of Toronto. In the fall, the college will launch an
international design competition among the firms uniquely
qualified to undertake such a project. The project will include
research facilities, George Brown’s Centre for Information and
Computer Technology to support and complement the City of
Toronto’s Smart City initiative, and a new child care facility.
“This distinctive new location will help us contribute to the
mitigation of climate change and environmental sustainability
while supporting our continued intention to create campus
environments that are innovative, creative and stimulating
for student learning,” says Anne Sado, President, George
Brown College. www.georgebrown.ca
k Connection Design Discussed at Wood Solutions Fair
The Mid-Atlantic Wood Solutions Fair took place recently in
Washington, D.C., including day-long educational events on
the use of wood in non-residential and multi-family build-
ings. Attendees were given the opportunity to earn up to
6 AIA/CES LUs (HSW) or PDH credits. Sessions included
wide-ranging topics such as sprinklers in wood frame con-
struction, off-site wood construction, connection design
solutions, building enclosure design, fire resistance design,
and advanced detailing techniques.
Mark these upcoming Wood Solutions Fairs on your calendar:
Oct. 4 – Pasadena, CA Nov. 14 – Vancouver, BC
Oct. 5 – Halifax, NS Dec. 13 – Edmonton, AB
Nov. 2 – Charlotte, NC Feb. 1/18 – Montreal, QC
Nov. 2 – Toronto, ON
www.woodworks.org/events-calendar/upcoming
www.cwc.ca/events/wood-solutions-fairs/
8                    ‒ f a ll 2 0 1 7
k Structurlam Receives SFI Certification
Penticton, BC-based Structurlam has become the first
Canadian manufacturer of cross-laminated timber (CLT) to
be certified to the SFI 2015-2019 Chain-of-Custody Standard.
SFI (The Sustainable Forestry Initiative) is an independent,
non-profit organization that works with individuals who share
a commitment to healthy forests, responsible purchasing and
sustainable communities. Structurlam produces CLT at its
Penticton facility in southern BC’s Okanagan region. The com-
pany is part of a global movement to use wood in mid- and
high-rise buildings. Structurlam will be able to use chain-of-
custody certification to position itself as a supplier in the green
building market that is officially recognized by green build-
ing rating systems. Wood products sold as certified under the
SFI Chain-of-Custody Standard allow CrossLam CLT to earn
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) cred-
its through the LEED Alternative Compliance Path or credits
through the Green Globes Rating System.
www.structurlam.com
k Study Shows Urban
Trees are Critical
to City Weather
Even in the city, trees play an
important role moderating wind
pressure on buildings and keep-
ing pedestrians comfortable,
according to a new study by the
University of British Columbia.
Researchers at UBC used remote-
Researcher Marco Giometto, formerly sensing laser technology to create
a postdoctoral fellow in civil a highly detailed computer model
engineering at UBC.
of a Vancouver neighborhood
down to every tree, plant and building. They then used com-
puter simulation to determine how different scenarios – no
trees, bare trees, and trees in full leaf – affect airflow and heat
patterns around individual streets and houses. The research-
ers found that removing all trees can increase wind speed by
a factor of two, which would make a noticeable difference to
someone walking down the street. Trees also moderated the
impact of wind pressure on buildings, particularly when it goes
through small gaps in and between buildings. “Wind pressure
is responsible for as much as a third of a building’s energy con-
sumption,” says Marco Giometto, the study’s lead author, who
wrote the paper as a postdoctoral fellow in civil engineering at
UBC. “Using our model, we found that removing all the trees
around buildings drove up the building’s energy consumption
by as much as 10 per cent in winter and 15 per cent in sum-
mer.” The paper, “Effects of trees on mean wind, turbulence
and momentum exchange within and above a real urban envi-
ronment”, has been published in Advances in Water Resources.
www.news.ubc.ca

k Sherwin-
Williams Invests
in New National
Training Center
Sherwin-Williams,
through its
Industrial Wood
Coatings Division,
has formal-
ized a $300,000 Sherwin-Williams, MiLL donation ceremony.
investment in
the Manufacturing Industry Learning Lab (MiLL), a new
national training center teaching the next generation of wood
manufacturing tradesmen and women. The investment was
formalized during a ceremony at the AWFS Fair on July 19
and included a $30,000 commitment for 2017 activities. The
46,000-sq.ft. MiLL opened in August in Colorado Springs,
and will offer classes to primary and post-secondary students
in the Peyton and Widefield School Districts, industry person-
nel, and members of the military. Its curriculum will center
around hands-on education that uses machines and technolo-
gies students will encounter on the job. “The MiLL provides a
fantastic opportunity for students to master the skills that will
launch their trade careers with unparalleled access to indus-
try-leading educators and equipment,” says Dennis Karnstein,
President and General Manager, Sherwin-Williams, Industrial
Wood Coatings Division. “There is no greater way to support
our mission to grow the success of the wood industry than to
ensure our future leaders have the best tools and knowledge.”
www.sherwin-williams.com
k Winner of Bostik Hardwood
Flooring Design Contest Announced
Jennifer Sheets, an interior designer with Studio R Interiors,
has won Bostik’s Signature Spaces design Competition, “The
Art of Hardwood Flooring Design Contest”. Sheets’ winning
design will be installed in a new steakhouse within Las Vegas’
new Park MGM Resort, currently under development by MGM
Resorts International and Sydell Group. Her design entry was
inspired by the Art Noir movement and involves interlocking
geometric shapes and stylized symmetry that was specified in
the contest guidelines as a prerequisite of the project, Sheets
says. “The pattern depicts an array of interchanging shapes that
harmoniously fit within a symmetrical medallion. I created my
“Array” design to complement, as well as enhance, the herring-
bone-featured floors throughout the main restaurant space.”
The interior designer will also receive a trip for two to Paris,
courtesy of Bostik. Bostik, Inc., a leader in specialty adhesives
and installation systems for building construction, partnered
with the National Wood Flooring Association, MGM Resorts
International, Oshkosh Designs and Eagle Bay Hardwood
Flooring on the competition. www.bostik.com/us
WOODCHIPS
k SFI and Habitat for Humanity Join
Forces for Women in Wood Build Day
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) teamed up with
Habitat for Humanity Greater Ottawa (Habitat GO) to
hold a special “Women in Wood” Build Day on August
15. A diverse team of Ottawa women and volunteers came
together from various sectors – including the government,
the forest industry, as well as the environmental, educa-
tion and social sectors – to build homes alongside families
in need of affordable housing. This was the second-ever
“Women in Wood” Build Day (the first one took place in
Ottawa in 2013) and was led by SFI president and CEO,
Kathy Abusow. It took place at Habitat GO’s largest build
to date, Leacross Landing, which consists of 16 townhomes
being built in Orleans, an Ottawa suburb. Phase 1, involv-
ing four townhomes, will be completed this year, with the
other homes finished over the next two years. The volun-
teers helped with a wall raising and building the framework
of the four townhomes. Since 2008, the SFI community has
donated countless volunteer hours and certified products to
numerous Habitat for Humanity builds across Canada and
the U.S. www.sfiprogram.org
k Metsä Wood
Pioneers New
Open Source
Initiative
A new initiative
from wood prod-
uct manufacturer
Metsä Wood seeks
to accelerate inno-
vation and growth
in large-scale wood construction. The Open Source Wood
initiative was inspired by the open source ideology champi-
oned by the software industry to drive innovation further
and faster, and to increase speed to market. Metsä Wood is
taking the first step by sharing its own intellectual property
for modular Kero LVL wood elements, making them freely
available for everyone. Additionally, the company will
award innovation in modular design by offering €$30,000
in prize money during 2017 to exceptional designs using
its Kerto LVL material. “Not enough knowledge about
modular wood design and building is shared, so wood con-
struction remains niche,” says Esa Kaikkonen, Executive
Vice President at Metsä Wood. “We believe that with open
collaboration, the industry can achieve significant growth.”
Open Source Wood is a continuation of Metsä Wood’s
project Plan B, launched in 2015 as an ambitious blueprint
to explore the possibilities of using wood in urban con-
struction. www.metsawood.com
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 Live from September 29th–October 20th, 2017

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 Washington
Fruit &
Produce Co.
Headquarters
Warm materials and
non-boxlike forms redefine
family-owned fruit operation

Yakima, WA

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12                    ‒ f all 2 0 1 7
Surrounded by the world’s most high-tech fruit pack-
ing warehouses, the 16,500-sq.ft. Washington Fruit
& Produce Co. headquarters is conceived as an oasis
amidst a sea of concrete and low-lying brush land-
scape. Tucked behind landforms and site walls, this
courtyard-focused office complex provides a refuge
from the noise and activity of the industrial process-
ing yards nearby.
Taking its design cue from an aging barn that the
client had identified as a favorite, the concept seeks
to capture the essence of an utilitarian agricultural
aesthetic. A simple exposed structure that employs a
limited material palette and natural patina, the design
merges rural vernacular with an equally spare con-
temporary aesthetic.
The L-shaped building is nestled into the landscape
through the use of board-formed concrete site walls
and earthen berms that wrap the perimeter to form
a central, landscaped courtyard. Soil excavated for
foundation work was repurposed for the perimeter
berms, eliminating the need to remove it or add more.
A notch through the berm provides access from
the parking area to the formal courtyard and building
entrance. Crossing the courtyard via a boardwalk, the
visitor is embraced by a fully glazed facade, punctu-
ated by a series of wood columns that march across the
building in regular intervals. The boardwalk aligns with
an off-set building entry, which is formed as a wood-
wrapped passageway inserted into the glazed facade.
The building recalls its agricultural roots by pulling
the 18-foot-tall scissored glulam structural columns to
the outside, revealing the physics of its construction
and enabling the 175-foot interior volume to be col-
umn-free. Topped with 68-foot exposed truss girders,
the interior reaches 20 feet at its peak. The repetitive
nature of the structure ensured easy fabrication and
assembly, saving costs and resources. The north-facing
courtyard facade is glazed along its length, visually
extending the interior space into the courtyard. Inte-
rior light is balanced via a long clerestory dormer on
the south, while the extensive use of large, south-facing
overhangs and high efficiency glazing limits summer
heat gain. Reclaimed barn wood siding and a weather-
ing steel roof round out the exterior materials.
Spartan, daylight-filled interiors are complemented
by a warm, simple palette of natural materials. Private
offices line the south wall, while conference spaces and
back-of-house functions are set in wood-clad boxes.
Interior furnishings terminate well below the ceil-
ing. The open feeling of the structure is reinforced by
keeping furnishings low and allowing them to float
within the space. Lighting consists of custom-designed
uplights, which keep the ceiling plane tidy. A raised
flooring system further ensures that the clean aesthetic
is preserved and free of cabling. The deep agricultural
roots of both the company and location underlie the
simple design concept and attention to detail through-
out the project.
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 The sales office is located in the short arm of the L Architect
to isolate noise and enhance privacy. Adjacent to the Graham Baba Architects
Seattle, WA
sales office is a separately enclosed structure featuring
a 30-foot table where farmers with whom the company Structural Engineer
works gather for communal meals. The exposed struc- MA Wright, LLC
tural system connecting the lunch room to the main Seattle, WA
building creates a small, partially covered courtyard,
nodding to a remnant of an aging barn. G e n e r a l C o n t r a c to r

Views throughout the 30-acre complex are con- Artisan Construction

Yakima, WA
trolled, whether to the courtyard, the distant hills, or
to the shallow private office views created between the Glulam Supplier
building and the berms. Everything is curated to create Selkirk Timberwrights
a peaceful environment in which to work. Priest River, ID

P h oto g r a p h y
Kevin Scott
Seattle, WA

14                    ‒ f a ll 2 0 1 7
 Writers Theatre
Second-floor canopy walk’s structural system
shines a spotlight on local theater’s innovative design

Glencoe, IL

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Theater’s ability to bring people together across social
boundaries makes it an important aspect of urban
living. Writers Theatre in Glencoe, IL, is designed to
build on that as a 21st-century theater company that
serves as a cultural destination for the region.
Organized as a village-like cluster of distinct vol-
umes that surround a central hub, the building’s form
resonates with the character of Glencoe’s downtown.
The theater’s two performance spaces, a main stage and
a smaller black box venue, employ staging and seat-
ing configurations to maximize the sense of intimacy
between actors and audience and enhance the immer-
sive experience. Both performance venues, in addition
to rehearsal space and public zones, open onto the cen-
tral gathering space of the lobby.
Designed to accommodate informal performances,
talks and community events, the lobby is structured
by great timber Vierendeel trusses with a lighter wood
lattice supporting its second-floor canopy walk. This
walk employs an innovative structural system, putting
wooden members into strict axial tension. Using Port
Orford cedar battens with a 2 x 3 cross-section, the
canopy walk is hung from wooden glulam roof beams.
An outer layer of battens connects to the suspended
glulam beams below without mechanical fastening,
instead relying upon the material properties of wood to
produce a flared wedge connection. The connection is
designed to fit into matching grooves cut into the lower
glulam beams, akin to traditional Chinese and Japa-
nese wood joinery methods; a slight undercut prevents
the batten from slipping forward when in its locked
position. The shape of the detail likewise ensures this
strong connection.
Animating the facade through its pattern and
experiential quality, the canopy walk creates an iconic
identity for Writers Theatre while also providing a
dynamic space for people to gather. It works to extend
the drama of performance from the main stage to the
lobby to the streetscape beyond, revealing the forces
and materials that make the structure possible. Lower-
ing the project’s overall carbon footprint by replacing
steel structural systems with wood, the canopy walk
also improves the environmental performance of the
building through self-shading.

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 12
14
11 9

13

6 5
3

2
4
10
3

1. entry 4. box office 8. 250-seat theater 12. green room

2. lobby 5. concessions 9. black box theater 13. performers’ suite
3. lobby seating 6. coat check 10. rehearsal room 14. loading
7. library 11. theater back-of-house

ground FLOOR PLAN

2 9

6 4
7
1
5

1. lobby seating 3. black box 5. grand gallery walk 7. donor lounge

theater below
2. 250-seat theater 6. event terrace 8. offices
4. gallery
9. green roof

Second FLOOR PLAN

18                    ‒ f all 2 0 1 7
 An alternating pattern of Port Orford cedar clads
the exterior of the 99-seat theater, complementing the
wood detailing of the canopy walk. On the interior,
stained elm harvested on site was used to clad the lob-
by’s tribune seating and concessions, contributing to its
inviting ambience. Elm harvested on-site was also used
for woven millwork, which serves as a natural marquee,
and bookshelves that house playbills, programs, and
past scripts, invoking both the history of the theater
company and the site.
The theater itself engages its surroundings through
transparent visual connections and ivy-covered back-
drops to the surrounding parks. In fair weather, the lobby
can open to the adjacent Women’s Library Club Park,
allowing the energy and interaction of the theater to
extend outward into the community beyond. At night,
the theater glows from within, drawing interest and activ-
ity to this important civic and cultural anchor.

A RCHITECT
Studio Gang Architects
Chicago, IL

S TRUCTUR A L ENGINEER
Halvorson and Partners
Chicago, IL

GENER A L CONTR A CTOR

W.E. O’Neil Construction
Chicago, IL

TIM B ER S UPPLIER
Trillium Dell Timberworks
Knoxville, TN

PHOTOGR A PHY
Steve Hall/Hedrich Blessing
Chicago, IL

                   ‒ f all 2 0 1 7 19
 Cadboro Bay
Residence
House combines ancient
wood-charring techniques
with modern design
Vancouver Island, BC
Situated on a seaside bluff above a sandy beach on Van-
couver Island, this house was designed for a young family.
Window walls and corner glazing frame expansive
views of the bay and strait beyond, while large integrated
sliding doors allow the facade to open to the adjacent
terrace. The home’s living roof, planted with grasses and
flowers native to the Pacific Northwest, sits low in the
landscape and features operable ventilated skylights. The
entry sequence is framed by retaining walls, weathered
planter boxes and a recirculating pond fountain.
The ceiling of the main living/dining/kitchen volume
combines cedar planks, perpendicular notched Douglas
fir beams, and a recycled denim fabric for sound attenua-
tion. Heating vents from a high-efficiency wood burning
20                    ‒ f a ll 2 0 1 7
fireplace are integrated into the recessed steel C-chan-
nel above the hearth. Hydronic heating is deployed in
the exposed concrete floor slab throughout the wood-
framed home’s living and service spaces, master suite,
children’s bedrooms and attached nanny suite. An exist-
ing garage, perched on the bluff’s edge, was repurposed
as a guest suite, overlooking the bay and beach below.
Following studies and experimentation based
on the centuries-old Japanese technique of Shou Sugi
Ban (flame-charred wood), the tongue and groove
vertical cedar cladding was torched on-site prior to
installation. The result is a textured, dark, and lustrous
exterior facade, which contrasts with the home’s bright,
modern interior.
                   ‒ f a ll 2 0 1 7 21
 5
6

9 8 22
7
4

1 2

11 13 13
20 19
21

10
12 14 15 16 17 18

1. entry courtyard 6. rear entry/boot room 11. suite bedroom 17. washroom
2. entrance foyer 7. powder room 12. suite washroom 18. master ensuite
3. living 8. storage shed 13. bedroom 19. master bedroom
4. dining 9. carport 14. washroom 20. dressing
5. kitchen 10. suite kitchen/living 15. study 21. garden guest suite
16. laundry 22. terrace

FLOOR PLAN

The architect says the beauty and warmth of wood

plays an essential role in the design of functional
spaces, especially in the context of the Pacific coast.
Here, the collaboration between designers, owners, and
the team of skilled builders, has resulted in a beautiful,
one-of-a-kind home in a stunning setting.

A RCHITECT
D’Ambrosio Architecture + Urbanism
Victoria, BC

S TRUCTUR A L ENGINEER
Spar Consultants
Victoria, BC

GENER A L CONTR A CTOR

Taylor Made Builders
Victoria, BC

PHOTOGR A PHY
Sama Canzian/Nathan Flach
Victoria, BC

22                    ‒ f a ll 2 0 1 7
 Announcing DLT
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 2017 WOOD DESIGN
& BUILDING AWARDS
Recognizing excellence in wood architecture

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Take advantage of the early bird fee SUBMISSIONS
until October 31, 2017 NOW
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Architectural conferences throughout North America

Have questions?
Contact: Ioana Lazea or Natalie Tarini, Awards Coordinators
1-800-463-5091 ext. 227 or 225
26                    ‒ f all 2 0 1 7
Vimy Visitor
Education Centre
Wood helps tell the story of First World
War sacrifices and contributions

Vimy, France

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The Vimy Ridge National Historic Site is a 107-hectare site of
battlefield terrain situated in the French countryside, complete
with trenches and tunnels, with development located only at
the monument and the visitor center. A temporary visitor
center was built in 2005 but was not able to support the needs
of the vast number of visitors that travel to the site each year.
Architects were engaged to create a new permanent visitor
center to honor those from Canada who served in the First
World War. Site topography and terrain studies revealed pre-
viously unknown spatial linkages and historic relationships
which were integrated into the new design.
In 1917, the front lines at the Battle of Vimy Ridge inscribed
an arc on the landscape, which intersects the axis of the treed
allée between the Vimy Memorial and nearby steeple at Neu-
ville-Saint-Vaast. The architects proposed using this feature
by defining an “axis of history”’ reflecting movement of the
front lines, and an “axis of memory” connected to the monu-
ment itself. The history axis is represented by corten steel and
earth materials, which speak to the rusted iron and steel instru-
ments of war, many of which remain on the Vimy grounds.
The memory axis is represented by materials that play off the
sculptural, white purity of the monument and grave markers.

28                    ‒ f all 2 0 1 7
 Once inside the 7,535-sq.ft. building, views open to the forest
with an expansive glass wall that looks out onto the scarred
landscape. The lightness of the wood structure and curtainwall
play off the filtered light of the Austrian pines on the grounds.
Wood was chosen for symbolic and aesthetic effect – to repre-
sent people from a forested nation who came to France, and in
contrast to the complete devastation of the landscape, denuded
of its trees following the war – and for its cost-effectiveness. The
use of the spruce Raico heavy timber framing and curtainwall
system (pre-engineered and finished off-site) combined both
structure and glazing, boosted thermal performance, and ben-
efitted the aggressive construction schedule.
Working with a talented group of museology interpreters,
the architects proposed the idea of layers of history that are part
of Vimy Ridge and that visitors weave multiple interpretations
of history by the telling of stories and evoking of emotional
connections. The interpretive exhibits are designed to reinforce
these themes of history and memory, echoing the materiality
of the building, using digital material and artefacts, and main-
taining the connection to the battlefield through the wood and
glass wall.
The ceremonial opening of the new Vimy Visitor Educa-
tion Centre was held on April 9, 2017, to commemorate the
100th anniversary of the significant Canadian-led battle at
Vimy Ridge during the First World War, and as part of the
events to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Canadian
Confederation. GFB ad
Form Follows Nature:
Client Building a Net Positive Environment
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Architect THURSDAY OCTOBER 5, 2017

Robertson Martin Architects Toronto Marriott Downtown Eaton Centre
Ottawa, ON

Structural Engineer KEYNOTES

John G. Cooke and Associates
Ottawa, ON › Kevin Flanagan, PLP Architecture,
London, UK
G e n e r a l C o n t r a c to r
Leon Grosse › Russell Acton, Acton Ostry Architects Inc.,
Aix-les-Bains, France Vancouver, BC
P h oto g r a p h y › Bill Dunster, ZED Factory, London, UK
Stéphane Groleau
Montreal, QC www.GBF17.com
sbcanada.org @SustBldgCan
29
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 IDEAS&applications

The Evolution of
CLT Manufacturing
in North America
Patrick Chouinard

CLT made using Panolam.

While North America is in its infancy in mass timber use, Europe

is well into a second-generation of Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT)
manufacturing equipment and methodology. Access to this new
technology is accelerating North American adoption and changing
the way in which we’re likely to see our industry evolve.
Mass timber has the potential to become the core structure for
almost every type of building, across all industry segments, but
it will take years, decades, perhaps a century or more, to realize
it. That degree of adoption cannot happen from the top down.
Large, high-investment manufacturers will not be able to supply
CLT across the country economically or competitively. It’s simply
too expensive to ship long distances.

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IDEAS&applications
Vacuum press.
Lower cost CLT manufacturing equipment is removing the bar-
rier to entry and what we’re likely to see are mom and pop-type
CLT plants sprouting up all over North America with a narrow
geographic focus using a new generation of vacuum versus hydrau-
lic press, and modern methodology. It’s already happening.
How Does Vacuum and Hydraulic
Press Technology Differ?
Methods: First generation CLT panels are made with cross lami-
nated layers of 2” x 6” dimensional lumber and a hydraulic press.
The press is a complex, heavy, highly automated piece of equipment
that applies pressure on the stack of layers until the glue between
layers sets. The press requires a lot of space and a thick concrete
foundation to sustain force. Glue is used between each laminate
layer, but not between the 2 x 6s, which lay side by side.
Second generation CLT manufacturing methodology intro-
duced “Panolam” and a vacuum press. Panolam are prefabricated
single layer panels up to 2.95m wide by 16m in length, made up
of strands of wood (lamella) that are edge-glued. In other words,
glue is used not only between the layers of Panolam panels but
also between each lamella. A vacuum press is like a large rectan-
gular flat bottom bathtub with a large, retractable, rubberized
membrane on top which creates a vacuum seal. Vacuum presses
are simple, light, largely hand-operated, and do not require a
heavy foundation or a lot of space. Air is drawn from the press
to create vacuum pressure on the stack of Panolam.
32                    ‒ f a ll 2 0 1 7
Curved CLT.
Appearance: One of the key advantages of CLT over other con-
struction materials is the fact that it is both a structural member
as well as a finished surface. Often, however, owners and architects
demand a better looking visible surface than that which is avail-
able in the form of 2 x 6 dimensional lumber. Though subjective,
Panolam are much more refined in appearance and edge gluing
helps ensure that there are fewer, less visible separations between
lamella and checks (or cracks) on the surface of panels.
Versatility: Hydraulic presses are designed for one purpose, to
produce standard CLT panels as fast and efficiently as possible.
With a vacuum press, manufacturers can produce a multitude of
different CLT panel types. For example: using a mold, manufactur-
ers can produce curved CLT. Innovators are using vacuum presses
to create new types of panels such as “CLIPs” – Cross Laminated
Insulated Panels. For those customers who require high-quality
visible surfaces, a vacuum press can be used to adhere virtually any
type of wood species as a decorative layer to the surface of a CLT
panel for walls, countertops, stair treads, custom furniture, etc.
Variety of Thickness: First generation CLT panels were made with
35mm-thick dimensional lumber. Later, 17mm-thick lamella were
introduced. Panolam, on the other hand, is available in 20, 30 and
40mm thickness. Whereas first generation CLT manufacturers
offer eight or nine variations in panel thickness, second genera-
tion manufacturers offer 36 or more variations ranging from 60mm
(three layers of 20mm Panolam) up to 400mm in increments of
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 IDEAS&applications

vacuum press for approximately CDN

$375,000. Anyone wanting to “get in the
game” can be producing panels with a
vacuum press and framing them by hand
for approximately $1 million, excluding
the cost of the building.

How Will New Technology

Impact the Evolution of
the Industry?
Market Positioning: First and second
generation CLT manufacturing methods
have their place. Early adopters brave and
bold enough to have pioneered CLT in
North America now have an established
market. They’re the ones producing the
13- and 18-story buildings. Production
capacity for such a market is critical
and speed of fabrication is paramount.
CLT stair treads with decorative top layer. Hydraulic presses and CNC equipment
serve them well.
10mm. Since the volume of wood in a CLT panel impacts price, Tall wood building opportunities, however, are few and far
engineers can optimize layups to more precise requirements reduc- between, at least for the time being. The rest of the market is
ing wood volume and cost. evolving from the bottom up. It’s wide open and likely to be
dominated by local producers. Brave owners and architects, also
Electrical Chases: First generation CLT manufacturers produce willing to explore mass timber, generally prefer to start with
and sell “billets” – slabs of cross-laminated solid wood panels with- small, more manageable, less risky projects and work their way
out openings. Although holes can be drilled into panels to create up with experience. This market is well served by new technology
chases for electrical wiring, it’s problematic to do so once a billet has which allows local manufacturers to start small and scale up as
been pressed, and designers are forced to conceal wiring otherwise the market matures.
mounted on the surface of panels.
Vacuum press methodology differs.
Manufacturers can stop at each layer in the
panel layup process and leave out Panolam
where chases are required for electrical
wiring. In other words, chases are typically
built into panels and wiring is concealed
within.

Waste: Though the billet layup process

is much faster using a hydraulic press,
involving less manual labor, the industry
is challenged to find aftermarket uses for
the portions of billets removed for window
and door openings and customers who
buy billets versus panels end up paying
for the wood removed.

Cost: Fully automated CLT manufac-

turing lines can cost $10 million to $25
million or more depending on the degree
of automation. Today, you can buy a Panels with Panolam left out for chases, windows and doors.

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IDEAS&applications
Vacuum-pressed CLT panels.
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Grass Roots Evolution: Regardless of capacity and speed
of production, CLT is expensive to transport across long
distances. In addition, many of the owners and architects
interested in working with mass timber ask for locally har-
vested wood for many reasons including LEED certification.
Every state and provincial government is mandated to create
jobs and establish markets for their own forestry industry, and
are prepared to invest in homegrown companies that can help
make that happen.
In an emerging market, CLT manufacturers can mitigate
risk by using low-cost manufacturing equipment that serves
many purposes, equipment that can be used to produce a vari-
ety of different CLT products. They also need to be flexible
and adaptable to the requirements of small to medium-sized,
unique projects.
Many may not realize it yet, but a revolution in the use of
mass timber in construction is upon us. When it takes hold at
the community level, the heart and soul of the movement will
be revealed. The innate human desire to connect with our
space, to connect with nature, will manifest in the form of
beautiful buildings made of wood, using locally harvested
material, fabricated by local producers, and assembled using
local labor.
Patrick Chouinard is the Founder and CEO of Element5 Co. Inc. and an
advocate for greater use of wood in construction. He can be reached at
patrick@elementfive.co.
36
TechnicalSolutions

Fire Testing Completed on Full-Scale Mass

Timber Building with Promising Results
Kenneth Bland
During the decay phase of test three, the charred surface of exposed CLT is visible.
(Two-story cross-laminated building fire tests; Beltsville, Maryland; June 2017) Photo credit: Sam Zelinka (FPL)

While heavy timber construction (Type IV
in U.S. building codes) is one of the oldest
wood construction methods recognized
in the codes, there are promising new
framing technologies that have expanded
what’s possible within this category using
mass timber. This category differs mark-
edly from traditional lightweight wood
construction more commonly seen in
the U.S. and building with these new mass
timber structural systems represents the
first significant challenge to concrete and
steel in more than a century. However,
as they gain broader acceptance among
building designers for a variety of low- to
mid-rise building types, the next hurdle
to overcome is height and number-of-
story limitations set by the International
Building Code (IBC), which are currently
85 feet and six stories tall, respectively.
Other countries have already begun to
realize the benefits of tall wood building
construction, including its low carbon
footprint, ease of construction and
reduced construction time, to name a
few. From the Brock Commons Tallwood
House demonstration project in Canada
to Treet in Norway, several tall wood
buildings have emerged across Canada,
Europe and other parts of the world as
interest mounts to find safe, carbon-
neutral and sustainable alternatives to
incumbent structural materials of the
urban world.
To address current barriers and help
create a pathway for high-rise mass timber
buildings in the United States, the Inter-
national Code Council (ICC) formed an
Ad-hoc Committee on Tall Wood Build-
ings in 2015 to research the building
science of tall wood buildings. This is a
multi-year effort supported by numerous
working groups made up of stakeholders,
design professionals, code officials and
other interested parties who are investigat-
ing the feasibility of and taking action to
develop code changes for the use of mass
timber in taller or “beyond current code”
buildings. The goal is to introduce code
provisions for the 2021 code cycle, with
non-structural provisions expected to be
submitted for consideration during 2018,
and structural provisions to be submitted
for review and approval during 2019.

38                    ‒ f a ll 2 0 1 7
 TechnicalSolutions

As part of this work, the American

Wood Council (AWC) and the U.S. Forest
Service Forest Products Laboratory have
partnered with the Ad-hoc Committee to
conduct research and testing necessary to
understand the performance and validate
the fire safety of mass timber buildings.
This summer, five fire tests were com-
pleted in a full-scale, multi-story mass
timber apartment building with promis-
ing results.
Based on test data so far available, mass
timber provided the kind of fire safety per-
formance that should allow its use in larger
buildings and even expand the option for
exposed wood structure in smaller proj-
ects. The recent fire tests were intended to
demonstrate that it is possible to construct
a mass timber building with exposed wood
while maintaining fire resistance and lim-
iting contribution to fire growth.
The Ad-hoc Committee provided
each of the five fire scenarios for two, Test 1 Ignition: The first of five fire tests conducted on a cross-laminated building shortly after ignition.
(Two-story cross-laminated building fire tests; Beltsville, Maryland; June 2017)
one-bedroom apartments with various Photo Credit: Laura Hasburgh (FPL)
arrangements of exposed and unexposed
cross-laminated timber (CLT), with open
doors between living and sleeping areas.
The tests were conducted at the U.S.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and
Explosives Fire Research Laboratory, the
world’s largest research laboratory dedi-
cated to fire scene investigations.

In summary, the five tests entailed:

• Test 1: A mass timber structure fully pro-

tected with gypsum wall board subjected
to a large furnishings and contents fire.
The test was terminated after three hours
without any significant charring on the
protected wood surfaces of the structure.

• Test 2: Thirty per cent of the CLT ceiling

area in the living room and bedroom was
left exposed. The test was terminated after
four hours, providing additional time to
determine if there would be any significant
fire contribution from the exposed CLT.
Notably, once the furnishings and contents
had been consumed by the fire, the exposed Test 1 Living Room and Kitchen Flashover: Researchers from the Forest Service’s Forest Products Laboratory
CLT essentially self-extinguished due to the completed a series of fire tests that will help take building with wood to new heights. Wood buildings provide
formation of char that protected the under- an array of economic and environmental benefits, and interest in capitalizing on those benefits by constructing
mid- to high-rise buildings using mass timber products is growing. (Two-story cross-laminated building fire tests;
lying wood. Beltsville, Maryland; June 2017) Photo Credit: Laura Hasburgh (FPL)

                   ‒ f a ll 2 0 1 7 39
TechnicalSolutions
Test 1 Decay: Test one lasted approximately three
hours. No sprinkler systems were activated during
this test and the fire decayed on its own.
(Two-story cross-laminated building fire tests;
Beltsville, Maryland; June 2017)
Photo Credit: Laura Hasburgh (FPL)
Data Acquisition: Data was collected once per
second at 500 points throughout the structure.
Once the data is analyzed, results will be published
in a report and presented to the International Code
Council Ad-hoc Committee on Tall Wood Buildings.
(Two-story cross-laminated building fire tests;
Beltsville, Maryland; June 2017)
Photo Credit: Laura Hasburgh (FPL)
• Test 3: Parallel CLT walls were left
exposed with 30 feet of separation, one in
the living room and one in the bedroom.
Similar to Test 2, once the apartment fur-
nishings and contents had been consumed
by the fire, during which a protective surface
char formed on the CLT, the mass timber
surfaces essentially self-extinguished.
40                    ‒ f a ll 2 0 1 7
Test Matrix: Detailed construction specifics for each of the five fire tests, conducted by Forest Products
Laboratory researchers on a structure built using cross-laminated timber. (Two-story cross-laminated building
fire tests; Beltsville, Maryland; June 2017)
• Tests 4 and 5: These two tests exam-
ined the effects of sprinkler protection.
For both tests, all mass timber surfaces
in the living room and bedroom were left
exposed. Test 4 demonstrated that under
normal operating conditions, a single
sprinkler easily contained the fire. For
Test 5, the fire was allowed to grow in the
compartment for 23 minutes before water
was supplied to the sprinklers, which
quickly controlled the fire.
While the fire test data is still being
analyzed, the initial results and find-
ings are extremely promising. AWC and
its partners will continue to study the
data, which will ultimately help inform
code change recommendations from the
Ad-hoc Committee later this year. A Gen-
eral Technical Report FPL-GTR-247 on
the fire tests will also be available from
the Forest Products Laboratory in the
coming months.
In Canada, where several demonstra-
tion projects of tall mass timber buildings
have been built, current building codes
also place limits on prescriptively permis-
sible maximum heights of wood buildings.
Importantly, however, discussions simi-
lar to those taking place within the ICC
Ad-hoc Committee are also occurring in
the Canadian national model code pro-
cess, with the goal of implementing code
changes to permit tall wood buildings in
the 2020 model National Building Code
of Canada. As a result, it is expected that
the research undertaken by the Ad-hoc
Committee also will be very useful in
Canadian code deliberations.
With technological advances in mass
timber and other wood products regu-
larly affecting the industry, AWC is
committed to advancing these new tech-
nologies in the codes in a manner that
foremost protects public safety. Backed by
this fire test research, we will continue
advocating not only what is permissible
using wood, but also to what is possible
using wood. To learn more, visit www.
awc.org/tallwood.
Kenneth Bland, P.E., is the Vice President of Codes
& Regulations at the American Wood Council (AWC),
which represents the interests of the North American
wood products industry that provides approximately
400,000 men and women in the United States
with family-wage jobs. On behalf of the industry it
represents, AWC is committed to ensuring a resilient,
safe, and sustainable built environment. To achieve
these objectives, AWC contributes to the development
of sound public policies, codes, and regulations
which allow for the appropriate and responsible
manufacture and use of wood products.

SFI IS A
CORNERSTONE FOR
SMALL AND TALL
WOOD BUILDINGS
Products certified to SFI are
recognized by many leading
green building rating
programs around the world
like Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design
(LEED) and Green Globes.
FROM WELL-MANAGED
FORESTS IS AN EXCELLENT
CHOICE FOR ANY GREEN
BUILDING PROJECT
Using wood products from responsibly managed
forests is key to any green building project.
Third-party forest certification standards, like
the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI), are a
proof-point that wood comes from responsibly
managed forests that have been managed for
multiple environmental, social and economic
values — today and into the future. Architects and
builders are turning to products certified to the
SFI Standard to meet their green building needs.
Learn more at sfiprogram.org/green-building.
FIRST CLT MANUFACTURERS CERTIFY TO SFI
SmartLam and Structurlam are the first cross-
laminated timber (CLT) manufacturers, in Canada
and the U.S. respectively, to be certified to the
SFI Chain of Custody Standard. This standard is a
rigorous environmental accounting system that
tracks forest fiber content through production and
manufacturing to the end product.
FEATURE
Seismic Design with Wood
Jim Taggart
Wellington Secondary School.
Photo Credit: Artez Photo.com
To understand the principles of seismic
design, one must first understand the
nature of seismic forces. Initiated by the
movement of the Earth’s tectonic plates,
they take the form of waves that travel either
in the body of the planet or at its surface.
Body waves are further subdivided into pri-
mary (P) waves – behaving like the repeated
compression and release of a spring – shak-
ing a building in the horizontal plane, and
secondary (S) waves – transverse in nature
– shaking a building in the vertical plane.
As knowledge of earthquake behavior
has evolved, more sophisticated approaches
to the seismic design of buildings have been
developed. An important consideration
is that of ductility. In the case of major
earthquake events, the energy-dissipative
components are designed to perform
‘plastically’ – absorbing energy through
deformation and permitting a certain level
of damage to the structure, but preventing
the catastrophic collapse of the building.
In typical wood buildings, the main source
of ductility are the connections. (Even
after moderate earthquakes, it is prudent
practice for building owners to have an
inspection carried out by a qualified struc-
42                    ‒ f a ll 2 0 1 7
tural engineer to ensure that the integrity of
the structure has not been compromised).
Although seismic events occur all over
the world, the areas most susceptible to
large earthquakes lie along the boundar-
ies of tectonic plates, including those on
the so-called ‘Ring of Fire’ encircling the
Pacific Ocean and passing through British
Columbia.
British Columbia’s seismic
upgrade program
With several major earthquakes having
struck other countries on the Ring of Fire
in the past two decades, there is a height-
ened awareness of the risk faced in British
The "Ring of Fire" encircling the Pacific Ocean
Columbia. A survey commissioned by the
provincial government and conducted by
the Association of Professional Engineers
and Geoscientists of British Columbia
(APEGBC) in 2004 determined a signifi-
cant number of older BC schools did not
meet the then-current safety requirements
in terms of seismic design.
Of these, 339 were found to include
structures in the highest risk category
(known as H1) – those most likely to
experience widespread and irreparable
damage or structural failure in a seismic
event. In response to these findings, the
province initiated a seismic upgrade pro-
gram, which has retrofitted or replaced
224 of the highest risk schools in 37 dis-
tricts to date. A number of these projects
used wood as the primary structural mate-
rial. (The seismic mitigation program and
the associated risk categories are described
on the province of British Columbia web-
site. It is important to note classifications
are applied not to schools as a whole, but
to ‘blocks’ within the building. Blocks
represent areas within a school that are
of different construction types and have
different structural characteristics. For

example, gymnasiums will typically have a
different structural system than classroom
or administration blocks, and as a result
may have a different risk rating).
Seismic upgrading of
Wellington Secondary School
Located in Nanaimo on Vancouver
Island, Wellington Secondary School is
a two-story, 115,712-sq.ft. structure with
a capacity of 900 students. It was built in
several phases from 1969 to 2000, on a
radial plan with a circular central block
– known as Block F – surrounded by five
other blocks (Blocks A, B, C, D, and E).
Seismic assessment
and design approach
In 2012, structural engineers from
Nanaimo-based Herold Engineering
prepared a Seismic Project Investigation
Report identifying four of the blocks (all
except C and D) as risk category H1. Two
seismic mitigation options were consid-
ered: comprehensive upgrades to bring
all the structures up to current code
standard; or a partial upgrade, together
with the demolition and replacement of
the highest risk portions of the building
(Blocks A and F).
Wellington Secondary: dismantling of Block F.
Photo Credit: Herold Engineering Ltd.
More detailed consideration of site
constraints, the provision of temporary
classroom accommodation, parking, site
access, and staging confirmed demoli-
tion and rebuild was the more economical
option.
This option included the seismic
upgrades of Blocks B, D, and E, the demo-
lition and rebuilding of Block F, and the
demolition and replacement of Block A with
a new classroom block (in another location
referred to as Block G).
The upgrading of Blocks B and E were
carried out at the beginning of the renova-
tion. Both had been constructed in 1987 with
a combination of precast concrete panels,
unreinforced (or partially reinforced) con-
crete masonry unit (CMU) walls, and heavy
timber roofs with glued-laminated (glulam)
beams, tongue-and-groove decking, and
plywood sheathing. The seismic upgrade
included additional reinforcement of the
masonry walls, higher ductility connec-
tions between the walls and roof, and the
strengthening of the roof diaphragm with
an additional layer of plywood. (Cross-
laminated wood products, such as plywood
and CLT, are particularly well-suited to use
as diaphragms as they resist racking when
subjected to lateral forces).
Wellington Secondary: New structural members in Block F.
Photo Credit: Artez Photo.com
                   ‒ f a ll 2 0 1 7
FEATURE
Seismic analysis of Block F
The original 1969 library structure (Block
F) presented a considerable challenge to
upgrade, and the analysis merited a more
detailed discussion. The roof structure
consisted of radially arranged concrete
T-beams, resting on inner and outer con-
crete ring beams supported on concrete
columns. In turn, these columns were
supported on concrete walls at the base-
ment level. The entire structure was heavy
and, having been designed to a much less
demanding seismic standard, had neither
the required ductile connections between
the elements nor the adequate lateral
restraint in the radial direction.
Generally, when comparing two
buildings of equal height, in the same
geographic location, and with the same
soil conditions, a heavier building will
attract larger seismic forces than a lighter
building. The heavy weight of the Block
F structure would have required a large
number of custom steel brackets, sub-
stantial cross-bracing, and enlarged
foundations to transfer the required loads
to the ground. The more desirable, and
cost-neutral, alternative was to dismantle
the existing structure and replace it with
a new lightweight building.
43
FEATURE
Wood was chosen for this replacement
structure due to its economy, speed of con-
struction, and esthetics. The wood solution
met the constraints of a fast-track sched-
ule and a tight budget, while introducing
a warm look to the core of the school.
Demolition of Block A opened up an area
adjacent to this core that is now a new
glazed entrance.
Detailed design
The structural engineers developed a
retrofit system for Block F that used the
existing foundations and replicated the
geometry of the original structure. Block
F is divided into two distinct but connected
components. The ‘main street’ surround-
ing the central courtyard forms a circle
with an inner and outer ring of columns
connected by beams that support a sloping
roof. The inner ring of columns delineates
the exterior glazed wall that encircles the
courtyard, while the outer ring forms a col-
onnade separating the main street from the
rest of the school.
The main street is circular in plan, and
the surrounding school is in the form of
a pentagon, leaving an irregularly shaped
zone between them. This zone was covered
by an existing flat roof originally framed
with solid timbers. The longest of these
members were reinforced with laminated
veneer lumber (LVL) beams, so the roof
could perform as an effective diaphragm
between Block F and the surrounding
blocks. The engineers also added a second
layer of plywood sheathing to meet load
transfer and drift requirements.
This upgraded roof connects to the
outer ring of posts below the eave line of
the central sloping roof. This results in
a discontinuous section where the roof
diaphragms are not in the same plane,
requiring lateral loads be transferred
into the vertical structure by a pair of
drag rings consisting of continuous steel
cross-bracing.
In the vertical plane, lateral resistance
is provided by a series of 16 steel cross-
braced frames that tie into adjacent pairs
of glulam columns in the outer ring.
Full-height cross-bracing is also used
between pairs of columns in the inner
44                    ‒ f a ll 2 0 1 7
ring. Throughout the timber structure
of Block F, connections are designed to
be relatively simple and economical – the
majority being exposed steel plates and
brackets.
The light weight, versatility, and econ-
omy of wood have combined to bring this
project to a successful resolution, on time
and on budget. Wood has also contrib-
uted additional value, creating a warm
and welcoming atmosphere, one that has
transformed the identity of this aging
school.
Other applications
of wood in seismic design
Two other recently completed BC school
projects illustrate alternative approaches
to seismic design using wood. Cordova Bay
Elementary in Victoria employs a combina-
tion of cross-laminated timber (CLT) and
nail-laminated timber (NLT) panels, while
Surrey Christian School combines a glulam
post-and-beam system and light-wood
frame shear walls with NLT roof panels.
CLT and NLT panel solutions Cordova Bay Elementary School: Interior of
lobby showing exposed CLT and NLT panels.
Cordova Bay Elementary dates from 1945, Photo Credit: StructureCraft Builders Inc.
and like Wellington Secondary, has under-
gone multiple renovations and expansions The CLT panels are set vertically,
since. Of these, the 1965 addition, con- extending from the ground floor slab to
structed with unreinforced concrete the underside of the roof. Base connec-
masonry exterior walls and a glulam and tions are steel plates set into the concrete
heavy timber roof, was designated as risk and recessed into rebbates factory-milled
category H1. into the panels. The plates are secured using
As with Wellington, a detailed long, high-strength, self-tapping screws,
assessment of site logistics temporary then covered with a wood plug so the con-
accommodation resulted in the decision nections are hidden and the CLT can be left
to replace the existing structure. It was exposed.
proposed the new classroom block be The vertical edges of the panels are
built with CLT walls and roof panels, and milled with a profile so they form a lap
light-wood frame construction for interior joint when brought together. This joint
non-loadbearing partitions. is then stitched together using pairs of
Despite the replacement option having similar self-tapping screws set at oppos-
been chosen for its low cost, the project ing angles. Where an internal wall meets
came in a little over budget. The low bidder an external wall, the butt joint is secured
for the supply and installation of the CLT in the same manner. The use of a large
components, offered a savings to change the number of small connections (rather
roof panels to NLT. The final result is all the than a smaller number of large con-
loadbearing and shear walls are constructed nections) is the most efficient way to
from five-ply CLT, and the roof is NLT dissipate seismic forces. This is because
panels made from 2 x 8-in. material nailed it spreads the load more evenly through
together face to face, creating a solid deck. the structural section.

The NLT panels bear directly on the
CLT walls and are connected to them in
a similar way. They arrive onsite with a
plywood diaphragm factory installed over
most of the panel, but held back from the
edges. The panels are lifted into place by
a crane, and the diaphragm is completed
by installing a final row of plywood sheets
that cover the joint between panels. This
approach results in a continuous dia-
phragm across the entire roof, requiring
only a single layer of plywood.
This project demonstrates that factory-
produced CLT and NLT panels can be
successfully combined to create economi-
cal and esthetically pleasing buildings. It
also confirms simply detailed CLT panel
systems can provide a cost-competitive,
code-compliant solution for lateral design
in high seismic zones.
Glulam post-and-beam and
light-wood frame shear walls
Located in the Lower Mainland, the
new two-story Surrey Christian School
building includes a total of 15 daycare,
kindergarten, and primary classrooms,
along with their support spaces. The
classrooms are organized along a linear
two-story atrium extending the full length
of the building.
The need to connect at main floor level
to the adjacent middle school meant the
new building, which is on a sloping site,
was constructed atop a new single-level
parking garage that is partially tucked into
the hillside.
To address the client’s concerns for
economy and speed, and deliver an attrac-
tive, high-quality building simultaneously,
the design team proposed a simple engi-
neered wood post-beam-panel structure
that could be prefabricated.
The vertical structure consists of
glulam posts at 8.8-ft. centers along the
length of the building. Each bay consists of
four posts – two at the exterior walls and
two at the atrium walls. The glulam posts
were factory-fitted with custom steel base
plates that were attached using long, high-
strength, self-tapping screws installed at
opposing angles.
The posts on the main floor were
bolted to the concrete slab of the park-
ing structure, and braced longitudinally
using light-wood frame infill panels. There
are no longitudinal beams in the build-
ing. The posts were then ready to receive
prefabricated floor and roof panels, 8.8
ft. in width and spanning the full 27.8-ft.
depth of the classrooms. Each panel has
two glulam edge beams, connected with
light-wood frame header panels at both
ends and bridged by a deck made up of
nail-laminated 2 x 4-in. material.
These panels were installed in alternate
bays along the length of the building, leav-
ing the spaces between them to be filled
with a second panel type that consisted
only of 2 x 4 nail-laminated timbers. The
edge beams of the main panels rest directly
on top of the posts, and are connected to
them with a similar detail to that used at
the base.
Once all the main floor panels were
installed, plywood sheathing was laid by
the general contractor in order to create
a horizontal diaphragm. (Carpenters
used plywood reclaimed from the form-
work for the concrete parking garage. It
was field-installed one sheet at a time).
For the vertical plane, lateral stability is
achieved by plywood-sheathed light-wood
frame walls running north-south at either
end of the building, and east-west along
the length of the corridor between door
openings. These shear walls were also
prefabricated. The lateral system was
designed to resist all the required seismic
loads, enabling the exterior walls of the
classrooms to be fully glazed.
For this project, the use of factory pre-
fabrication compensated in part for the
additional time required to construct
the parking garage. It was possible for
the wood components to be prefabri-
cated at the same time as the concrete
was being poured. Installation of all the
prefabricated wood components took
approximately one week. Prefabrication
in wood was also compatible with the use
of site-built light-wood frame construc-
tion for the interior partitions. The result
is a building with a warm and welcoming
atmosphere that greatly exceeded the cli-
ent’s expectations.
                   ‒ f a ll 2 0 1 7
FEATURE
A final note
The projects described in this article were
all designed to meet the requirements of
the 2012 edition of the British Columbia
Building Code (BCBC), which was based
on the 2010 edition of the National Build-
ing Code of Canada (NBC). It is worth
noting the seismic design values used in
the new 2015 edition of the NBC (upon
which subsequent editions of the BCBC
will be based) are significantly higher
than those in the 2010 edition of the code.
Therefore, the solutions described here
may not comply with those more strin-
gent requirements – although new
solutions using the same basic principles
will of course be developed. (Of course,
designing structural wood buildings goes
far beyond solely seismic requirements.
For more information, see this author’s
previous Construction Canada case stud-
ies and articles, including “Mid-rise
Makeovers,” by visiting www.construc-
tioncanada.net. Other features of interest
would include “Specifying Combustible
Construction in Canada” by Jack Keays,
MSc., P.Eng., and “Specifying Modern
Timber Connections” by Maik Gehloff,
Dipl.-Ing. (FH), M.A.Sc. For further
reading, also visit www.construction-
specifier.com for the article, “Solid
Timber, Solid Construction Perfor-
mance,” by Ryan E. Smith).
This article originally appeared in the May 2016
issue of Construction Canada (vol. 58, no. 3),
the official publication of Construction
Specifications Canada (CSC). For more information,
visit www.constructioncanada.net.
Jim Taggart, FRAIC, teaches architecture at the British
Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) in Vancouver.
He is also the editor of Sustainable Architecture
and Building Magazine (SABMag) and the author
or editor of more than a dozen books, including the
award-winning Toward a Culture of Wood Architecture
(2011). Taggart has also lectured extensively on this
subject throughout North America, Scandinavia, and
Australasia. He is a Fellow of the Royal Architectural
Institute of Canada (RAIC) and the recipient of the
2012 Premier of British Columbia’s Wood Champion
Award. He can be reached at architext@telus.net.
45

Toast Made’s creative name was inspired
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the process of creating wood covers for digital
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The story began on a roadtrip where Matias
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crafted art for sale in the middle of the High
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inspired to connect natural materials with
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W AR E
technology and produce stick-on wood covers.
In January of 2012, they launched their
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