Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates has released images of its latest project, the Burrard Exchange, a hybrid mass timber office building at the Bentall Centre in Vancouver, Canada. The structure will be the first timber project designed by the architecture firm and is set to be one of the tallest of its type in North America.
The 450,000 sq.ft. project is designed as a contemporary, loft-like structure with naturally-lit workspaces. The building employs mass timber, a material typically used in low-rise architecture. The timber used creates a state-of-the-art green office tower, reducing the building’s carbon consumption and highlighting its sustainable aspirations with visible wooden designs.
Burrard Exchange’s design establishes a connection between indoor and outdoor spaces, allowing nature to flow within the building creating high-functioning outdoor areas and fresh air access. The development will create a new visual identity on the street it is built on, housing amenities and retail spaces in a nature-inspired design. The interior covers 14.5-ft floor-to-floor heights, allowing for more natural sunlight within the space.
The project will feature terraces and loggias across the building's 16 floors. The rooftop will include conference and recreational areas, and the ground floor will be dedicated to the public with commercial spaces and restaurants. Once complete, the 20,000 sq.ft. plaza will be one of the largest outdoor gathering spaces in the city.
The project is developed by Hudson Pacific Properties, while KPF is enlisted as the design architect and the Vancouver office of Adamson Associates Architects is the architect of record. Construction is expected to begin in 2023.
