Working has now begun on cladding The Hive – the world’s most advanced earthquake-resistant timber building, with the 10-storey Vancouver tower also North America’s tallest timber-braced building.
Considered one of the world’s ‘pioneering projects,’ the building features an all-timber system—including glue-laminated timber beams, columns and braces, and cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels—fabricated by Kalesnikoff from levels 2 to 10. It also includes shear walls and balconies and is a ‘kit-of-parts prefabrication,’ allowing rapid on-site construction.
“Cladding is now underway on the lower levels (of the building),” according to Fast + Epp – the structural engineers responsible for the building. “With the exposed timber on the upper levels showcasing the matching honeycomb-like timber braced frames beneath.”
In August, the Wood Central publisher spoke to Robert Jackson, Principal at Fast + Epp, who was excited to see the building “go vertical” – adding that the building has “105 seismic dampers (which absorb seismic energy and reduce deformations in the structure), making it “one of the most seismically advanced timber buildings in the world.”
The Hive uses a ground-breaking lateral system.
Using perforated plate technology — where energy dissipates inside the building’s frame members and shearwalls — the building’s timber-braced frame and cross-laminated timber shearwall system underwent small-scale and full-scale testing at the University of Alberta and the University of Queens. “This provides valuable engineering information to the design community for future tall wood projects,” according to Fast + Epp – which has provided extensive information about the testing.
Working with DIALOG, the project architect, Fast + Epp, developed a perimeter timber braced frame system that creates a striking façade and eliminates the need for conventional cast-in-place concrete cores. In addition, the perimeter timber braced frame is paired with four discrete internal cross-laminated timber (CLT) shearwalls.
“Having learned that integrated service distribution is key to the successful architectural expression of a mass timber ceiling, Fast + Epp developed a bottom-flush interior girder system using custom steel members,” according to a Fast + Epp case study, adding that “this system creates a ‘flat plate’ ceiling for mechanical and electrical service routing.”
According to Naturally Wood, the building is also a “fire-safe tall wood design,” using large timber members specially designed and engineered through extensive testing to withstand the flames and intense fire:
They will do that by burning and charring around the outside to a carefully calculated depth that is only a fraction of the total thickness. The outer layer of charring forms a barrier that protects the bulk of the column or panel and structural steel connections inside the columns.
Fast + Epp co-founder to headline 2025 World Timber Engineering Conference
Gerad Epp, co-founder of Fast + Epp and current President of StructureCraft’s Chief Engineer, is one of the key speakers already confirmed for the 2025 WCTE in Brisbane. In 1987, Mr Epp joined his friend Paul Fast to establish Fast + Epp. After 27 years of numerous national and international awards, Mr Epp sold his stake in Fast + Epp, now one of the world’s premier timber structural engineering firms and in 2015 started to walk full time on StructureCraft, an engineer-and-build timber company he founded in 1998.
“In addition to Gerard – who is travelling from Canada, we have already locked in Karl-Heinz Weiss, Jodie Briscout, Phillip Dietsch, Katherina Lehmann, Phillip Tondle and many, many more,” according to Professor Keith Crews, the WCTE2025 Conference Chair.
Slated for Brisbane, the June 22 to 25 conference theme is ‘Advancing Timber for the Future Build Environment,’ with the conference committee now working through more than 1,200 speaker abstracts.
“This will be the most prestigious international event in the field of timber technology for construction, timber structures, and timber architecture design,” according to Professor Keith Crews, also director of the Australian Research Council’s ARC Advance Timber Hub.
- Visit the dedicated website to learn more about the World Conference on Timber Engineering, including the terms and conditions for abstract submissions.
