Historic timber construction is transformed into a state-of-the-art workplace
A freshly renovated century-old heavy timber warehouse gives the space a warm, flexible office.
- Century-old timber post-and-beam structure features nail-laminated timber (NLT) decking.
- Adaptive re-use of historic timber, including reclaimed wood communal table.
- Biophilic features include an abundant use of wood furniture and finishes, along with a green wall and other natural materials.
Inspiration from industrial character of 1911 warehouse
Located in Vancouver’s historic Yaletown, the century-old timber post-and-beam structure features expansive nail-laminated timber (NLT) decking and proves well suited to the flex-in-place needs of a modern workplace.
Architects took their inspiration from the industrial character of the 1911 warehouse. Exposed wood beams reflect the building’s history, but the Yaletown office has numerous contemporary features. Employees and visitors are greeted by a double-height atrium with bleacher-style seating that is used for town-hall-style, company-wide meetings. The dramatic, open space fosters interconnectedness across the multiple floors of the space.
Bringing nature, wood and the outdoors inside
Wood is used throughout the Yaletown office project, complementing the original timber structure. Custom-designed mobile meeting boxes, constructed with simple plywood, are put on wheels for impromptu meetings and collaboration.
A heavy-timber beam, removed to create a double-height atrium space, was repurposed as a 5-metre-long table in the employee lounge. CNC-milled wood partitions include circular openings, drawing natural light into the individualized working areas while also meeting the building code requirement to keep the ceiling open for fire sprinklers.
A natural green wall, made of lichen, serves as a striking focal point while acting as a partition for privacy. An abundant use of wood furniture and finishes, along with other natural materials (e.g., greenery, charcoal, cork, buttons, and burlap) reflects a growing interest to bring calming elements of nature into the workplace. This is the case down to the smallest details: for example, each button on the banks of upholstered benches is unique—six different sizes, shapes, and species of wood and three different colours of thread.