HONOR AWARD WINNER

THE SPIRIT GARDEN

Located in the City of Toronto’s Nathan Phillips Square, the Spirit Garden is a contemplative public space dedicated to cultural education and reconciliation. Opened in September 2024 on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, it integrates Indigenous teachings and architectural traditions into one of Canada’s most recognizable civic gathering places.

The centrepiece of the garden is the Teaching Lodge, a circular structure modeled after the Haudenosaunee longhouse and constructed entirely of wood under the guidance of an elder and Knowledge Keeper. Its form diverges from the surrounding urban grid, symbolizing a return to circularity, humility, balance, and relational thinking. The use of pre-formed laminated ash glulam timber, sustainably harvested in Quebec, provides both strength and resilience, while laminated spruce sheathing supports a copper-zinc exterior that complements the warm natural tones of the structure.

The ribbed timber system aligns with the Four Directions, with two primary beams spanning east to west to represent the symbolic Red Road of ethical and spiritual living. Supporting ribs extend north to south, embodying the relationship between female and male principles grounded in Mother Earth. At the apex, seven operable skylights symbolize the Seven Grandfather Teachings—Love, Respect, Courage, Honesty, Wisdom, Humility, and Truth—while introducing daylight and natural ventilation.

Inside, built-in wooden benches provide seating for approximately 60 people, supporting gatherings, storytelling, and ceremony. The Spirit Garden also incorporates installations from Anishinaabe, Inuit, Métis, and Haudenosaunee artists, making it both a sanctuary and an educational platform. Through its intentional use of wood, the project exemplifies architecture as a vessel for cultural continuity, memory, and reconciliation.

Architect - Gow Hastings Architects in collaboration with Two Row Architects

Structural Engineer - Entuitive

General Contractor - Buttcon

Wood Supplier - Structure Fusion Intelligent Wood Construction

Photography - Tom Arban / Christopher Wahl / Amanda Chong

HONOR AWARD WINNER

FRASER MILLS PRESENTATION CENTRE

The Fraser Mills Presentation Centre in Coquitlam, BC, serves as the sales hub for a new 5,500-home community on a historic 39-hectare site along the Fraser River. Open for the next decade, the 660-square-metre building also anticipates a second life as a community amenity, extending its impact well beyond the initial development phase. Its design draws from the site’s legacy as the location of a sawmill, embedding references to timber, craft, and sustainability throughout.

The structure’s form responds directly to programmatic and site needs. A flexible, column-free interior accommodates evolving functions, while the roof’s undulating profile defines spaces for sales and display suites. Externally, a continuous west-facing porch and a 60-metre canopy create a welcoming presence, culminating in a dramatic cantilevered terrace to the south.

A robust wood structure anchors the project, realized through readily available materials including mass timber, lumber, and plywood. The roof geometry was rationalized into 26 unique glulam frames extending from a central spine to splayed columns of varying heights, refined through parametric modelling to balance structural efficiency, cost, and constructability. Prefabricated in one-bay modules, the system allowed for rapid and economical assembly on site. 

In response to considerable seismic demands, the building incorporates an innovative structural solution that uses the building’s eight primary columns. Cantilevering from large concrete footings, these columns have substantial depth to counter the significant lateral forces. To counteract overturning moments and facilitate prefabrication, long threaded rods tie the columns to the footings. Composite construction enables these rods, along with rainwater leaders, to be concealed within the column forms.

Architect - Patkau Architects

Structural Engineer - StructureCraft, Abbotsford, BC, Canada

General Contractor - Beedie Construction, Burnaby, BC, Canada

Wood Supplier - Western Archrib, Edmonton, AB, Canada; Kalesnikoff, Castlegar, BC, Canada; StructureCraft, Abbotsford, BC, Canada

Photography - Patkau Architects, Vancouver, BC, Canada

This project also received a Wood Design Award from WoodWorks BC

PACIFIC NORTHWEST RESIDENCE

Situated along a narrow saltwater channel, this Pacific Northwest residential compound was designed as a gathering place for a family of four and their extended family nearby. Thoughtfully integrated into its site and surrounding context, the residence defines a series of spaces that support family life while maintaining a restrained architectural presence.

The design was informed by a personal survey of the site by the architects, who studied the land’s contours, vegetation, and views. This intimate knowledge guided the building’s placement within the forest of cedar, hemlock, and Douglas fir, ensuring minimal disruption to the landscape. Arrival is marked by an elevated entry walk, set 10 feet above ground, that threads through dense trees before terminating on axis with a magnificent cedar. Views are oriented north along the channel’s length rather than across it, capturing distant vistas while preserving privacy.

Wood defines the project’s material expression. Cedar siding was chosen for its durability and natural appearance, while the interiors are fully sheathed in vertical-grain Douglas fir panels, dissolving boundaries between inside and out. The entry walk and interior ceilings reveal the structural system, where Douglas fir glulam beams and framing work in concert with exposed steel elements. Clear finishes highlight the natural beauty of the wood while showcasing the craft of construction.

Sustainability measures include advanced glazing, insulation, and a geothermal heat exchange system for efficient heating and cooling. The compound embodies a balance of performance, comfort, and restraint, resulting in a residence that combines technical efficiency with material honesty. Designed as a place for family gathering, it reinforces its integration within the surrounding landscape while maintaining a purposeful architectural presence.

Architect - Cutler Anderson Architects

Structural Engineer - Jerome Madden, Madden Baughman Engineering

General Contractor - Butch Alford, Alford Homes

Wood Supplier - Kingston Lumber

Photography - Jeremy Bittermann, Bittermann Photography

GOOGLE BORREGAS

Google’s first mass timber office building, located in Sunnyvale, California, defines a new standard for sustainable workplace architecture with a scalable and repeatable approach to low-carbon design. Encompassing 180,000 square feet, 1265 Borregas is a deliberate shift away from the old-school steel and concrete palette of Silicon Valley toward high-performance, biophilic environments that align with Google’s goal of a carbon-free future by 2030. 

Structurally, the building uses a kit-of-parts approach with a CLT and glulam system forming the backbone of the solution. The south volume has five floors of single-height spaces on a 20' x 20' grid with hybrid CLT-concrete slabs to accommodate cantilevers for balconies and solar shading. 

The north volume, by contrast, features three floors of double-height open spaces on a 30' x 30' grid, designed to emulate a grove of trees. These larger spans are achieved with glulam columns and beams and CLT floor panels. The mass timber is exposed throughout to emphasize material honesty, reduce the need for applied finishes, and foster a strong biophilic connection for occupants.

Given that mass timber was relatively new to the City of Sunnyvale, the team engaged local code consultants early and decoupled the lateral system—utilizing non-load bearing steel braced frames—to simplify approvals and eliminate the need for intumescent coatings.

One of the project’s most distinctive features is its closed cavity façade system, the first of its kind in North America. This advanced skin comprises double-glazed inner panes, single-glazed outer panes, and a sealed cavity filled with automated Accoya timber blinds. These blinds adjust in response to light and heat, offering both passive solar control and a dynamic architectural expression that celebrates wood inside and out.

Architect - Project Designer: MGA | Michael Green Architecture, Architect of Record: SERA Architects

Structural Engineer - Equilibrium Consulting, Vancouver, BC, Canada

General Contractor - XL Construction, Sunnyvale, California, US

Wood Supplier - Structurlam (now Mercer), Vancouver, BC, Canada

Photography - Ema Peter, Vancouver BC Canada

TRUMPF EDUCATION CENTER, DITZINGEN, GERMANY

The TRUMPF Education Center in Ditzingen/Stuttgart provides a dedicated learning environment for approximately 100 apprentices while serving as a social hub within the company’s factory campus. Positioned beside the Blautopf restaurant and event pavilion, the new building complements its neighbor through shared geometry, timber-hybrid construction, and a pavilion-like presence within landscaped grounds.

At the heart of the Education Center is a 400-seat auditorium, a double-height space with sloped seating that anchors the building as a place for lectures, performances, and collective gatherings. Around this core, six hexagonal volumes accommodate classrooms, workshops, and lobbies, organized within an 18-sided crystalline ring. The entire composition is unified by a dramatic roof structure of radiating timber beams, converging at a crystalline skylight that marks the symbolic center of the building while flooding the interior with daylight.

Constructed from prefabricated timber panels and glulam beams, the structure demonstrates the efficiency, robustness, and sustainability of wood. Facades are cross-braced in reference to traditional fachwerk timber framing, with glazing systems that alternate between transparent insulated glass, translucent channel glass, and opaque paneling. These “display windows” open views into the training workshops, showcasing apprentice work while providing generous daylight to the interior. Outdoor learning is also supported by a terraced garden to the northwest, extending the building’s educational program into the landscape.

Balancing flexibility with architectural clarity, the Education Center provides spaces for teaching, exchange, and social interaction. Its expressive timber structure affirms both the company’s innovative spirit and the enduring role of wood in creating meaningful, future-focused learning environments.

Architect - Barkow Leibinger

Structural Engineer - sbp schlaich bergermann partner, Berlin, Germany

General Contractor - Site Management: Drees & Sommer, Stuttgart, Germany

Wood Supplier - Timber Construction: Holzbau Amann, Weilheim-Bannholz, Germany

Photography - Simon Menges & Nino Tugushi, Berlin, Germany

DWELLING ON THE MOUNTAINSIDE: JIUCENG ART GALLERY

Shanlong Village in Fujian Province is renowned for its 300-year-old rammed-earth and timber dwellings, preserved largely intact within a historic mountain landscape. Recognized as a Traditional Village of China in 2016, the settlement became the site of a cultural revitalization initiative led by Beijing Jiuceng Art Gallery. The project introduced exhibition spaces, guesthouses, and artist residencies, with all new construction adhering to original footprints, heights, and traditional building methods to respect and extend the village’s heritage character.

The intervention reimagined four former homesteads along a mountain stream, where shallow sheds and deeper central houses once formed a cascading “high-low-high” profile. To adapt these vernacular structures for new cultural functions, the design employed a woven timber arch system that replaced the obstructive pillars of the traditional “four-column, seven-purlin” framework. With only two columns and seven cross-members, the system enables column-free spans of up to 8.5 meters, creating generous exhibition spaces while remaining true to local proportions. Rooted in historic construction techniques documented since the Song dynasty and still evident in regional timber bridges, the arches were crafted by local builders using traditional joinery and carpentry skills.

The roof advances this innovation with China’s first adaptive curved arch system. Variable rises and steel tensioning components stabilize the woven timber structure, while layers of wood purlins, rafters, insulation, and ceramic tiles produce an undulating dual-pitched profile. Reclaimed stones, rammed earth, and locally sourced materials further embed the work in its cultural landscape.

Dwelling on the Mountainside demonstrates how traditional timber construction can be reinterpreted for contemporary use, merging craftsmanship, innovation, and cultural continuity into an inspiring model for rural revitalization.

Architect - Atelier Lu+Architects

Structural Engineer - Su LIU, Beijing, China

Photography - Haiting SUN, Beijing, China

Architect - Snøhetta

Structural Engineer - Meyer Borgman Johnson

General Contractor - McGough

Wood Supplier - Alamco Wood

Photography - Michael Grimm

VESTERHEIM COMMONS

The Commons, an 8,000-square-foot addition to the Vesterheim cultural campus in Decorah, Iowa, serves as both a gateway and a gathering place for the museum, folk art school, and community programs. Marked on the street by a soaring timber canopy, the building opens into a light-filled public reception lobby, its wood oculus mirroring the cozy, sheltered outdoor rooms of the surrounding park. This welcoming threshold draws local residents and visiting groups alike, reinforcing the campus as a place where new stories can be shared across time and place.

Inside, the program is organized to connect and extend the existing campus. A flexible event space and circulation areas link directly to the Westby-Torgerson Education Center and the Folk Art School. A second-floor gallery leads to digital workspaces, offices, and a study room designed for focused engagement with Vesterheim’s collections. Beyond the walls, outdoor classrooms and interpretive spaces are integrated into Heritage Park, framed by regional plantings that evolve seasonally to strengthen the relationship between landscape and learning.

Wood construction anchors the project materially and symbolically. A mass timber frame fabricated in Albert Lea, Minnesota, supports the structure, while locally sourced brick from Adel, Iowa, grounds the exterior. Norwegian folk culture informs the architectural language: the canopy recalls traditional boatbuilding, the timber frames with concrete footings evoke stabbur storehouses, and the oculus draws from Saami lavvu tents.

Through its program and material expression, The Commons links heritage and contemporary life, uniting education, craft, and community within a cohesive architectural framework.

Architect - Williamson Williamson

Structural Engineer - Tacoma Engineers, Guelph, ON Canada

General Contractor - Lowry Building Company, Orillia, ON Canada

Wood Supplier - Elkan LP Building Products

Photography - Scott Norsworthy, Toronto, ON Canada

This project also received a Wood Design Award from WoodWorks Ontario

DOGTROT MAGNETAWAN

Inspired by the 19th-century dogtrot typology of the American Southeast, this cottage in Magnetawan, Ontario reimagines a traditional form as a prototype for sustainable, locally built housing. Historically, dogtrots linked two enclosed volumes with a covered breezeway; here, that idea is adapted to Ontario’s lake country as a contemporary model for efficiency, comfort, and site responsiveness.

The cottage is anchored on a small plateau and cantilevers over a slope, projecting toward the lake below. Rather than altering the form to the terrain, the foundation was designed to accommodate site conditions. The plan places living and sleeping areas on either side of the breezeway, which doubles as a covered porch and outdoor room. A loft bridges the two volumes overhead, while the primary suite can be closed in winter to concentrate heat.

Wood defines both structure and finish. The exterior is clad in eastern white cedar, with vertical siding marking the entry and breezeway. Inside, painted pine boards and locally sourced pine flooring continue the material palette. Prefabricated wall and roof panels, craned into place, ensured construction speed and airtightness, while timber gable walls provide stability and definition.

Designed to Passive House standards, the cottage achieves R40 walls and an R60 roof with dense-pack cellulose insulation, airtight membranes, and skylight-driven passive ventilation. High-performance glazing and shading strategies reduce heat gain, while a compact mechanical system with heat recovery ventilation and on-demand hot water ensures low operating energy. By adapting a historic typology to a new context, the DogTrot Cottage illustrates how wood construction can deliver durable, high-performance housing rooted in both tradition and innovation.

Architect - ColoradoBuildingWorkshop at CU Denver

Structural Engineer - Andy Paddock, KL&A, Golden, CO USA

General Contractor - Erik Sommerfeld and Will Koning, ColoradoBuildingWorkshop, Denver CO USA

Wood Supplier - Vaagen Timbers, Colville, Washington USA

Photography - Jesse Kuroiwa, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO USA

AIKEN AUDUBON RESEARCH OUTPOST

Situated in the Chico Basin Ranch of southeastern Colorado, and nestled in a cottonwood and willow bosque, the Aiken Audubon Research Outpost supports migratory bird research and public engagement along the Central Front Range. Operated by the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, the station functions for ten weeks each year—five in spring and five in fall—hosting banding operations, educational sessions for visiting school groups, and programs for birders and volunteers.

The new facility replaces a deteriorated setup of temporary shelters and improvised furnishings; it provides a protected and flexible workspace that is rooted in the ecological and cultural character of the site. Designed and built in partnership with the Colorado State Land Board and a local architecture school, the project involved 26 students and two professors who worked collaboratively from concept to construction.

Wood defines both structure and expression of the outpost. The building is composed almost entirely of cross-laminated timber (CLT) made from Colorado Engelmann spruce harvested through sustainable forestry practices. The prefabricated CLT panels enabled efficient assembly with minimal site disturbance, aligning construction with the project’s stewardship goals.

At the eastern and western elevations, cordwood screen walls provide shading, wind protection, and privacy while diffusing glare to reduce bird strikes. Assembled without adhesives or fasteners, the porous screens also function as habitat, inviting nesting and wildlife activity while recalling the filtered light of the surrounding grove of trees.

The outpost demonstrates how wood construction can merge environmental performance, material reuse, and education, embodying the cycles of landscape stewardship and migratory ecology it was built to support.

Architect - Bates Masi + Architects

Structural Engineer - Maresca & Associates, Hampton Bays, NY, USA

General Contractor - Men at Work Construction Corp, Wainscott, NY, USA

Photography - Bates Masi + Architects, East Hampton, NY, USA

WALKING DUNES

Set within a shifting dune landscape, the Walking Dunes residence rethinks conventional coastal construction. Traditionally, homes in these environments are raised on timber piles with heavy cross bracing to resist waves and storm debris, but that approach often leaves the space below uninhabitable and vulnerable to erosion. This project instead adapts the logic of the sand fence—a familiar element of dune ecologies—to create a structure that both stabilizes the landscape and provides livable space beneath the elevated home.

The building rises nine feet above grade for flood protection and to accommodate outdoor living areas below. A grid of slender steel columns supports the structure, while radial steel bracing arrays are calibrated to slow wind and capture sand, reinforcing the dunes around the foundation. The pattern varies in density to shape functional spaces: enclosing areas for mechanical equipment, outdoor showers, and parking, while opening up others to create shaded breezeways and gathering spaces.

Above, the residence is composed of four volumes, each with its own covered deck, linked by glass connectors that reduce perceived mass and bring light to the spaces below. The result transforms the necessities of coastal building into an architectural language that balances resilience, livability, and material clarity.

The superstructure employs hybrid timber and engineered wood components. Timber pilings with pile caps anchor the foundation, while timberstrand studs frame exterior walls. TJIs form the structural floor and roof systems, paired with laminated veneer lumber where additional strength is required. Dimensional lumber defines the interior partitions, reinforcing the material economy and adaptability of wood in a coastal context.

Architect - Adel Research Group (ARG)

Structural Engineer - TYLin, NY, USA

General Contractor - Adel Research Group, Princeton, NJ, USA

Wood Supplier - Heath Lumber Company, Ewing Township, NJ, USA

Photography - Arash Adel, NJ, USA; Daniel Ruan, NJ, USA, Ruxin Xie, NJ, USA; Thanut Sakdanaraseth, NY, USA

TIMBRELYN

Timbrelyn is a robotically fabricated installation that explores resource-aware approaches to construction through digital design and fabrication. Created for the 2024 Bethel Woods Art and Architecture Festival, the project demonstrates how computational design, artificial intelligence, and robotics can be harnessed to build expressive, low-carbon structures from short lengths of both reclaimed and new lumber. Located at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts—the historic site of the 1969 Woodstock festival—the installation responds to its wooded setting by weaving layered timber patterns that frame views, filter light, and cast shifting shadows across the site.

The installation incorporates built-in seating and a raised platform, supporting informal public gatherings during art and music events. Its form is both functional and sculptural, expressing the dual role of wood as material and medium for digital craft. Timber subassemblies were prefabricated at Princeton University before being transported and manually assembled on site, minimizing disruption and accelerating construction.

At the core of the project is an adaptive robotic workflow designed to work with irregular reclaimed wood. Through computer vision, the robot scans salvaged pieces, selects and processes suitable members, and integrates them into modules that satisfy structural and aesthetic constraints. This closed-loop method enables the reuse of materials from deconstructed buildings, giving new life to wood otherwise destined for waste streams.

By merging reclaimed timber with computational fabrication, Timbrelyn advances a sustainable model of circular construction. It illustrates how digital tools can unlock enhanced sustainability and architectural creativity in wood design.

Architect - DRAA

Structural Engineer - Enzo Valladares

General Contractor - Luis Marquez

Wood Supplier - HILAM, TOPWOOD, Ingelam

Photography - Marcos Zegers and Felipe Camus

MUMO (MUSEUM OF MOTORCYCLE IN PUERTO OCTAY, NORTH PATAGONIA, CHILE)

Located on the outskirts of Puerto Octay in Chile’s North Patagonia, the Museum of Motorcycles (MUMO) houses the country’s largest collection of antique motorcycles. The collection highlights machines from the early and mid-20th century, a period before the global market shifted toward mass production and corporate brands in the 1970s, offering insight into a more diverse and experimental era of motorcycle culture. 

The design draws from southern Chile’s wood-building traditions, inherited from German colonization in the 19th century, while embracing contemporary timber technology. The museum’s piano nobile exhibition hall is composed of three staggered wooden pavilions elevated on a stepped concrete plinth, oriented to capture views of the surrounding landscape. Constructed of CNC-machined laminated pino insigne (a local fir species), the volumes are clad in thermally modified fir to enhance weather resistance, reinforcing the cultural identity of “a wooden building clad in wood.”

Internally, the overlapping pavilions segment the open exhibition hall without dividing it, providing natural pauses in the curatorial sequence. Each pavilion consists of a pair of woven wooden beams that turn each roof plane into a rigid diaphragm connected it to its neighbor through steel rings disguised as skylights. These skylit joints admit natural light and highlight the crafted timber structure.

Prefabricated CNC-machined kits enabled precision assembly, while simplified timber-to-timber connections eliminated the need for heavy gusset plates or flanges, advancing the efficiency of local construction methods. MUMO stands as both a cultural landmark and a contemporary timber achievement, rooted in tradition yet defined by innovation, echoing the ingenuity of the machines it preserves.

Architect - Bucholz McEvoy Architects + ZAS Architects and Interiors

Structural Engineer - RJC

General Contractor - Eastern Construction

Wood Supplier - Element Five

Photography - Michael Moran

This project also received a Wood Design Award from WoodWorks Ontario

TORONTO AND REGION CONSERVATION AUTHORITY HEADQUARTERS

Set back from Toronto’s Black Creek Ravine, the new TRCA headquarters provides 8,253 m² of open plan office space for more than 400 staff. Conceived as both workplace and environmental demonstration project, the building integrates staff and visitors directly into “the heart of the watershed,” offering a tangible model for reimagining urban design in harmony with natural systems.

The form of the building responds to the ravine’s water, forestation, and topography. Generous setbacks from the woodland preserve ecological integrity, while the crystalline geometry of the massing reinforces site characteristics. A restored landscape weaves around the structure, enhancing the interaction of the urban realm with nature.

Wood defines both structure and expression. A glulam post-and-beam frame with CLT floor slabs rises from a concrete base, with lateral stability provided by mass timber stair cores and exposed timber bracing. Atrium roof elements moderate light and air, reflecting daylight deep into the plan while directing exhaust to solar chimneys. Ontario-sourced Eastern White Cedar clads the exterior, finished with natural weathering treatments and Shou Sugi Ban charred components. Internally, a palette of spruce, oak, and maple provides structural performance, tactile warmth, and crafted detail across stairs, partitions, and millwork.

Biophilic design strategies—visual connections to the ravine, wood finishes, abundant daylight, and natural ventilation—support health and well-being in the collaborative workspace. Certified as a Net Zero Carbon Building by the Canada Green Building Council, the project targets WELL v2, LEED Platinum, and Toronto Green Standard certification, demonstrating wood’s capacity to deliver performance, sustainability, and design excellence on a sensitive site.

Architect - Johnston Architects - Architect of Record

Prentiss Balance Wickline Architects - Associate Architect )

Structural Engineer - Methow Engineering, Winthrop, WA, USA

General Contractor - Impel Construction, Chelan, WA, USA

Wood Supplier - North Valley Lumber, Winthrop, WA, USA

Photography - Benjamin Drummond, Winthrop, WA, USA; Lara Swimmer Photography, Seattle, WA, USA

WINTHROP LIBRARY

Located in Washington’s Methow Valley, the 7,300 sq. ft. Winthrop Library embraces wood to tell a distinctly Northwestern story of sustainability, practicality, and beauty. Drawing inspiration from the region’s historic hay barns—functional structures defined by exposed framing, open interiors, and generous roof overhangs—the design also responds to the town’s Westernization Code (a set of local regulations designed to maintain the town's historic Old West theme), resulting in a wood-forward architecture that is both expressive and efficient.

Prefabricated wood trusses and exposed framing simplified construction and reduced waste, helping keep costs manageable despite supply chain challenges. With its lighter carbon footprint, low embodied energy, and reusability, wood reinforced the community’s values of stewardship even without formal green building mandates.

The library integrates wood across both structure and detail. FSC-certified Kebony slats form vertical sunshades on east and west façades, reducing solar heat gain while casting dappled light reminiscent of sunlight through trees. Inside, locally sourced wood elements, including custom doors and millwork by regional artists, strengthen cultural connections, while a charred cedar snag in the reading room serves as sculpture and symbol of resilience.

An open floor plan with mobile furnishings supports evolving community needs, while all-electric systems, natural ventilation, and solar panels ensure long-term performance. Drought-tolerant and Firewise landscaping further ground the library in its context.

Rooted in community and realized with resource-conscious intent, the Winthrop Library demonstrates wood’s enduring role in architecture—structurally sound, environmentally responsible, and deeply tied to place.

Architect - VJAA Inc. (Lead Design Architect) | RDHA (Architect of Record)

Structural Engineer - Blackwell

General Contractor - Prodigy

Wood Supplier - Timmerman Timberworks

Photography - Doublespace

This project also received a Wood Design Award from WoodWorks Ontario

UPPER CANADA COLLEGE - LINDSAY BOATHOUSE

Constructed on Toronto’s Outer Harbor, the Lindsay Boathouse provides Upper Canada College’s rowing program with its first purpose-built facility while extending the school’s public-facing mission. Developed in partnership with Ports Toronto, the project supports both the school’s 160-year-old rowing tradition and broader community access to the waterfront and adjacent nature preserve.

The 9,400 sq. ft. facility is organized into three longitudinal volumes, its concave roof forms inspired by the motion of boats, the buoyancy of hulls, and the wave patterns created by oars on water. The elegant hybrid timber–steel structure employs cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels and slender steel framing to create naturally lit vaulted interiors, echoing the lightweight technologies of boat construction. Views of Lake Ontario and the Toronto skyline anchor the project in its setting, while flexible program spaces balance school and community needs.

The building accommodates boat storage bays, crew docks, a launch area, locker rooms, and a multipurpose training room that can be transformed for fundraising, exhibitions, or public gatherings. Designed for universal accessibility, the facility supports both the daily operations of the rowing program and the wider community.

Sustainability strategies address the sensitivity of the peninsula site. The facility is naturally daylit and ventilated, operates seasonally without heating or cooling systems, and minimizes energy and water use. Bird-safe glazing, green roofs, and native landscaping further reduce ecological impact while enhancing biodiversity and managing stormwater. Collectively, these measures root the project in its lakefront setting while safeguarding the surrounding ecosystem.

Architect - Bohlin Cywinski Jackson

Structural Engineer - Walter P Moore, Dallas, Texas, USA

General Contractor - Scott + Reid, Addison, Texas, USA

Wood Supplier - Smartlam with Western Archrib, Dothan, Alabama, USA

Photography - NIC Lehoux, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

GREENHILL SCHOOL, ROSE O. VALDES STEM + INNOVATION CENTER

The Rosa O. Valdes STEM + Innovation Center at Greenhill School in Addison, Texas provides a new 67,400 sq. ft. home for middle and upper school math, science, and innovation programs. Classrooms, fabrication and robotics labs, makerspaces, and gathering areas are intermixed to support cross-disciplinary learning, all organized around a central courtyard that brings daylight into primary circulation paths and teaching spaces. A classroom wing extends south to frame a new campus plaza with outdoor educational and social areas.

From the outset, the project placed sustainable design on display. Mass timber was selected early as the structural and finish material, demonstrating visible strategies for carbon reduction while aligning with the campus’s architectural character. Glulam beams and columns paired with cross-laminated timber (CLT) slabs form the structure of classrooms, labs, and gathering areas. Left exposed without added finishes, the wood establishes a warm, biophilic framework that enriches daily use while reducing embodied carbon.

A key innovation resolved the competing goals of sourcing mass timber locally while preserving the desired Douglas fir expression. The project team developed a bespoke lay-up of five-ply CLT, combining hidden layers of Southern Yellow Pine with a visible Douglas fir layer to match the exposed glulam beams.

Precut glulam and CLT panels were rapidly assembled with minimal steel connections, reducing construction time, noise, and disruption to the active campus. Natural wood finishes complement the structure throughout, reinforcing an environment that students and faculty have praised for its warmth, sustainability, and transformative impact on campus life.

Architect - Unity Design Studio Inc.

Structural Engineer - LEA Consulting Ltd., Markham, ON, Canada

General Contractor - Chandos Construction, Mississauga, ON, Canada

Wood Supplier - Timmerman Timberworks, New Lowell, ON, Canada

Photography - Salina Kassam, Toronto, ON, Canada

CANADIAN CANOE MUSEUM

Situated on the shoreline of Little Lake, on the Traditional Territory of the Williams Treaties First Nations, the new Canadian Canoe Museum provides a purpose-built home for the world’s largest collection of paddle-driven watercraft—more than 650 canoes and kayaks recognized as a national cultural treasure. The 65,000 sq. ft. facility is both materially and symbolically rooted in wood, reflecting the ingenuity of the canoe itself.

Glulam beams and cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels form the building’s expressive structural frame, creating a warm and legible rhythm across public spaces. From the double-height entrance hall to the lake-facing meeting room, wood spans large distances, enhances acoustics, and fosters a welcoming atmosphere. Ontario-sourced wood clads the exterior alongside weathering steel and stone, forming a high-performance envelope that protects the collection while connecting to its natural surroundings.

At the heart of the museum, the 20,000 sq. ft. Collections Hall preserves the artifact holdings under strict conservation standards, while a 17,000 sq. ft. Exhibition Hall offers contemplative displays of Canada’s paddled watercraft. Additional features include a canoe-building studio, research library, and an outdoor Canoe House with dock access for on-water education.

Engagement with Indigenous communities shaped every aspect of the project. Smudging-permissible spaces, multilingual wayfinding in Michi Saagiig Anishnaabemowin, English, and French, and interpretive elements in additional Indigenous languages honor this place and its layered histories. Native plantings and cultural gathering spaces—including a fire circle, ceremonial circle, and rain garden—invite reflection, learning, and connection. Completed in 2024, the museum stands as an act of stewardship—of land, craft, and story—expressed through wood.

Located in Kelowna, BC, sʔitwənx is a 37-space child care centre whose name means “crane” in the Syilx language. Inspired by Friedrich Froebel’s concept of “kindergarten”—part garden, part schoolroom—the design creates a continuous edge to an indoor–outdoor play environment. Within this landscape, children encounter space at their own scale, moving between discovery zones that blend play, learning, and rest. A skylit timber structure evokes branching canopies, while Syilx artworks in the windows connect interiors to Okanagan stories and wildlife.

Wood was chosen for wellness, sustainability, and constructability. Its warmth, scent, and ability to moderate humidity create calming, healthy environments—important given children’s elevated sensitivity to air quality. Exposed timber minimizes the need for applied finishes and exterior insulation prevents thermal bridging, ensuring efficiency while allowing the wood structure to remain visible.

The structure employs exposed pre-engineered wood trusses paired with conventional timber detailing. Organized on a 610 mm module, six truss types articulate primary and secondary spaces. Dimensional lumber walls and trusses provided flexibility during construction, enabling carpenters to accommodate mechanical systems, while their exposed finish creates durable surfaces for children’s activity and display. The system was erected in just three weeks, underscoring both efficiency and long-term adaptability.

By distributing the program into overlapping discovery zones beneath a rhythmic timber roof, sʔitwənx transforms a cellular child care model into an immersive, flexible environment where wood supports both architectural expression and child well-being.

Architect - Dubbeldam Architecture + Design

Structural Engineer - Blackwell Structural Engineers, Toronto, ON, Canada

General Contractor - Ortolan Building Design, Alliston, ON, Canada

Wood Supplier - Maibec, Toronto, ON Canada

Photography - Riley Snelling Photography, Toronto, ON, Canada

CATCHACOMA COTTAGE

Catchacoma Cottage is a one-storey retreat for a multigenerational family, nestled in a forest clearing on a peninsula overlooking Lake Catchacoma. Composed of three interlocking volumes shaped by the site’s sloping topography, the design integrates with the land to forge a quiet yet powerful connection between architecture and landscape.

Wood is the project’s unifying material, anchoring both vision and construction. The structure relies on light wood framing—a deliberate choice for its efficiency, reduced carbon impact, and ease of assembly on a remote site. From frame to cladding, finishes, and decking, timber provides a consistent material language that is both practical and expressive.

On the exterior, dark grey stained siding echoes the vertical rhythm of surrounding tree trunks, allowing the cottage to recede into the forest. At the entry, warm cedar marks a welcoming threshold. Inside, walls of maple plywood and solid maple flooring establish a durable, light-filled environment, their tones reinforcing a sense of continuity with the woodland beyond. Select reclaimed wood elements add texture and character.

Treated wood plays a central role in ensuring long-term performance. Pressure-treated decking forms a multi-tiered platform along the lakeside elevation, stepping down the slope toward the water to create generous outdoor living spaces. Designed to resist moisture and seasonal wear, these preserved wood elements extend the usable life of the cottage while minimizing maintenance, making sustainability tangible for daily use.

In every detail, Catchacoma Cottage demonstrates how thoughtful use of wood—both untreated and preserved—can provide beauty, resilience, and a lasting connection to place.

Architect - Vandervort Architects

Structural Engineer - Evergreen Design, Camano Island WA USA

General Contractor - Needham Construction, Anacortes WA USA

Wood Supplier - issaquah Lumber, Issaquah WA USA, Frontier Building Supply, Anacortes WA USA

Photography - Benjamin Benschneider, Bellingham WA USA

SAN JUAN ISLANDS RESIDENCE

Located on a remote island in Washington’s San Juan archipelago, this residence occupies the footprint of a previous home to minimize site disturbance while maximizing engagement with spectacular water views on three sides. Arrival is oriented to the west-facing dock, where the main living areas overlook the harbor, while three bedrooms on the east side offer more intimate views of a sheltered cove. The 2,900 sq. ft. home is designed as a series of interwoven spaces that respond directly to the topography, circulation, and outlooks of the site.

Wood is central to the project’s expression, used to order, structure, and warm the living environment. The main living space is conceived as a cedar-paneled pavilion, defined by a rhythm of Douglas fir timber frames and shou sugi ban–clad niches that create a sequence of spaces, each oriented to its own distinct view. Throughout, Western Red Cedar’s natural warmth enhances the pavilion’s spatial clarity and its dialogue with the surrounding forest.

On the exterior, weathered cedar siding is combined with tinted concrete and dark metal roofing to echo the tones of the rocky shoreline and tree canopy. Random-width cedar boards, asymmetric gable forms, and gridded windows lend the home a vernacular connection to the island’s history of habitation, while careful detailing emphasizes its contemporary character.

By blending material authenticity with precise craftsmanship, the residence engages its remarkable site with quiet confidence, creating a home that feels both rooted and refined.

WAHTA' ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

The Wahta' Elementary School project highlights the strength, adaptability, and warmth of wood, selected to meet both the functional and cultural needs of the community. More than a structural choice, wood serves as a narrative device, grounding the building in its landscape and daily use.

Central to the design is the extensive use of glued-laminated timber (glulam), valued for its structural efficiency and ability to achieve graceful curvature. This property enabled the creation of an organic spatial language that is both welcoming and well-suited to an educational environment.

The building’s structure is defined by a series of rigid glulam arches joined with glued-rod connections. This system provides high load-bearing capacity while maintaining slender proportions and visual lightness. The concealed connections simplify the reading of the interior, producing fluid lines and reinforcing the overall sense of clarity and elegance.

Wood also advances the project’s sustainability goals. All structural elements are shielded from weather exposure, extending service life and minimizing maintenance. Inside, exposed timber surfaces eliminate the need for secondary finishes, reducing material consumption while emphasizing the wood’s natural grain and texture. Together, these strategies reduce embodied energy, enhance durability, and create an environment with biophilic qualities known to support learning and well-being.

Wahta’ Elementary School demonstrates how contemporary architecture can combine traditional material knowledge with advanced timber engineering. By integrating glulam technology with sustainable detailing, the project provides a resilient, efficient, and inspiring setting for education—an enduring expression of respect for nature, craft, and community.

Architect - DG3A Architecture

Structural Engineer - bdco struture and civil engineering, Quebec, QC. Canada

General Contractor - Durand construction, Quebec, QC, Canada

Wood Supplier - Art Massif, Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, QC, Canada

Photography - Stéphane Groleau, Stoneham-et-Tewksbury, QC, Canada

KREHER PRESERVE & NATURE CENTER ENVIRONMENTAL
EDUCATION BUILDING

Set within the 120-acre Kreher Preserve and Nature Center, the Environmental Education Building demonstrates how sustainable forestry and advanced timber construction can work in tandem to create healthy, inspiring spaces for learning. Organized along a central spine conceived as a “learning trail,” the design extends into the woodland with alternating classrooms, administrative spaces, and porches that immerse students and visitors in the surrounding environment.

The structure showcases regionally sourced southern yellow pine, harvested through responsible forestry practices and manufactured into cross-laminated timber (CLT) and glulam at a nearby facility in Dothan, Alabama. This mass timber system forms the ceilings, walls, and primary spans, complemented by light wood framing in partitions and deck structures. Prefabrication ensured efficient assembly, reduced waste, and maximized the value of local forestry products, highlighting their role in the region’s economy as well as in sustainable building.

Exposed structural elements create a legible framework that functions as both architecture and educational tool, allowing occupants to see and understand the potential of renewable wood products. Biophilic details reinforce these lessons: natural finishes, hardwood floors, stained siding, CNC-cut motifs, and scaled hardware connect people to craft and forest.

Butterfly roof forms support rainwater harvesting, daylighting, and ventilation while channeling water into bioswales that filter and sustain the preserve’s ecology. Together with the extensive use of wood, these strategies reduce embodied carbon, improve building performance, and strengthen the link between sustainable forestry, environmental stewardship, and occupant health and comfort.

Architect - Leers Weinzapfel Associates Architects, Inc.

Structural Engineer - Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, Inc (EOR), Boston, MA, United States; KPFF (Delegated design engineering), Birrmingham, AL, United States

General Contractor - W. W. Compton Contractor, LLC, Auburn, AL, United States

Photography - Smartlam North America, Dothan, AL, United States

Wood Supplier - Timothy Hursley, Little Rock, AR, United States

Architect - Project Designer: MGA | Michael Green Architecture, Architect of Record: SERA Architects

Structural Engineer - Equilibrium Consulting, Vancouver, BC, Canada

General Contractor - XL Construction, Sunnyvale, California, US

Wood Supplier - Structurlam (now Mercer), Vancouver, BC, Canada

Photography - Ema Peter, Vancouver BC Canada

GOOGLE BORREGAS

Google’s first mass timber office building, located in Sunnyvale, California, defines a new standard for sustainable workplace architecture with a scalable and repeatable approach to low-carbon design. Encompassing 180,000 square feet, 1265 Borregas is a deliberate shift away from the old-school steel and concrete palette of Silicon Valley toward high-performance, biophilic environments that align with Google’s goal of a carbon-free future by 2030. 

Structurally, the building uses a kit-of-parts approach with a CLT and glulam system forming the backbone of the solution. The south volume has five floors of single-height spaces on a 20' x 20' grid with hybrid CLT-concrete slabs to accommodate cantilevers for balconies and solar shading. 

The north volume, by contrast, features three floors of double-height open spaces on a 30' x 30' grid, designed to emulate a grove of trees. These larger spans are achieved with glulam columns and beams and CLT floor panels. The mass timber is exposed throughout to emphasize material honesty, reduce the need for applied finishes, and foster a strong biophilic connection for occupants.

Given that mass timber was relatively new to the City of Sunnyvale, the team engaged local code consultants early and decoupled the lateral system—utilizing non-load bearing steel braced frames—to simplify approvals and eliminate the need for intumescent coatings.

One of the project’s most distinctive features is its closed cavity façade system, the first of its kind in North America. This advanced skin comprises double-glazed inner panes, single-glazed outer panes, and a sealed cavity filled with automated Accoya timber blinds. These blinds adjust in response to light and heat, offering both passive solar control and a dynamic architectural expression that celebrates wood inside and out.

Architect - MOTIV Architects Inc.

Structural Engineer - Fast + Epp, Vancouver, BC, Canada

General Contractor - Blue City Construction, New Westminster, BC, Canada

Wood Supplier - Dicks Lumber, Surrey, BC, Canada

Photography - Latreille Architectural Photography, Vancouver, BC, Canada

THE GRANARY AT SOUTHLANDS

Located in the heart of Southlands, an “Agri-Hood” in Tsawwassen, BC, The Granary is a mixed-use community hub surrounded by farmland to the west and north. Housing a brewery, restaurant, and 35 residences, the building sits opposite the historic refurbished “Red Barn” community space, delivering on the development’s mission to connect residents to the land and to the agricultural cycles of food production that surround it.

The design takes cues from barns and silos—utilitarian structures built to last. In keeping with that tradition, The Granary employs light wood frame construction throughout, with prefabricated wall panels assembled on site. This system—familiar, scalable, and cost-effective—enabled mirrored residential layouts, efficient construction, and reduced on-site disruption. Engineered wood trusses span the large gables of the brewery and restaurant, providing economical solutions for wide interiors while accelerating construction timelines. Together, these strategies demonstrate how conventional wood systems can deliver both housing affordability and vibrant mixed-use spaces.

The large gables of the brewery and restaurant are clad in black-stained board and batten cedar wood siding, a material that will intentionally weather and change over time. Like the agricultural barns that inspired it – it is an honest building. The rhythm and massing of the structure echo the nearby Red Barn, creating continuity between historic and new forms while establishing a contemporary focal point for community life.

Courtyards and passages around the building recall the “spaces between” found on working farms, where varied uses overlap organically. At Southlands, these spaces frame markets, gatherings, and daily encounters, reinforcing the community’s agricultural roots.

SANSIN sponsored AWARD WINNER

Architect - Moriyama Teshima Architects

Structural Engineer - Fast + Epp, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Wood Supplier - NORDIC Structures

Photography - Tom Arban, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

ONTARIO SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS' FEDERATION (OSSTF) HEADQUARTERS AND MULTI-TENANT COMPLEX

The Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) Headquarters and Multi-Tenant Commercial Building is a progressive 3-storey, 124,000 sq. ft. fully exposed mass timber project in Toronto that combines workplace revitalization with new commercial opportunities. The design reflects OSSTF’s commitment to long-term value, employee wellness, and operational savings, while advancing the organization’s broader goals of social, environmental, and financial sustainability.

The program is organized to accommodate both OSSTF offices and two floors of leasable tenant space, joined by a central atrium that offers openness, outside views, and opportunities for spontaneous interaction. Shared spaces—including a lobby, café, ground-floor terrace, and multipurpose event space—support collaboration between staff and tenants while also welcoming community groups, extending the building’s role beyond its own occupants.

Exposed mass timber defines the architectural experience, with glulam and CLT elements creating a renewable, carbon-sequestering structure that enhances employee well-being. The building prioritizes democratic access to light and views, ensuring that all occupants benefit from the natural warmth of wood and connections to the outdoors.

Sited on the edge of the Don Valley ravine, the project incorporates extensive ecological restoration and stabilization through naturalization and water balance strategies. Landscape design further emphasizes stewardship, with reclaimed wood from the site repurposed into furniture that reinforces the narrative of renewal.

By integrating mass timber construction, ecological restoration, and community-oriented programming, the OSSTF Headquarters exemplifies how architecture can deliver sustainability, resilience, and shared value.

Architect - mcCallumSather

Structural Engineer - Aspect Structural Engineers, Toronto, ON, Canada

General Contractor - Loftin Construction, Toronto, ON, Canada

Wood Supplier - Element5, St. Thomas, ON, Canada

Photography - Assembly Corp., Toronto, ON, Canada

1120 OSSINGTON

Located on a compact infill site in Toronto, 1120 Ossington is a three-storey transitional housing project developed by St. Clare’s to address the urgent housing crisis through CMHC’s Rapid Housing Initiative. From the outset, speed, cost efficiency, and sustainability shaped the design approach. The result is a durable, high-performance building that demonstrates the potential of modular mass timber construction in dense urban contexts.

Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) was selected for both environmental and practical reasons. As a renewable, low-carbon material, CLT reduces embodied carbon while offering the strength-to-weight ratio required for prefabricated assembly. The superstructure and interior partitions were manufactured off-site as timber panels, delivered ready to install. This strategy ensured precision and quality control while significantly shortening the construction schedule and minimizing disruption to the surrounding neighbourhood.

Site constraints demanded inventive construction sequencing. With limited staging area, the team built 75% of the structure from the rear before completing the front after crane access was removed. A motel-style layout with exterior corridor access further streamlined approvals by complying with Part 9 of the Ontario Building Code, eliminating the need for elevators and expediting delivery.

The building envelope exceeds National Energy Building Code requirements, with high insulation values and efficient mechanical systems reducing operational energy demand. Completed under tight time and budget constraints, 1120 Ossington illustrates how modular mass timber can deliver high-quality, socially impactful housing solutions that are sustainable, resilient, and repeatable.

Architect - 1x1 architecture

Structural Engineer - Wolfrom Engineering Ltd, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

General Contractor - 0812 Building Solutions, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

Wood Supplier - Finmac Lumber, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

Photography - Lisa Stinner-Kun, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

F RESIDENCE

Set on family acreage between Winkler and Morden in southern Manitoba, the F Residence is a two-storey home designed to balance openness, comfort, and connection to its rural setting. The house is defined by a striking 125-foot-long monoslope roof and an exterior clad primarily in black-stained cedar, with natural Douglas fir providing contrast at key moments of entry and approach. The recessed main entrance creates a visual axis from the living room to the property’s drive, allowing views to arriving guests while marking a deliberate threshold into the home.

The open-plan interior centers on a double-height fireplace, with floor-to-ceiling glazing along the living room drawing daylight deep into the space. Smaller windows punctuate the drive-side façade to provide privacy while maintaining balance in the composition. The program includes four bedrooms, an office, theatre and simulator room, bar, and art room, as well as a generous recreation wing with an indoor pool, sauna, and fitness area. Sliding glass doors open the pool directly to the outdoors during Manitoba’s summer months.

Wood is integral throughout the project, providing structure, cladding, millwork, and finishes. Black cedar defines the exterior, transitioning to natural cedar on the south façade and fir slats at the entry that extend indoors as a unifying detail. White oak is used for flooring, stair treads, and doors, complementing the steel frame with warmth and texture. Inside the pool wing, a cedar-clad sauna introduces a note of intimacy.

Through its expressive use of wood, the F Residence establishes a refined yet grounded presence, harmonizing contemporary design with its prairie surroundings.

Architect - Republic Architecture Inc.

Structural Engineer - KGS Group, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

General Contractor - Bird Construction, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

Wood Supplier - StructureCraft, Abbotsford, BC, Canada, Cornerstone Timberframes, Steinbach, MB, Canada

Photography - Stationpoint Photographic, Canada

RIEL CONSTRUCTION OFFICE

The Riel Construction Office is a flagship workplace that unites previously separate administrative and construction teams under one roof in a space designed for inclusivity, flexibility, and socio-cultural sensitivity. The 2,450 m² mixed-use facility follows LEED Gold principles, integrating office and workshop spaces in a model of sustainable, wellness-focused design.

A defining feature of the building is its structural wood ceilings, which play a central role in both performance and experience. Dowel Laminated Timber (DLT) spans the office areas, providing structural support while introducing natural warmth and rhythm to the interiors. Electrical systems and suspended lighting are carefully integrated to preserve uninterrupted timber surfaces, reinforcing a sense of calm and cohesion across the open-plan workspace.

Beyond aesthetics, the exposed wood ceilings contribute directly to health and comfort. Visual wood surfaces have been shown to reduce stress responses, mirroring the restorative qualities of nature—an important factor in office environments where well-being supports productivity. Acoustically, the porous qualities of wood absorb sound rather than reflect it, minimizing distractions and creating greater privacy in a dynamic, activity-based setting.

The use of timber supports both environmental and practical goals. Prefabricated wood ceilings reduce embodied carbon while streamlining construction, demonstrating how sustainable strategies can also deliver efficiency. Combined with abundant daylight, views, and a layout that encourages interaction, the result is a workplace where wood enhances building performance and enriches the daily experience of its occupants.

Architect - Diamond Schmitt Architects

Structural Engineer - Entuitive

General Contractor - EllisDon

Wood Supplier - Western Archrib

Photography - Michael Wach Architectural Photography

Christophe Bénard Photography

SAM CENTRE

The Sam Centre is a year-round cultural facility that brings the world of the Calgary Stampede—past, present, and future—to life through immersive exhibitions, technology, and Western hospitality. Occupying 30,000 sq. ft. on a single level, the building provides a flexible platform for multimedia showcases, public programs, and exhibitions, supported by specialized artifact and archival collection spaces.

Mass timber plays a defining role in both structure and character, connecting the project to the Stampede’s heritage and the agricultural traditions of Alberta. The linear volume is organized beneath a broad pitched roof, supported by a hybrid steel frame with exposed mass timber beams and a Nail Laminated Timber roof deck. The form is a contemporary reinterpretation of prairie barns—simple, durable structures that once anchored rural communities. Deep overhanging soffits, clad in Douglas fir, extend the building’s reach into the plaza, reducing energy loads while recalling the generous verandahs of local farmhouses, long valued as welcoming thresholds and shaded outdoor gathering places. A raised clerestory punctuates the roofline, drawing daylight into the building by day and glowing as a lantern at night.

Inside, Douglas fir acoustic ceilings, soffits, and a white oak raised access floor complement the timber structure with durable finishes that enhance warmth and resilience. Exterior benches, a café, and landscaped edges extend activity outward, linking Sam Centre to Enbridge Plaza, Youth Campus buildings, and the adjacent Rundle Ruins.

By merging mass timber construction with vernacular forms, Sam Centre creates a civic landmark rooted in place, ensuring the spirit of the Stampede can be celebrated year-round.

Architect - 1x1 architecture

Structural Engineer - Crosier Kilgour, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

General Contractor - 1902518 Alberta Ltd General Contractor. Grand Prairie, AB, Canada

Wood Supplier - Camantra Millworking, Calgary, AB, Canada

Photography - Lisa Stinner-Kun, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

Government of Canada, Ottawa, MB, Canada

G7 SUMMIT - INTERIOR RENOVATIONS

In preparation for the 2025 G7 Leaders’ Summit, the conference centre at the Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge underwent a series of fast-tracked interior renovations. The work focused on the main Outreach Room, bilateral meeting spaces, and interstitial foyers—transforming existing facilities to create intimate, retreat-style settings suited to high-level dialogue.

The Outreach Room received the most dramatic intervention. An inverted, angled ceiling was introduced to bring the scale down and focus attention on the central conference table, while sixteen-foot rough-sawn spruce timbers were placed in front of the glazed curtain wall to accentuate verticality and visually extend the room into the surrounding mountain landscape. These locally felled timbers—sourced from an Alberta Parks firebreak—were hand-selected and fabricated by Canadian millworkers, grounding the space in themes of sustainability and stewardship.

Across the interiors, walls and ceilings were clad in stained Douglas fir panels. Prefabricated off-site in 12-inch widths, the panels were installed using cleats for speed and precision, meeting tight deadlines while ensuring the entire system could be removed cleanly once the summit concluded. A custom relief graphic of a mountain range, created in Douglas fir, provided a subtle reference to the Kananaskis G7 logo. In the bilateral rooms, Douglas fir formed warm backdrops for meetings, while Canadian red oak was used for the leaders’ table and official signage.

All wood elements were detailed for disassembly and reuse, and are currently stored for a future permanent renovation. The project demonstrates how thoughtful, efficient renovations can adapt existing facilities for global events while showcasing Canadian materials and craftsmanship.

Architect - Unison Architecture Ltd. 

Structural Engineer - Aspect Engineers Ltd.

General Contractor - Signia Construction Ltd.

Wood Supplier - Top 40 Woodworks Ltd.

Photography - Unison Architecture Ltd.

ADAMS LAKE HEALTH + WELLNESS CENTRE

The Adams Lake Multipurpose Facility was conceived as a community service hub, bridging childcare, Aboriginal Head Start programs, and visiting professional services within a single building. At 14,000 sq. ft. on the main level with an additional 600 sq. ft. basement, the facility is organized as a one-storey, slab-on-grade wood-framed structure that prioritizes renewable materials and efficient building systems.

Wood defines both the structure and spirit of the project. Conventional light wood framing forms the building’s envelope and interior partitions, paired with added layers of gypsum wallboard for fire separation. Acoustic performance was carefully engineered through resilient channels, sealed doors, and staggered outlets, ensuring privacy and comfort between program areas. The high-performance envelope—composed of well-insulated walls and fiberglass windows—allowed for a smaller mechanical system, further improving energy efficiency.

At the heart of the design are four massive structural pillars, harvested directly from the Adams Lake Indian Band’s traditional territory. Serving as both load-bearing elements and cultural anchors, the logs reflect the community’s deep connection to forestry and the land. Their placement establishes a central gathering space that embodies the facility’s wellness-driven mission while highlighting wood’s capacity to serve functional, spiritual, and symbolic roles simultaneously.

Through its wood structure, durable detailing, and cultural grounding, the Adams Lake Multipurpose Facility transforms what is often an institutional model of essential services into a welcoming, wellness-oriented environment. By drawing on renewable materials, efficient systems, and the symbolic presence of locally harvested structural pillars, the design shifts perception from clinical to community-focused, creating a place that supports both care and cultural identity.

Architect - GGA-Architecture, Calgary, AB, Canada

Structural Engineer - LEX3 Engineering, Calgary, AB, Canada

General Contractor - Chandos Construction, Calgary, AB, Canada

Wood Supplier - Kalesnikoff Lumber Co. Ltd., Castlegar, BC, Canada

Photography - Latreille Architectural Photography, Vancouver, BC, Canada

KIN PARK PAVILLION AND ICE RINK

The pavilion at Kin Park in Fort St. John, BC supports year-round recreation, serving the park’s outdoor ice rink in winter and baseball diamond in summer. The defining feature of the pavilion is a cross-laminated timber (CLT) roof that spans 12 metres between two independent volumes like a bridge between piers. The clear-coated Spruce-Pine-Fir panels reveal the natural warmth of wood while contrasting with the dark masonry of the supports, creating a covered warming area open to both the ice rink and grass field. Smooth and refined against the textured bases, the exposed mass timber roof establishes a landmark presence in the park.

Offering the precision and quality assurance of offsite fabrication as well as a single point of responsibility on site, CLT was the structural solution that overcame the challenges of limited trade availability. The CLT’s monolithic character eliminates small components such as trim and soffit boards which are vulnerable to vandalism and freeze thaw cycles. Its smooth planes also eliminate any concern of bird nesting in soffit areas. 

Architect - Patkau Architects

Structural Engineer - Glotman Simpson Consulting Engineers, Vancouver BC Canada

General Contractor - The Haebler Group, Vancouver BC Canada

Photography - James Dow / Patkau Architects, Vancouver BC Canada

Wood Supplier - Swiftsure Milling and Mouldings, Surrey, BC Canada

POINT GREY HOUSE

Responding to a sloping site, open park views, and the limits of Vancouver’s “wedding-cake” zoning envelope, Point Grey House balances restraint and openness. Its sectional strategy brings the middle floor to grade at the south and the lower floor to grade at the north, reinforcing a strong dialogue with the landscape.

The primary spatial strategy uses wood-clad volumes to organize private functions within larger open areas. On the main floor, a singular space for living, dining, and cooking opens to a generous terrace overlooking the park, with a smaller volume marking the entry and powder room. A skylit stair leads upward to a study and bedroom arranged around a wood-lined dressing and bathing core, while the lower level accommodates a garage, guest suite, and gallery, with direct access to an outdoor patio.

The exterior envelope is articulated with linear wood elements that fold and weave across the façade. These elements perform as screens, sunshades, and canopies, providing shadow play and environmental control. A folding wood shutter shields the upper bedroom, ensuring privacy without sacrificing light or views.

Inside, the architecture creates a calm backdrop for the owner’s notable art collection. The finishes invert a conventional gallery paradigm, with wood ceilings and white floors. This not only provides excellent acoustics and daylighting but also offers warm material richness through naturally finished white oak. 

From the woven cladding outside to the oak volumes within, wood provides continuity across the project, reinforcing the spatial order of the house and anchoring the architecture in a consistent and deliberate material language.

The following WoodWorks British Columbia winners are also winners in other categories: