To my delight – and as a student of timber engineering – original tall wood buildings constructed across Canada since the 1850s through to 1940 are drawing increasing attention as modern tall wood buildings are being introduced as a viable modern day construction alternative.
And why not? The brick and beam building originally built as factories and warehouses have become popular in the adaptive re-use of industrial old brick buildings into contemporary lofts since the 1980s in our major urban centres. Combining timber structures, exposed iron saddles, and sand-blasted brick walls, these features offer unique interior finishes that are highly coveted in today’s real estate market. As Canadian cities transition from centres of production into places of consumption, these vintage buildings have been converted into trendy offices and loft condominiums, making heritage sites increasingly prestigious and coveted.
In Vancouver ‘The Landing’, located at 375 Water Street on the boundary of historic Gastown, is one of the most prestigious historical office buildings. Built in the early 1900’s as a supply warehouse serving gold rush miners, in 1987 it underwent a meticulous comprehensive reconstruction and renovation to preserve its historical splendor.
Photographs courtesy of Wikipedia Commons
‘The Landing’ is one of the largest and tallest wood buildings in Canada, having a total floor space of 175,000 square feet (16000 square metres).
It features six office floors and two retail levels, although it is 9 storeys when observed from waterfront side, as the lower level serves as delivery bays.
Photographs are courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
The exterior of ‘The Landing’ is characterized by a large arched windows on the north side of the building which face the harbour. It mirrors the street-level entrance on the south side, and is connected by a long hallway.
Photographs are courtesy of ghostsofvancouver.com
Inside, the renovation elevated its original features with exposed brick, wood beams, brass adornments and extensive ornate plaster millwork.
Photographs are courtesy of Jonathan Grimble
This award-winning restoration serves as headquarters to many prominent companies who value its historical charm and convenient downtown location. As a result, the desirability of ‘The Landing’ has generated high rents which are creating a return on investment for the preservation efforts.
As a graduate student of Timber Engineering, tall wood buildings will increasingly become a trend for their strength, flexibility and economy.
Learning from traditional tall wood buildings like ‘The Landing’ serve as both as an example and inspiration to future design.
Researched and Written by Sylvia Ma, Master Student of Timber Engineering at the University of British Columbia.