UBC Brock Commons

UBC Brock Commons Residence is one of the most significant construction achievements in Urban One's portfolio and a landmark project in the history of modern building. Upon completion, the 18-storey, 53-metre mass timber structure became the tallest wood building in the world, physically demonstrating the viability of advanced wood-based building systems at a scale previously reserved for concrete and steel. Delivering 305 suites and 404 beds across 162,752 square feet on the UBC campus, the building has since become a globally studied reference point for mass timber construction and a benchmark for the industry. The project achieved LEED Gold certification.

The construction program was as remarkable as the building itself. Extensive offsite prefabrication encompassed the structural system, building envelope panels, main roof panels, and select interior elements, enabling Urban One to erect 17 floors of wood structure in just nine working weeks during the summer of 2016, with prefabricated panelized envelope installation proceeding concurrently. The precision and coordination required to execute a program of this complexity at this pace set a new standard for what is possible in mass timber construction.