837 Beatty Street is a transformative adaptive reuse and expansion project of a historic two-storey warehouse building in downtown Vancouver. Built in 1911 as part of the Block 68 collection of industrial warehouses, the building was originally constructed from heavy timber post, beam, and decking, combined with load-bearing masonry.
The revitalization project includes a four-storey mass timber vertical addition that will incorporate glulam post and beam and nail-laminated timber (NLT) systems. This new structure will integrate with the existing building’s load-bearing masonry and heavy timber framework, ensuring that the vertical extension complements the original architecture while enhancing the building’s functionality for modern commercial use.
A key feature of the project is the structural upgrade and the incorporation of mass timber to preserve the building’s heritage while modernizing it for contemporary use. The existing structure will undergo an extensive seismic upgrade, supported by a hybrid system combining strategically placed new interior concrete shear walls with the original timber components. This allows the building to meet modern seismic standards without compromising its historical character.
This lightweight mass timber approach not only preserves an iconic heritage building but also enables urban densification while minimizing the load on the original structure and showcases the potential of mass timber in urban infill.
Illustrations by Norm Li.
