Tree-covered high-rise shoots for stringent Passivhaus efficiency

Urban Agency has unveiled plans for a residential high-rise in Vancouver, Canada, which boasts ambitious sustainable design elements. Defined by a stepped form that's inspired by the region's topography, the greenery covered building will be primarily constructed from wood and bamboo, and is slated to meet the stringent Passivhaus green building standard.

There are no details available yet on how tall Vancouver Forest will be, though the building will consist of 200 apartments, and will also incorporate some community space on its lower floors. Terraces and balconies will be situated to maximize light, shade, and ventilation, and the renders depict a rooftop terrace filled with greenery.

The residential building will be prefabricated off-site and will feature a modular facade, allowing for a swift build time. Structurally, it will consist of engineered bamboo and wood, with a concrete core hosting the elevator shaft and fire escape stairs.

Urban Agency's pursuit of the Passivhaus standard is significant too. Like other Passivhaus projects we've covered, it means the building will include substantial amounts of insulation and a high level of airtightness, thus enabling apartments to maintain a relatively steady temperature, even in extremes of hot and cold.

"Opting for materials with a low embodied energy, the design comprises a bamboo CLT structure and cladding, with only the [elevator] and fire stairs using concrete to comply with the local building code," says Urban Agency. "Bamboo boasts a number of sustainable credentials: it has a similar tensile strength to steel but its lightweight, tubular form renders it highly efficient to transport. The plant's prodigious regenerative rate renders it even more sustainable than timber, growing 15 times faster than traditional lumber. The facade follows a modular format that alternates windows and cladding of equal proportions. This improves thermal insulation in accordance with Passivhaus standards and allows efficient prefabrication off-site."

We've no word yet on when Vancouver Forest is expected to be completed, though will be following the project's progress. The project joins a massive crop of greenery covered buildings underway at the moment, including Jean Nouvel's Aquarela and Koichi Takada Architects' Urban Forest.

Source: Urban Agency