Chilliwack Social Housing

Additional Info

Award Winner : Metric Modular

Architectural Excellence : This 4-storey building is one of five permanent Olympic Legacy Affordable Housing facilities reconfigured from temporary accommodations used in the Whistler Athletes' Village for the 2010 Winter Games. The modules were manufactured in February, 2009 with on-site completion in November. After the Games, the modules were relocated to Chilliwack and stored off-site until they were moved to the new site in September 2010. The site-constructed first floor incorporates office and meeting space with other amenities including a games room and lounge, commercial kitchen and dining room as well as ancillary space for youth services. There are eleven suites on each of three floors with the second floor for youth and the top two floors for adults struggling with mental health and addiction. The 33 suites are one bedroom or one bedroom with a bed alcove for residents with children and feature fully-equipped kitchens with eating areas, living rooms and washrooms.

Cost Energy Effectiveness : Leveraging the short-term housing needs for the Winter Games with a long-term affordable housing solution for people who need it the most, the legacy mandate ensured that the design and construction achieved high sustainable standards to promote energy efficiency and minimize any environmental impact. When the temporary accommodations were dismantled, the metal siding and other materials were recycled and the untreated wood blocking was sold for fire wood. Designed to meet or exceed EnerGuide™ 80 guidelines, the building includes high R-values, energy-efficient furnaces, heat pumps & thermostats, low flow fixtures, low energy consumption lighting and Energy Star appliances & windows.

Design Firm Name : Burrowes Huggins Architects

Occupied Date : 4/2/2011

Production Start Date : 2/20/2009

Project Location City : Chilliwack

Project Location State Name : BC

Technical Innovation : The modules were designed to be reconfigured from single-storey, temporary accommodations into a multi-storey, permanent building so they had to fit together differently when they became part of a 4-storey structure and, because the modules were used for the suites, they were constructed with kitchen and plumbing rough-ins and designed to Adaptable Dwelling standards with accessible features. The lumber used in the construction of the modules was primarily sourced from BC forests damaged by Pine Beetle infestation and which otherwise would not have been used.

Total Square Feet : 28002

Category : Permanent: Commercial Housing: over 10,000 sq. ft.