A Williams Lake company has been presented with a ‘Green Building Award’ for its work on the Tsawwassen First Nation Youth Centre.
Earlier this week, Dürfeld Log & Timber released “Building a Vision” – a five-minute time-lapse film showing the creation and assembly of the Youth Centre, which was awarded Sustainable Architecture and Building magazine’s Canadian Green Building Award 2021.
“With the growing concern for the embodied carbon in our built environment, this Tsawwassen First Nation building stands out for its commitment to that cause,” said a statement from SAB magazine. “In fact, its widespread use of wood and its projected low operating energy demand, may make the building carbon negative for a decade or more.”
Dürfeld Log & Timber say they are honoured to have worked in close collaboration with Nancy Mackin Architecture, Tsawwassen First Nation, Converge Construction Ltd., and StructureCraft Builders Inc. to provide the handcrafted Western Red Cedar post and beam frame for the project, as well as coordination of the prefabricated steel and mass timber components.
While the TFN Youth Centre incorporates the latest advances in wood construction (including mass timber), its design and finishing are culturally guided. Artwork at the entry and throughout the structure reflect the long history of the Tsawwassen First Nation people.
“This project felt as much like building a work of art and history, as the building of a functional structure,” said DL&T founder Ric Dürfeld. “We believe that this approach – close collaboration and cultural guidance – yields values that are much greater than the building alone.”
TFN Chief Ken Baird said he is very proud of their Youth Centre.
“I’m especially proud of this new Youth Centre where our young people can go to learn our language and culture, develop new skills and have a safe place to have fun,” he said.
