VANCOUVER, BC—Vancouver-based Stephane Laroye Architect Inc. (SLA) is showcasing Canadian mass timber technology and expertise on the global stage, taking home two international prizes for this year’s Architizer A+Awards.
Oceanfront Squamish Presentation Centre & Public House (PCPH) in Squamish, B.C. has been selected as the 14th Annual Architizer A+Awards Popular Choice as well as the Jury Winner in the Architecture +Prefab & Modular category.
“I am incredibly honoured that we have been recognized internationally as leaders in pre-fabrication and mass timber design and construction using BC wood,” says Stephane Laroye, Principal and Founder of SLA. “I am also proud of what it says about the future of wood technology, pre-fabrication and design. Thank you to all our partners and suppliers for making this possible.”
PCPH was envisioned to be a gathering place and a beacon for the Squamish Oceanfront Community. With its place of prominence adjacent to the 7-acre public park and community plaza, the building aims to engage and inspire.
Wood was featured throughout the building’s design with mass timber playing a central role for its modular potential, carbon sequestration and ability to be sourced locally. On the exterior, natural yellow cedar shingles were accented by robust galvanized metal, a nod to the community’s industrial heritage.
The Presentation Centre features an open concept to create a strong connection to the Oceanfront Park through expansive glazing, allowing the natural wood interiors to be viewed from outside the building. The Centre provides opportunities to showcase the Oceanfront Squamish site as well as celebrate the greater community and culture of Squamish.
The Public House, Brewery/Restaurant, was designed to create a fun and inviting dining experience with direct views of the Oceanfront Park and Howe Sound. The restaurant can spill out onto two separate patios in the summer and fair weather days while still providing enough indoor seating to remain viable during inclement weather.
The structure also features a two-storey house post, a type of monumental pole, carved by Squamish Nation Master Carver Xwalacktun (Rick Harry). This anchors the space in Indigenous narrative and tradition.
“Our team collaborated from the outset with Castlegar-based and family-owned Kalesnikoff Mass Timber who provided valuable input on the efficient use of mass timber,” notes Laroye. “We also worked closely with North Vancouver’s Naikoon Contracting, who used the project as a catalyst for developing their innovative Flying Factory, a mobile pre-fabrication facility that can be sent to remote sites to provide local employment opportunities.”
The Architizer A+Awards is the largest awards program focused on promoting and celebrating the year’s best architecture. Its mission is to nurture the appreciation of meaningful design in the world and champion its potential for a positive impact on everyday life.
This year’s program celebrated 600 projects and firm finalists across 124 categories, selected by Architizer’s 250+ member jury from thousands of submissions worldwide.
Jury Winners were chosen by decorated panel of industry experts including Carlo Ratti (Carlo Ratti Associati), Nicole Hollis (Nicole Hollis), Ma Yansong (MAD Architects), Koichi Takada (Koichi Takada Architects), Andre Jacques (OFFPOLINN), and Jerome Byron (Office of BC), as well as luminaries from beyond architecture like Carson Chan (Museum of Modern Art), Lisa Demetrios (Eames Institute), and Miles Smith (Graphisoft).
SLA was selected by the Jury and by the Popular Vote in the Architecture +Prefab & Modular category from the following finalist projects and their firms:
Lahaina Homes – Liv-Connected with DXA studio
Studio House – Ark-Shelter
Red Camp – Idee Architects
Desert Ark – designRESERVE
