Structural assembly of York Region’s 18-unit supportive housing project for individuals experiencing homelessness in the Town of East Gwillimbury was quickly completed in just 7 months in the middle of winter. It began welcoming residents in the Fall of 2022.
The 2-storey cross-laminated mass timber (CLT) building called “Passage House” employs the optimized and repeatable mass timber structural solution developed by Element5 and Edge Architects. Element5 worked closely with the architect to develop an optimized CLT grid based on our St. Thomas manufacturing plant’s production specs.
Prefabricated Mass timber Speeds Construction
The decision to use prefabricated mass timber components for both the structure and building envelope significantly reduced the construction schedule. This modular delivery method, where building components are factory-built and then rapidly assembled on site, offers cost savings over a strictly site-built project.
Off-site construction provides other benefits, too, including enhanced sustainability, predictable timelines, controlled expenses, reduced construction noise and other neighbourhood disruptions, more efficient use of material and labour resources, and improved worker health and safety.
Blue Door operates the building and provides individualized support to the residents to help them live independently and to move them into permanent housing. The structure is also highly sustainable, thermally efficient, and features exposed wood throughout the build to promote health and wellness.
The project was completed under the Federal Government’s Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI).
> View the Element5 Affordable Housing Brochure online
> Download Element5 Affordable Housing Brochure [pdf: 35 MB]
