"BVRCH is the belief that the most sophisticated thing a building can be is alive — warm to the eye, gentle to the body, honest to the land, and true to the future."
Our Vision
Why Now
British Columbia is the global epicentre of mass timber. BC now permits mass timber construction up to 18 storeys — one of the most progressive building codes on the planet — and Vancouver is hosting the world's foremost mass timber congress in September 2025.
BVRCH is positioned to lead the next chapter: bringing 12-to-18-storey mass timber residences to Vancouver's west side — neighbourhoods where design literacy, environmental values, and quality of life converge.
The structural case is settled. Mass timber matches or exceeds concrete and steel in strength, performs dramatically in seismic events, and carries a life-cycle cost advantage that only grows over time. The biophilic case is even more compelling: occupants in mass timber buildings report measurably lower stress, better air quality, and greater wellbeing than those in conventional structures.
On the "12-storey sweet spot": 12 storeys was the former BC Code ceiling, and it became the proving ground where mass timber's structural, economic, and regulatory logic aligned best. BC's 2024 code has now extended that ceiling to 18 storeys, meaning 12 remains optimal for straightforward approvals and proven economics, while 14–18 floors are increasingly viable for flagship projects.
Three Principles
Mass timber isn't just structural — it's biological. Exposed CLT ceilings and columns reduce cortisol by 9–12%, improve cognitive performance by 10–15%, and create thermal comfort that no concrete building can replicate. BVRCH buildings are designed to make residents feel measurably better the moment they walk through the door.
Inspired by Le Corbusier's machine-for-living rationalism and the spare, sun-drenched clarity of the Alexander Buildings in Palm Springs — BVRCH homes are defined by what is removed. Clean plans, honest materials, generous light. The wood does the talking. The architecture stays out of the way.
Mass timber prefabricates off-site, arrives precision-cut, and assembles in roughly 70% of the time of concrete. Smaller foundations due to lighter loads. Lower labour on-site. Higher long-term salvage value. BVRCH is not a premium product built on indulgence — it's built on a smarter way to build.
Design Lineage
BVRCH draws its aesthetic DNA from two master traditions — then reinterprets them entirely in wood, in Vancouver, for the way people want to live today.
The belief that a building should be a precision instrument for living — that light, air, and open plan are not luxuries but necessities. BVRCH inherits the discipline: no ornament that doesn't earn its place, no wall that doesn't serve the inhabitant.
George and Robert Alexander built 2,200 homes using standardised systems, restrained palettes, and indoor-outdoor flow — making architectural beauty financially accessible. BVRCH applies the same logic at altitude: mass timber as the systemised material that makes quality democratic.
Market Opportunity
BC has 11× more mass timber buildings per capita than the rest of North America. Vancouver hosts Woodrise 2025 — the world's premier mass timber congress.
BC Building Code 2024 now permits up to 18 storeys in mass timber. Vancouver City Council has approved development incentives for tall timber projects.
Kerrisdale, Point Grey, Dunbar and Kitsilano residents prioritise environmental values, design quality, and long-term investment — the ideal BVRCH audience.
Post-pandemic, residents will pay measurable premiums for documented health benefits. Exposed mass timber is the only structural system that delivers this intrinsically.
BVRCH is currently in concept development. Register your interest to be among the first to receive project updates, investment information, and early access.