Radium Community Hall

Located next to British Columbia’s Kootenay National Park, the new 8,000-sq.ft. community hall and library in the village of Radium Hot Springs is one of the first DLT buildings constructed in Canada, combining an innovative wood-focused design process with a prefabricated DLT wood structure. The project was undertaken in two phases: the community hall and library were completed in 2018, and the 1,300- sq.ft. amenity building/picnic shelter and rink were completed in 2020.

To foster the local-build strategy, the design team held a wood stakeholders workshop to identify local materials and trades partnerships. A performance-based tender for the structural work was held to accommodate a variety of local solutions, resulting in the selection of glulam posts and beams and a prefabricated DLT roof panel system. This collaborative process resulted in 80% of materials and labor coming from within 100 miles of the site, local
production of charred wood siding, and significant financial sponsorship of the building from both residents and the Columbia Valley Trust.

Perched on the edge of the natural kettle hole and lined with pine trees, the site is a microcosm of the Columbia Valley. The low-sloped forms frame the views of the mountains to the east, highlight the silhouette of the pine trees, and reflect the simple agrarian sheds of the valley. The community hall roof form creates an interior space appropriate to the requirements of the rooms, resulting in a compact building mass. An entry plaza lined with wood benches was inspired by the natural paint pots in the nearby national park.

The exterior of the building is clad in charred wood siding, manufactured 5 miles from the site. An auger system was custom-built to allow for a controlled charring of the timber, referencing the ranching culture of the valley.
Both the community hall and library are sited to maximize passive strategies with a long linear form on the east-west axis, permitting natural daylighting and cross-ventilation. Strategically located roof overhangs control solar exposure, and an existing grove of pine trees to the west and northwest shields the building from western summer sun.
Other innovations incorporated to encourage community and efficiency include the following:
• Parking on the site has been minimized using a strategy of parking around the park on the existing roads.
• A gathering plaza located on the south side of the hall features an elliptical gathering space surrounded by heavy timber amphitheater seating.

• Decks at the north and west side overlook the park below and provide indoor/outdoor spaces for celebration.
• The amenity building and rink are nestled into the park, minimizing excavation and providing universal access in all seasons.
• All landscape species were selected for their minimal water consumption and resistance to the resident bighorn sheep.
Open and accessible to all, the community hall and library support social sustainability and promote connectivity in the community, while the amenity building supports year-round use of the park.