Lake House Phase 1

Nestled between the shores of Lake Ontario and the beautiful Niagara Escarpment, Branthaven's Lake House Waterfront Townhome and Condominium Community is a modern lifestyle development designed to provide affordable luxury living.
Amendments to the 2012 Ontario Building Code in 2015 created a more level playing field between steel, concrete and wood by permitting wood frame construction in residential and commercial buildings (Group C, Group D) up to six stories in height. The Amendments provide new opportunities for keeping with provincial policies related to the Places to Grow Act (calling for increased densities in urban and suburban environments). While light-frame wood construction is typically associated with single-family homes and townhouse construction, it can now be used for multi-unit mid-rise structures as well, enabling the development of more complete and diverse communities.
The design team took full advantage of the code changes by reimagining a feasibility concept of three four-story buildings into two six-story buildings. The re-design enabled the team to realize the same number of units while eliminating the cost of a third set of stairs and elevators. The two buildings were able to be positioned more comfortably on the site and grade-related amenities became more generous, with stunning views from each dwelling. The client preferred wood as the primary material for this condominium project because the other buildings in the community were built with the same materials and techniques. The logistics of schedule, supply chain and trades made sense. Wood construction created opportunities to accelerate the construction schedule by building sub-components, such as roof assemblies, at ground level and lifting them into place. This method of construction also reduced safety risks throughout the project. Using wood as the main structural component also provided an opportunity to support local skilled trades, wood panel manufacturers, and lumber suppliers.
Lake House features the exclusive use of wood for all the above-grade structural systems except the elevator core and exit stairs. Prefabricating lumber assemblies ensured a level of quality, performance and precision that would have been unattainable in conventional onsite construction. Panelization enabled an integration of processes, from design to review to construction, that led to significant economies of time and budget. The balconies were constructed of pressure-treated solid sawn lumber and engineered timber beams that are independent from the internal structure so that they might be serviced or replaced without disturbing the integrity of the building envelope. The design team integrated many features into the project to showcase the natural beauty of wood, including wood pergolas on the upper floor, solid sawn timber trellis features, wooden soffits at the balconies, wood panel ceilings, and other wood accents throughout the interior of the buildings. The design team realizes not every mid-rise building will be constructed of wood, nor will every light-frame wooden building be six stories, but the ability to build higher with wood has the potential to make positive changes in our urban and suburban environments.