To avoid any costly mistakes or safety risks, the contractor conducted extensive X-raying of the building and worked closely with the core and shell engineer for approvals on all drilling and routing plans. These extra steps ensured that no post-tension cables were compromised and that all MEP installations were safe and structurally sound.

Photo courtesy Layton Construction

Every beam and column of this mass timber frame structure is visible, so installation had to be both structurally sound and aesthetically seamless. This was made possible through extensive collaboration.

This heightened level of coordination carried over to all other instances where the team was working with exposed structural wood. Every installation—from lighting to casework—had to meet both operational and aesthetic standards. The construction team adopted several new construction strategies tailored to the exposed structural wood, from precise drilling techniques to protective finishing protocols.

The owner’s demountable partition systems, which were sourced from Canada, were a key feature of the design and had to work in tandem with MEP systems and the building’s existing structural elements. Proactive coordination on these modular wall systems ensured dimensions, layout and installation sequencing would all align. Thanks to these efforts, the end result is an office that is both a functional hub for HB’s own team and a dynamic showroom for current and potential clients to experience the company’s product offerings firsthand.