Recalibrating Rustic: A Parametric Evolution of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Vernacular

UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY

Recalibrating Rustic: A Parametric Evolution of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Vernacular

by

Nicolas Alexandre Hamel

A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN

GRADUATE PROGRAM IN ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN

CALGARY, ALBERTA SEPTEMBER, 2020

© Nicolas Alexandre Hamel 2020

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Abstract When the intersection of a region’s local construction culture, material preferences and climate are studied, one will often find the presence of vernacular architecture. In the case of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, there lies many historical examples of vernacular, rooted in timber construction in response to a harsh mountain climate. This thesis not only seeks to uncover the history of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Vernacular (CRMV) through field investigation, case study and literature review but to discuss its future as well. By looking to contemporary building practice, the thesis starts discussing its future by looking to the promising material supply chain of cross laminated timber (CLT) and exposing what prevents more architecture from being constructed from it right now. Finally, the thesis summarizes the development of a novel yet accessible parametric workflow that aims to guide architectural design towards the creation of cutting edge yet functional forms of vernacular architecture.

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Acknowledgements In order to accumulate the content for this thesis, a wide variety of individuals contributed their time, knowledge and expertise. Within the academic team at the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape (SAPL) at the University of Calgary, I must express my appreciation of Joshua Taron as an exceptional academic advisor. In addition, the valued feedback on my writing from Alberto de Salvatierra made the process of constructing this document much easier.

Outside the academic circle and within that of architectural practice, I am grateful for the guidance and support of Matthew Kennedy, Mark Erickson, Damon Hayes Couture and the rest of the Studio North team for initiating the research conducted in this document. In addition, Adam Angelidis at Spearhead must be mentioned for his ability to answer the technical questions posed by this work.

Within the discussion of the Canadian Rocky Mountain region, the knowledge and resources provided by Bill Luxton and the remainder of the team at the Eleanor Luxton Foundation is greatly appreciated. Within Banff, Peter Poole and Randall McKay also played a pivotal role in shaping my knowledge of the region at both the historic and planning levels respectfully.

Finally, I must recognize the unconditional support of my loving partner Paige Berling-Mackenzie and my parents, Charles and Nicole, who offered unwavering patience with me during the stressful sixteen months in which this thesis was constructed.

Table of Contents

Abstract ......................................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................................... iv List of Figures and Illustrations...................................................................................................... x List of Symbols, Abbreviations and Nomenclature ..................................................................... xiii Chapter 1....................................................................................................................................... 1 General Introduction: Finding the Digital Log Cabin...................................................................... 1 1.1 Objectives ............................................................................................................................ 1 1.2

Thesis Context ................................................................................................................ 1

1.3

Research Problem ........................................................................................................... 4

1.3.1 Context: Why the Canadian Rocky Mountains?............................................................ 4 1.3.2

Material: Why wood? .............................................................................................. 4

1.3.3

Design: Why a parametric design tool? ................................................................... 5

1.4 Thesis Structure ................................................................................................................... 5 1.4.1 Chapter 2: What is the Rocky Mountain Vernacular? ................................................... 6 1.4.2 Chapter 3: What will it be made of? ............................................................................. 6 1.4.3 Chapter 4: Possibilities for the Rocky Mountain Vernacular......................................... 6 1.4.4 Chapter 5: How to design it .......................................................................................... 7 1.5 Contribution ........................................................................................................................ 7 Chapter 2....................................................................................................................................... 9 What is the Canadian Rocky Mountain Vernacular? ..................................................................... 9 2.1

Architecture in the Canadian Rocky Mountain Region ................................................... 9

2.2 Before Settlement Architecture ........................................................................................ 11 2.3 Scope of this Research....................................................................................................... 12 2.4 Methodology ..................................................................................................................... 12 2.5

The Canadian Rocky Mountain Building Typologies ..................................................... 14

2.5.1 Introduction................................................................................................................ 14 2.5.2 Settler’s Cabin ............................................................................................................ 15

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2.5.3 The Modest Miner ...................................................................................................... 18 2.5.4 The Chateauesque ...................................................................................................... 20 2.5.5 Parkitecture ................................................................................................................ 23 2.6 The Conversation of Vernacular ........................................................................................ 25 2.6.1 Introduction................................................................................................................ 25 2.6.2 Classical Definition...................................................................................................... 26 2.6.3 From the Folk Perspective .......................................................................................... 28 2.6.4 Potential for an Industrial Vernacular......................................................................... 29 2.6.5 Parametric Adoption .................................................................................................. 30 2.5.6 Formal Perversion of the Vernacular .......................................................................... 32 2.5.7 Sustainable Responsibility of the Vernacular.............................................................. 33 2.5.8 Conclusion .................................................................................................................. 34 2.6 The Fundamental Components of the CRMV .................................................................... 35 2.6.1 Introduction................................................................................................................ 35 2.6.2 Material Culture in the Region ................................................................................... 36 2.6.3 Construction Culture in the Region ............................................................................ 37 2.6.4 Response to Climate in the Region ............................................................................. 38 2.7 Vernacular Case Studies in the Canadian Rocky Mountain Region .................................... 39 2.7.1 Introduction................................................................................................................ 39 2.7.2 Of the Hills – The Era of Pre-Industry ......................................................................... 40 2.7.3 Run to the Mountains – The Dawn of Industry ........................................................... 45 2.7.4 Of the Mountains – The Post WWII Period ................................................................. 50 2.8 The Current State of Design .............................................................................................. 54 2.8.1 The History of Guidelines in Banff .............................................................................. 54 2.8.2 Overview of the Current Design Guidelines................................................................ 55 2.8.3 The Current State of Architecture in Banff ................................................................. 56 2.8.4 Recommendations for the Banff Design Guidelines ................................................... 57 Chapter 3..................................................................................................................................... 59

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CRMV Now | Assessing Material Supply: How Material Supply Chains Govern Vernacular Form .................................................................................................................................................... 59 3.1

Context ......................................................................................................................... 59

3.2

Introduction .................................................................................................................. 60

3.2.1

Motivation ............................................................................................................. 60

3.2.2 Assumptions ............................................................................................................... 60 3.2.3 The Cross Laminated Timber Supply Chain Explained ................................................ 61 3.3

Overview of the Supply Chain ....................................................................................... 62

3.3.1 Introduction................................................................................................................ 62 3.3.2 Forests ........................................................................................................................ 64 3.3.3 Log Transport ............................................................................................................. 65 3.3.4 Lumber Mills ............................................................................................................... 66 3.3.5 Manufacturing Dimensional Lumber .......................................................................... 66 3.3.6 Lumber Transport ....................................................................................................... 68 3.3.7 Panel Fabrication ........................................................................................................ 68 3.3.8 Additional Panel Processing........................................................................................ 70 3.3.9 Panel Transport .......................................................................................................... 71 3.3.10 Construction and Site Assembly ............................................................................... 71 3.4

Summary and Conclusion ............................................................................................. 72

3.5 Moving Forward: Recommendations for Improvement .................................................... 72 Chapter 4..................................................................................................................................... 75 CRMV Now | Possibilities for Today’s CRMV ............................................................................... 75 4.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 75 4.2 Case Study 1: Haus Gables by MALL .................................................................................. 76 4.3 Case Study 2: Temple of Light by Patkau in collaboration with Spearhead ....................... 80 4.4 Case Study 3: Villa Verde by Elemental ............................................................................. 84 4.5 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................... 89 Chapter 5..................................................................................................................................... 90

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Designing the CRMV | Developing Param-House to Access Parametric Potential for Conceptual Modeling ..................................................................................................................................... 90 5.1 Context .............................................................................................................................. 90 5.2 What is the 21st Century Axe? ........................................................................................... 91 5.3 Literature Review .............................................................................................................. 94 5.3.1 Introduction................................................................................................................ 94 5.3.2 Digital Project and Rhino Script .................................................................................. 94 5.3.3 EifForm and Generative Components ........................................................................ 96 5.3.4 ParaGen ...................................................................................................................... 97 5.3.5 Grasshopper and Octopus .......................................................................................... 99 5.3.6 Revit and Refinery .................................................................................................... 100 5.3.7 Grasshopper and Discover ........................................................................................ 101 5.4 The Development of Param House .................................................................................. 102 5.4.1 Context ..................................................................................................................... 102 5.4.2 The Need for Param-House ...................................................................................... 102 5.4.3 Accessibility .............................................................................................................. 103 5.4.4 Software Requirements ............................................................................................ 104 5.4.5 Collaboration ............................................................................................................ 104 5.4.6 Early Design Phase Take Off ..................................................................................... 105 5.4.7 Data Export – Numbers and Geometry .................................................................... 106 5.6 Method............................................................................................................................ 106 5.7 Construction of Param-House ......................................................................................... 107 5.8 Types of Metrics Evaluated by Param-House .................................................................. 110 5.8.1 Introduction.............................................................................................................. 110 5.8.2 Construction Grid Complexity................................................................................... 110 5.8.3 FAR & Unit Ratios ..................................................................................................... 114 5.8.4 Cost Takeoff.............................................................................................................. 115 5.8.5 Bespoke Unit Count .................................................................................................. 116

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5.8.6 Total Material Volume Usage ................................................................................... 124 5.9 Concluding Thoughts ....................................................................................................... 125 5.9.1 Summary of Chapter................................................................................................. 125 5.9.2 Param-House ............................................................................................................ 125 5.9.3 Limitations and Future Work .................................................................................... 126 Chapter 6................................................................................................................................... 129 General Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 129 6.1 Discussion of Findings...................................................................................................... 129 6.2 Generalizations and Limitations ...................................................................................... 131 6.3 Future Opportunities ....................................................................................................... 132 References ................................................................................................................................ 135 Appendix A ..................................................................................................................................... i Field Study Drawings ...................................................................................................................... i

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List of Figures and Illustrations Figure 1 The Canadian Rocky Mountain region ........................................................................... 10 Figure 2 Region of Canadian Rocky Mountains investigated in this research .............................. 13 Figure 3 1985 Volkswagon Westfalia used on CRMV field study ................................................. 14 Figure 4 The Jack Sinclair cabin in Banff, Alberta ........................................................................ 16 Figure 5 The Bill Peyto cabin in Banff, Alberta............................................................................. 17 Figure 6 Front and side gable roof variations on settlers' cabins found in Banff, Alberta ........... 18 Figure 7 Prefabricated Mining cabin in Nordegg, Alberta ........................................................... 19 Figure 8 Elevational drawing of Miner's Residence in Nordegg, Alberta ..................................... 20 Figure 9 Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton, Alberta .................................................................. 21 Figure 10 Elevational drawing of the Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton, Alberta ...................... 22 Figure 11 Superintendent’s Residence in Field, British Columbia................................................ 24 Figure 12 Elevational drawing of the Superintendent’s Residence in Field, British Columbia ..... 25 Figure 13 Generations of construction types in the Canadian Rocky Mountain region............... 37 Figure 14 Banff's yearly climatic variation, data taken from (Parks Canada 2020) ...................... 39 Figure 15 Image of the Stable's south west corner. .................................................................... 41 Figure 16 Image of the Stable's interior ...................................................................................... 43 Figure 17 Facade and isometric diagram of the Stable................................................................ 44 Figure 18 Image of the Beaver Lodge from Beaver Street ........................................................... 46 Figure 19 Exploded isometric of the Beaver Lodge's spatial organization ................................... 48 Figure 20 Interior view of the Mackenzie residence's front foyer area ....................................... 51 Figure 21 Elevations, section and plan of the Mackenzie residence ........................................... 52 Figure 22 Image of the Mackenzie residence's west facade........................................................ 53 Figure 23 Stages of the CLT supply chain in Western Canada ..................................................... 63

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Figure 24 Exterior photograph of Haus Gables (Bonner 2019) .................................................... 77 Figure 25 Interior photograph of Haus Gables’ second floor (Bonner 2019) ............................... 78 Figure 26 Panelized assembly of Haus Gables (Harvard 2020) .................................................... 79 Figure 27 Temple of Light by Patkau (Patkau 2017) .................................................................... 81 Figure 28 Prefabricated “Petal” component from the Temple of Light (Goldberg 2017) ............ 83 Figure 29 Digital explorations from Patkau's performance based workflow (Goldberg 2017) .... 84 Figure 30 Diversity of styles in Villa Verde housing (ELEMENTAL 2013) ...................................... 85 Figure 31 The nail frame construction of Villa Verde homes (ELEMENTAL 2013) ....................... 87 Figure 32 Site plan of Villa Verde (ELEMENTAL 2013) ................................................................. 88 Figure 33 Principal carpentry tools listed by Moxon in 1703 (Welsh 2013; Moxon 1703) .......... 92 Figure 34 The conceptual framework of Param-House ............................................................. 103 Figure 35 Available widgets within Param-House ..................................................................... 107 Figure 36 Project cluster attached to Octopus multi-objective solver (pink) ............................ 110 Figure 37 Construction grid analysis of Beaver Lodge ............................................................... 112 Figure 38 Construction grid analysis of Luxton Residence......................................................... 113 Figure 39 Construction grid analysis of Mackenzie Residence .................................................. 113 Figure 40 FAR and unit count optimization of multifamily project proposal in Banff ................ 115 Figure 41 Placement of the museum addition amongst the Luxton Foundation’s historic properties ................................................................................................................................. 117 Figure 42 CLT roof panel optimization in Luxton Museum addition design............................... 118 Figure 43 Render of museum addition's south elevation .......................................................... 118 Figure 44 Render of museum addition's west elevation ........................................................... 119 Figure 45 Render of museum addition's east elevation ............................................................ 119 Figure 46 Interior render of museum addition's gallery ............................................................ 120 Figure 47 Types of geometric articulations augmented by multi objective solver .................... 121

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Figure 48 Range of geometric articulations available in museum algorithm ............................. 122 Figure 49 Comparative analysis between baseline and simple rotation iterations ................... 123 Figure 50 Comparative analysis across multiple simple roof articulations ................................ 124 Figure 51 Folk Foursquare residence in Banff, Alberta adapted from (Town of Banff 2020).......... i Figure 52 Folk front Gable in Banff, Alberta adapted from (Town of Banff 2020) ......................... ii Figure 53 Victorian style residence in Revelstoke, British Columbia ............................................. ii Figure 54 Tall Pyramidal in Banff, Alberta adapted from (Town of Banff 2020) ........................... iii Figure 55 Wide Pyramidal in Banff, Alberta adapted from (Town of Banff 2020) ........................ iii Figure 56 St. Henry's Church in Twin Butte, Alberta ..................................................................... iv Figure 57 Jasper Lutheran Church in Jasper, Alberta .................................................................... iv

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List of Symbols, Abbreviations and Nomenclature AEC: Architecture, Engineering and Construction ....................................................................... 96 BIM: Building Information Modeling ........................................................................................... 96 CLT: Cross Laminated Timber ........................................................................................................ 2 CRMV: Canadian Rocky Mountain Vernacular .............................................................................. 2 FAR: Floor Area Ratio .................................................................................................................. 88 GA: Genetic Algorithm ................................................................................................................ 93 LSL: Laminated Strand Lumber .................................................................................................... 58 LVL: Laminated Veneer Lumber .................................................................................................. 58 MCDO: Multi-Criteria Design Optimization ................................................................................. 86 MOGA: Multi-Objective Generative Algorithms .......................................................................... 86 MOO: Multi-Objective Optimization ........................................................................................... 86 MTP: Mass Timber Panel............................................................................................................. 57 PI: Performance Indicator ........................................................................................................... 89 PSL: Parallel Strand Lumber ........................................................................................................ 58 SCL: Structural Composite Lumber .............................................................................................. 58

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Chapter 1 General Introduction: Finding the Digital Log Cabin 1.1 Objectives This thesis is a combination of three investigations; an analysis of a historical region, a study of a pertinent material supply chain and the construction of a digital tool. On the historical side, it has the objective of understanding the architecture of the Canadian Rocky Mountain region through a field study and literature-based investigation. Through this search, common building typologies will be defined and a definition for the region’s vernacular will be summarized. After looking at the region’s architectural history, an analysis of the current state of building will be discussed.

With the context understood, the remaining two investigations of the thesis will be covered. The first being an analysis of the cross laminated timber (CLT) supply in the Western Canadian region and what is limiting its widespread adoption. The final objective discusses the architect’s digital toolbelt and what should be adopted for efficient yet novel design of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Vernacular.

1.2 Thesis Context This thesis was constructed as a component of the Master of Environmental Design (MEDes) program at the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape (SAPL) out of the University of Calgary. The sixteen-month degree is a combination of two four-month internships, course-based work and the construction of a thesis that documents a student’s findings during the program.

During the internship funded by a Mitacs accelerate fellowship (Mitacs 2020), a primary research

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question was crafted between the thesis student, the academic supervisor and a partnering firm.

In the case of this thesis, the partnering firm was Studio North (Studio North 2020) – a Calgary based residential architecture firm who had vested interests in the topic of vernacular architecture in the Canadian Rockies. Through this line of inquiry, the primary question of the thesis was born; how does the architect approach the topic of vernacular in the Canadian Rockies today?

The thesis is unconventional in its structure because it synthesizes the outcomes of multiple projects posed by industry-based collaborators and research-based funding programs. The partners involved in the creation of thesis are as follows: 1) Studio North, 2) Spearhead- a speciality timber fabricator located in Nelson British Columbia, 3) Integrated Infrastructure for Sustainable Cities (IISC) – an NSERC funded training and research program operating out of the University of Calgary, 3) Intelligent City + LWPAC – a Vancouver based firm focused on robotically fabricated CLT. The general idea that stitched the involvement of all these collaborators together was a focus on the intersection between mass timber and digital fabrication.

During the time spent at Studio North, the project to understand and investigate the identity of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Vernacular was defined. The tasks and outcomes of the project included; 1) a field study research trip to occur during the summer of 2019, 2) extensive documentation of the built form in the region, 3) the creation of a body of content that graphically summarizes the findings of the research and 4) provide a set of recommendations to improve the Banff Design Guidelines (Town of Banff 2019).

Collaboration with Spearhead (Spearhead 2020) commenced out of interest based in digital tool development with application to digital mass timber fabrication. The proposed Mitacs internship

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would follow the placement at Studio North focusing specifically on the contemporary use of wood in architecture designed near the Canadian Rockies. For four months, a digital tool focusing on timber volume usage and manufacturing tool logistics would have been developed in their Nelson office. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, the internship was canceled after being approved

by Mitacs. Even though the internship was canceled, the exercise of drafting the internship proposal proved the importance of digital tools within contemporary architectural discourse and was further developed into the content seen in chapter 5 of this thesis.

Integrated Infrastructure for Sustainable Cities (IISC) became a collaborator in the thesis when funding was made available to study the CLT supply chain (IISC 2020). As a result, Chapter three of the document was constructed and the goal of uncovering the inefficiencies found within the Western Canadian CLT supply chain was made. The chapter summarizes the state of the supply chain at each stage and provides recommendations for improvement in its conclusion.

In March of 2020, the researcher ran a mass timber and digital fabrication focused workshop at SAPL under Joshua Taron (this thesis’ academic supervisor). During the intensive weeklong workshop, industry and research-based professionals spoke on their work. One of the speakers was Oliver David Krieg – CTO of Intelligent City + LWPAC (IC + LWPAC 2020) – and a relationship was established between the researcher and the firm based on common interests in digital fabrication and mass timber. By July 2020, the researcher had been hired on at Intelligent City – start date October 2020 - largely based on the content of this thesis and how it aligns with the firm’s goals.

The outlined objectives of this thesis were answered through the synthesis of all these projects.

They are focused on the intersection between digital tool development, digital fabrication and

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contemporary use of mass timber. A comprehensive summary of the findings can be found in the conclusion of each chapter and conclusionary chapter 6.

1.3 Research Problem 1.3.1 Context: Why the Canadian Rocky Mountains?

In the Canadian Rocky Mountains, settlement-based, colonial architecture has been present for approximately 150 years. Over this time, it has seen multiple eras of political and economical climates. However, within this time, the form of architecture in the region has distanced itself from the fundamental roots it was born from. With a rich history and an undeniably beautiful surrounding landscape, why is it that mountain architecture has lost touch with a clear understanding of its history (Dorward 1990, 5)? Through analysis of the region and a review of vernacular architecture, the research in this paper strives to define the Canadian Rocky Mountain Vernacular (CRMV).

1.3.2 Material: Why wood?

With the forces of economic, political, technologic and social change over the last 150 years, one thing has remained constant in the Canadian Rocky Mountain region; the built form has been predominantly made of wood (Ennals and Holdsworth 1998, 213; Barnes, Pflughoft, and Morris 1999). Starting with the modest pragmatism of the log cabin, the use of wood inevitably became an industrial activity with the arrival of dimensional lumber (Ennals and Holdsworth 1998, 192; E. G. Luxton 2008, 97). From the ecological benefits of wood, its universal acceptance as a construction material to its aesthetic potential, the “multi-talented� nature of the material can not be denied (Kaufmann and Nerdinger 2012, 14). With the emergence of engineered wood

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products such as cross laminated timber (CLT), the growing acceptance of its widespread use indicates that wood construction is not going anywhere (Harte 2017; Green 2012, ii; Jones 2017; Burback and Pei 2017; Kaufmann and Nerdinger 2012; Kottas 2012, 11). As a result, one of the primary focuses of this research asks; what are limitations of the current CLT supply chain in Western Canada and what is preventing it from growing? The digital technologies used in these supply chains provide an opportunity to celebrate the material because they aim to reconnect wood with a craft based history it hasn’t been associated with for over a century (Menges, Schwinn, and Krieg 2016, 3).

1.3.3 Design: Why a parametric design tool?

A third and equally important research problem this thesis covers is an understanding of how vernacular architecture should be designed today. As we will soon discover, mountain vernacular has always been designed with a pragmatic sensibility that creates long lasting architecture meant to cope with a variable mountain climate (Dorward 1990, 296). As the tools and technology available to designers evolve, forms of vernacular architecture will find the most success by embracing these methods. This research outlines a parametric workflow meant to assist the designer in achieving “elegance in the sense of deriving the greatest benefit from the least expenditure of material, energy and space� (McCarter 2017, 10).

1.4 Thesis Structure The structure of this thesis is a-typical in the sense that it merges three other-wise unrelated topics; vernacular architecture, material supply chains and parametric tool development.

However, they have been tied together in this document as a narrative that learns from historical investigation and proposes a way of carrying on a distinct architectural legacy through the

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motives of innovation and sustainability. As a result, each chapter touches on one of these topics, allowing for a conversation to unfold and findings to be summarized.

1.4.1 Chapter 2: What is the Rocky Mountain Vernacular?

Through historical investigation, field study and literature review on the concept of vernacular architecture, this chapter defines the Canadian Rocky Mountain Vernacular. It also includes chosen vernacular case studies in the region. The chapter concludes on the analysis of the current state of architecture in a prominent tourism-based town in the region; Banff, Alberta.

1.4.2 Chapter 3: What will it be made of?

The benefit of using wood in architecture of and at all scales is undeniable and should be commonplace (Green 2012, 26). So why is it that many of the larger buildings in the rocky mountain region are still being constructed with high volumes of steel and concrete when its architectural history is closely tied with wood? In this chapter, an investigation on a contemporary wood product, cross laminated timber (CLT) unfolds and exposes the inefficiencies embedded in the Western Canadian timber industry. If the CLT supply chain succeeds in the Rocky Mountains, all scales of architecture might be constructed from it and the region may regain its material identity with timber.

1.4.3 Chapter 4: Possibilities for the Rocky Mountain Vernacular After analysing the existing state of architecture in the region and the justification of wood as an appropriate primary construction material, Chapter 4 will discuss future potentials for the Canadian Rocky Mountain Vernacular. By looking to projects that don’t fall under the typical definition of vernacular, novel components of inspiration may be discussed for the future of the

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CRMV. More specifically, the studies have been identified because of the way they deploy novel materials, use integrated project delivery and exemplify novel architectural concepts. The common thread across all projects is their use of wood as a structural material. The findings of this chapter will help inspire the activities that unfold in the design and analysis of vernacular in chapter 5.

1.4.4 Chapter 5: How to design it Thus far, the thesis has explored an existing context through its unique architectural language, discussed the continued use of timber in its construction and projected into its future through a series of inspiring architectural case studies. The final step is learning how its design will unfold.

This chapter outlines a recommended tool for the design of cutting edge, ecologically conscious and performance driven architecture.

1.5 Contribution With an understanding of the multiple and seemingly unrelated subjects this thesis covers, it also offers multiple contributions. The themes of these contributions may be summarized in the following ways: •

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A methodology for analysing a region that associates with a specific architectural style.

The findings of this investigation are summarized through a series of recommendations that aim to improve the general quality of design in the Canadian Rocky Mountain region.

Within the context of Western Canada, the thesis also contributes knowledge towards finding a future where prefabricated, engineered wood construction is ubiquitous. It does this by discussing inefficiencies in Western Canada’s cross laminated timber supply chain and offers recommendations on how to improve it.

The final stage of this research offers a contribution towards making parametric modeling, performance-based design and generative modeling accessible to more people

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in the field of residential architecture. By outlining a new parametric workflow, the work summarized in the final chapter of the document fills an existing gap in the presence of user-friendly parametric tools.

Through the combination of these three points, this document outlines research on a proposed future for residential house design in the Canadian Rocky Mountain Region. The synergy of these investigations may be used for analysing the state of vernacular architecture in other parts of the world.

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Chapter 2 What is the Canadian Rocky Mountain Vernacular?

2.1

Architecture in the Canadian Rocky Mountain Region

Located in Western Canada, the Canadian Rocky Mountains extend across the province of Alberta along its south Western boarder and into the north east corner of British Columbia. Across the region, many of Alberta’s busiest tourist towns exist, which include Waterton, Banff and Jasper.

What makes these towns so popular? A predominant factor is the influence colonizers had on the region beginning in the late nineteenth century (Ennals and Holdsworth 1998, 216; Gadd 1995, 694). With the construction of transnational railway systems, the region became increasingly accessible to wealthy travelers from Eastern Canada and Europe (Barnes, Pflughoft, and Morris 1999, 7; E. G. Luxton 2008, 76). Starting with Banff National Park in 1885, regions of the area had become officially recognized as a land reserve (Gadd 1995, 696).

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Figure 1 The Canadian Rocky Mountain region

With now over 150 years of settlement-based, colonial architecture, multiple generations of housing are prevalent forming the basis of a vernacular. This research has chosen to isolate residential architecture as a territory to discover the vernacular architecture of the region and what the fundamental tenants are that spurred its creation. To begin with, architectural typologies beyond the residential are explored to holistically understand the practice of creating buildings in the area. The generations of housing are then studied through the defined forces of industrial expansion, economic recession, world war, tourism and climate (E. G. Luxton 2008). As

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a result, a distinct relationship between climate, materiality and construction trends are clear within the architecture of the Canadian Rocky Mountains and particularly within the typology of the residential.

2.2 Before Settlement Architecture Before European conquest, the Canadian Rocky Mountain region was filled with a rich diversity of Indigenous culture (Nabokov and Easton 1989, 174; Gadd 1995, 687; Pearkes 2009, 7). Even though the research undertaken in this writing is focused on the Architecture of colonial origin, it is important to acknowledge the people, cultures and identity of those who have called the Rocky Mountain region home for tens of thousands of years. A radiocarbon dated location near Vermillion Lake – near the town of Banff – has yielded evidence of a structure that is approximately 11,500 years old (Gadd 1995, 687). In the southern Canadian Rockies, evidence of two Indigenous cultures show up most predominantly; that of the Kootenay and the Blackfoot (Gadd 1995, 687). While the Kootenay spent most of their time occupying everywhere between the eastern and Western slopes of the southern Canadian Rockies, the Blackfoot were found predominantly within the region’s southern foothills (Gadd 1995, 687). The two cultures were known to occupy the same land peacefully, even engaging in trade practices. By the mid 1700s, the Stoneys also arrived in the Canadian Rocky Mountain region after being displaced from their original location in the Canadian Shield by settlers (Gadd 1995, 688).

In a site now occupied by the Banff Springs Hotel’s golf course, remnants of Shuswap-style pit houses have been found (Poole 2020). As a slightly subterranean dwelling, the pit house was enclosed by logs comprised of nearby trees that were stripped of their bark and assembled into a structure. To cover the structure, local vegetation such as pine needles, grass and earth were

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used (Nabokov and Easton 1989, 176). Both rectangular and circular plan pit houses have been found, with a smoke hole in the center (Nabokov and Easton 1989, 179; Pearkes 2009, 16). With a group of twenty to thirty people, a pit house could be constructed within a day (Nabokov and Easton 1989, 179). With the combined evidence of Indigenous presence in the Canadian Rocky Mountain Region for over 10,000 years and knowledge of the structures used, it is likely that the pit house was the most successful form of vernacular architecture in the Rockies before colonization.

2.3 Scope of this Research In the investigation that unfolds in this chapter, an understanding of multiple perspectives on vernacular are synthesized. Moving forward with these understandings, the discrete eras of the CRMV are exposed and its fundamental tenants will be elaborated on. Finally, the current state of design within Banff will be discussed. Through the research, it has been concluded that the current standards of design in the Town of Banff are not promoting the construction of something that resembles the CRMV. As a result, recommendations are provided from the perspective of this work on how this can be improved.

2.4 Methodology The investigation into the CRMV has lasted nearly 16 months. Beginning in the summer of 2019, a weeklong field investigation was undertaken to document, photograph and observe the architecture of the Canadian Rockies. During the trip, it was discovered that a vast range of building scales exist within the region that caters to two specific industries; tourism and natural resource extraction. As a result, the origins of any Canadian Rocky Mountain town can be traced

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back to these two economic drivers. The field investigation started on the southern tip of the region in Waterton National Park and worked its way north through the Crowsnest Valley, Canmore, Banff, Field, Revelstoke, Jasper and finally Nordegg (Figure 2). Across all the towns visited, a range of building typologies were uncovered, all of which were not classified to fit in the category of vernacular. The work helped in justifying a focus on the current state of design in Banff, which has the most established design guidelines of the towns mentioned above.

Figure 2 Region of Canadian Rocky Mountains investigated in this research

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After the field investigation, historical research was performed in addition to a literature review around the term vernacular both through a historical and contemporary lens. This led to a firm definition of vernacular architecture’s necessary components and overall scope for the purposes of this research.

Figure 3 1985 Volkswagon Westfalia used on CRMV field study

2.5 The Canadian Rocky Mountain Building Typologies 2.5.1 Introduction While traveling through the Canadian Rocky Mountains, one will come across a limited set of common building types. Throughout the twentieth century, these building typologies have serviced two primary industries, of mining and tourism (Gadd 1995; Ennals and Holdsworth 1998;

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Belliveau 2001). It should be noted that not all the buildings evaluated in this section fall under the definition of vernacular. However, the value in studying them lies in understanding the cultures across Rocky Mountain towns. There are multiple characteristics of these buildings that have fed into the culture of building in the region. Some characteristics relate clearly back to European origin and others reflect the movement of industrialization within the North American context (Gottfried and Jennings 2009; Ennals and Holdsworth 1998). The idea of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Vernacular may be further defined by comprehending its balance between economic and cultural influences.

2.5.2 Settler’s Cabin Scattered across the Rockies, one will find many good remaining examples of settler’s cabins.

Often the oldest structures in a town, the settler’s cabin was the region’s foundational piece of architecture (Rebick 2018, 78). Typically constructed with fallen logs near the building, these single-story homes set the beginnings of the formal standard for the Canadian Rocky Mountain Vernacular. Out of all the typologies discussed here, it was the only one found across all economies and towns in the Rockies. The presence of these simple log cabins was pervasive in the early stages of developing the region because of the intersection between a readily available material and commonly understood construction methods.

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Figure 4 The Jack Sinclair cabin in Banff, Alberta

The form of the settler’s cabin is a fascinating point of discussion. In the construction of nearly all forms of modern architecture, the size and space within are formed by the needs of the inhabitant. However, in the case of the settler’s cabin, the size of the buildings and the space available inside was dictated by the length and supply of locally available trees. It can be deduced that the length and corresponding height of a cabin would have been planned out by the builder to make best use of the trees fell for the project (Conrad 1945, 8). The corresponding profile of the log was processed into either a rectangular or round profile, both notched and keyed for easy stacking. All these profiles were seen on remaining examples of settlers cabins in the grounds of the Whyte museum in Banff, Alberta (Whyte Museum 2017). The most common way to rationalize the corner of a settler’s cabin was either with a dovetailed or vertical corner post.

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Within Banff’s bylaws, the corner post is defined as a regionally unique construction technique (Bylaw et al. 2000, 3). The method of constructing its roof was the result of pragmatic origin, with the use of the simplest roof type available; the gable. The sloped nature of the gable roof defined the simplest way to hold snow while being most straight forward to construct.

Figure 5 The Bill Peyto cabin in Banff, Alberta

The settler’s cabin has and always will be a critical typology to understanding the CRMV. The precedent it provided both in construction technique and formal language were copied by many generations of building that followed it. Its deployment of materiality set foundational qualities that would go on to define the rustic style (Figure 6). In the typologies that follow, the influence of the settler’s cabin can be seen (Maier and Good 1935).

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Figure 6 Front and side gable roof variations on settlers' cabins found in Banff, Alberta

2.5.3 The Modest Miner Found in historic coal mining towns, the modest miner provided economical housing to towns originally owned and operated by coal mining companies. These small properties were available in a few different construction styles, but perhaps most interesting, was the prefabricated variety. The use of pre-fabrication in this context was leveraged for economizing building costs and simple construction in remote locations (Belliveau 2001, 9). In Nordegg, a historic mining town located at the intersection of highway 11 and logging road 40, there are good examples of these residences still standing (Figure 7).

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Figure 7 Prefabricated Mining cabin in Nordegg, Alberta

The minimal floor plan of these residences was made for mining families. In the case of Nordegg, a vast amount of the structures were erected in 1914 and replaced the log residences that were there before them (Belliveau 2001, 9). The simple plan of the homes reflected their prefabricated assembly with wall cassettes being tied together via a nail frame construction. The Modest Miner expressed the intrinsic desire for low cost, economical housing in communities that once thrived on coal extraction. Many towns like Nordegg have come and gone within the Rockies. Other examples exist of the Modest Miner within the Crowsnest Pass in the towns of Blairmore, Hillcrest Mines, Bellevue and Coleman (Belliveau 2001, 1).

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Figure 8 Elevational drawing of Miner's Residence in Nordegg, Alberta

2.5.4 The Chateauesque In the spirit of encouraging tourism in the region, the Canadian government, Canadian Pacific Railway and Canadian National Railway began the construction of destination hotels (Barnes, Pflughoft, and Morris 1999, 9). In nearly all cases, the original construction of the hotels employed wood as the primary structural and finish material. Unfortunately, without modern fire suppression methods, many burned down (Barnes, Pflughoft, and Morris 1999, 19,39,51). As a result, we see very few remaining Chateauesque hotels made from wood. A fantastic example of the Chateauesque still stands in Waterton National Park. The Prince of Wales hotel, which

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originally opened in 1927, was funded by the competing American tourism industry out of Glacier National Park (Parks Canada 2017). Without access to a train network, building materials, labour and other resources could not be transported to site (Djuff 2009). To mitigate this issue, the Prince of Wales was constructed with wood from a near by American sawmill (Djuff 2009, 39).

The style of the Prince of Wales was largely influenced by the swiss chalet. Viewed from the outside, the dominant roof form takes up most of the façade. With a multitude of front gable dormers, the mass of the roof is broken up and the guest’s rooms are defined. The use of extensive exterior circulation clad in jig sawn boards is another dominating feature of the façade and one that makes it unique in the Rockies.

Figure 9 Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton, Alberta

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Many other examples of Chateauesque hotels exist in the Canadian Rocky Mountain region.

These include the Banff Springs Hotel, Chateau Lake Louise and the Jasper Park Lodge. As previously mentioned, the current version of each of these hotels has replaced a primarily wood version that preceded it. However, in some cases, original wood hotels were never replaced. For example, Field, BC was once the home of a promising future in tourism with the construction of Mount Stephen Hotel (Brown 2008, 133). These hotels were originally built with a specific guest in mind, one that sought luxury accommodations via an escape to the Rocky Mountains.

However, it was up to the guest to decide which of these hotels best suited their taste.

Figure 10 Elevational drawing of the Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton, Alberta

While framing the conversation of the CRMV and the influence that the Chateauesque had on it, the tourism industry should be discussed. At this point in time, a busy season in the Town of Banff

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rests at 4.2 million visitors (Statista 2020). A reason why this number has grown so large over the past hundred years is its relentless pursuit to capitalize on the sense of place established by its epic geography. The atmosphere Banff has created for itself started with the Banff Springs Hotel, where a focus on materiality and architecture’s relationship to the natural environment was established and the association to the rustic style began (E. G. Luxton 2008, 86; Maier and Good 1935).

2.5.5 Parkitecture Upon the creation of the national park system, key buildings of administrative and infrastructural importance were built by the government in all the major tourism-based towns (Maier and Good 1935). If one walks the streets of Waterton, Banff, Jasper or even Field, Parkitecture will be found.

The purpose of Parkitecture was to instill a stylistic sensibility that would be widely adopted by developers of the town with the strategy more readily accepted in some towns than others.

Key characteristics of Parkitecture take influence from the Arts and Crafts style. Widespread use of stone siding, oversized chimneys, steeply pitched roofs, and leaded casement windows are common examples of Arts and Craft’s influence on Parkitecture (Government of Canada 2008; FHBRO 1992). Given the characteristics outlined by the Government of Canada (Government of Canada 2008), it can be deduced that other examples of Parkitecture include; the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s office in Waterton, the Banff National Park Administrative Building, and the CIBC branch building in downtown Jasper. Among these and many others, a standout example of Parkitecture lies in Field, BC. Upon the founding of Field, the town was built up as large administrative center for the railway system and tourism industry. As previously discussed, the Mount Stephen hotel was built in the

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town with the same expectation of growth (Brown 2008, 133). Field’s Superintendant’s Residence still stands on Kicking Horse Avenue and is an important residential example of the Parkitecture typology. Originally built in 1930, the residence was designed and constructed by the Architectural division of the National Parks branch. The residence was awarded historic significance because of its influence on the development of the town as an architectural precedent.

Figure 11 Superintendent’s Residence in Field, British Columbia

One may ask, why isn’t the Parckitecture typology a direct representation of the CRMV? The research undertaken here has concluded that Parkitecture was too heavily influenced by international styles such as the relationship to Arts and Crafts (FHBRO 1992). In addition, the complexity of architectural form and the amount of material’s used in all examples of

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Parkitecture prevent it from being vernacular architecture due to its lack of pragmatic and economical thinking. One will notice the CRMV takes material influence from Parkitecture but is deployed in a much simpler and modest way.

Figure 12 Elevational drawing of the Superintendent’s Residence in Field, British Columbia

2.6 The Conversation of Vernacular 2.6.1 Introduction What is vernacular? When mentioned around architects and non-architects alike, it manages to evoke a feeling. For some, this feeling may ignite emotions of nostalgia, memories of a place, or

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even a building they constructed. For other’s, predominantly those who enjoy engaging in architectural rhetoric, the term vernacular embodies personal beliefs on the status of culture.

These beliefs may range from a modernist’s aspirations for pure form and undisputable structural formulas or swing to an architect’s anthropological sensitivities, thoughtfully engaged in the blurry edges of culture creating form.

Aside from conversations around vernacular’s relationship to culture, the topic of vernacular would not be complete without discussing its relationship to time. Particularly within western culture, the vernacular form has lived through the era of industrialization. This period, which has taken effect over the last 150 years, has had great impact on the form of vernacular.

Industrialization has managed to redefine what the fundamental characteristics of vernacular are, which include the definition of local materials and access to known construction techniques.

To accept this evolution, one must understand a common ground that everyone discussing it can agree upon; the everlasting need for shelter. Without it, our relationship to what we call local climate would be far different and the ability to explore the extents of the earth would be limited.

The following definitions of vernacular construction have been explored in relationship to the CRMV and how each one will assist in the exploration of its past, present and future form. By adapting the definitions to how architecture is built in the Rockies, the most critical points about this discussion come forward.

2.6.2 Classical Definition Strictly speaking, the definition of vernacular construction is simply a reference to shelter that responds to contextual forces through pragmatic, functional and economical thinking (Ennals and Holdsworth 1998, 4). Through this process, honest and highly legible shelters are created on the

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landscape. However, very seldom were these forms referred to as a vernacular at the time of their construction. They were the literal translation for the need to create shelter, with a known construction method and utilizing locally available materials. As a result, through generations of constructing within this framework, construction style and form became culturally associated.

Not coincidentally, the log cabin – seen readily in the Canadian Rockies - is a strong example of vernacular. Through the clear utilization of locally available timber, a straightforward construction method and an ability to shelter against extreme climates, it may be defined as purely vernacular. But does the average person know where the log cabin originates? In the very early stages of North American colonization on the east coast it is said that log cabins became commonplace owing their existence to Swedish settlers from as early as 1662 (Flanders 2015).

Fast forwarding to the 1880s, the construction of log cabins became prevalent along the Canadian Pacific Railway. Were the builders of these structures aware of its cultural origins on North American soil? Perhaps not, but the formula that describes its construction method persisted through centuries of use. This understanding of the log cabin’s existence yields a formulaic approach that may render it conventionally cultureless. Undoubtedly, this construction method was passed across the hands of many settlers and homesteaders. Each consecutive settler was known to tack on relatively superficial cultural variations with its fundamental tectonic relationships remaining unchanged.

As described by Bernard Rudofsky in his book Architecture without Architects, “Vernacular Architecture does not go through cycles. It is nearly immutable, indeed, unimprovable, since it serves its purpose to perfection” (Rudofsky 1964, 1). Through Rudofsky’s understanding of vernacular the idealist grasps for purity when speaking to it, and how its form is strictly the result

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of climate and material-based forces reaching homeostasis. Rudofsky is joined by other thinkers such as Robert A.M Stern and Demetri Porphyrios who argue for vernacular being independent of culture (Oliver 2003, 12). Porphyrios argues for culture not having any role in the formation of vernacular forms. These forms are simply the manifestation of “activit[ies] that exhibit reason, efficiency, economy, durability and pleasure” (Porphyrios 1982, 179–81). Though this definition for vernacular has merit and describes the nature of creating shelter, it is also effective at excluding the idea of architects designing vernacular architecture. So does then the mere notion of design suggest that the immutability of vernacular can be improved upon? One might also ask, if an architect is to “consider efficiency, economy, durability and pleasure” (Oliver 2003, 13) and construct for a specific geography, is this not also vernacular form?

2.6.3 From the Folk Perspective Acting in contrast to the definition of vernacular as the manifestation of pure functionalism is an alternative that welcomes the association of vernacular to cultural influence. The multidimensional nature of culture is complex and cannot be reduced into a distinct set of forces, formulas and pure form. In order to understand this perspective, the proportion of buildings designed by architects must be understood. A small fraction of all buildings erected are those designed by an architect (Dunham-Jones 2000; Ennals and Holdsworth 1998, 5). Most of the built form seen on a given landscape is the result of mimicking local architectural precedents (Ennals and Holdsworth 1998, 9). It is this category of mimicry that we see vernacular as a direct translation of contextually based, construction standards that utilize locally available materials.

In Peter Ennals and Deryck W. Holdsworth’s book Homeplace: The Making of the Canadian Dwelling over three Centuries, a comprehensive spectrum across polite (architectural), folk and vernacular forms are defined (Ennals and Holdsworth 1998, 9). The relationship defined by this

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perspective is the acknowledgement of culture as a continuous force that shapes local examples of shelter.

The endless cycle of architecture influencing vernacular and architects later taking romantic inspiration from vernacular creates an exciting narrative which weaves its way across generations and communities (Ennals and Holdsworth 1998, 7). With this definition, contemporary versions of vernacular may exist with or without the architect. If the architect chooses to define a contemporary vernacular, their work will only prove successful if past versions of its local definition are studied and understood. In this case, the form is not simply the intersection of forces defined in the classical definition of vernacular (stated above) but its relationship to a local culture’s true spirit. In the case of the Canadian Rockies, vernacular architecture may be understood by examining its prominent culture of outdoor activity, sport, relationship to the natural landscape and shelter from the cold climate.

2.6.4 Potential for an Industrial Vernacular Did the widespread adoption of industrial thinking and modernization mean the death of vernacular through the widespread use of common materials and construction standards?

Strictly speaking, if one is to entertain the idea of an industrial vernacular, the definition of what a local material is must be augmented. If the definition of local (which will be hereinafter referred to as ‘hyper-local’) is maintained from the classical understanding, then communication of construction styles is limited to within the family and community. In addition, the available materials are limited to what geographically surrounds the builder. However, if the modern age means access to technology that not only permits the widespread communication of new construction techniques but also new material sources, how may this augment the definition of

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local? For example, at the dawn of the twentieth century, construction techniques were often disseminated through the use of readily available “pattern books and home-improvement manuals” (Ennals and Holdsworth 1998, 192). In addition, the development of reliable transnational transportation meant unhindered access to materials previously unavailable to early settlers in the pre-industrial age (E. G. Luxton 2008, 86). Remembering that the basis of all vernacular architecture acts on pragmaticism and economy, then this new definition of local should be accepted on grounds of economical access to materials and construction techniques.

The intersection of industrial materials, pattern books and ready-made goods with a community’s local climate meant a slightly augmented translation of form. The readily accepted log cabin was increasingly put into scarcity with what Maier and Good in their National Park Service Apologia call “Twig architecture” (Maier and Good 1935, 132). The reference to a “twig” maintains the acknowledgement that timber is continuously used as a predominant structural material but in this case with severely misguided proportion. The twigs in question directly reference the emergence of dimensional lumber and how it managed to replace the use of rough sawn timber logs. How does vernacular navigate the temptation to capitalize on industrially available materials without compromising its pre-industrial roots? The answer is seen with examples of hybrid structures, often with “twig” structural members conscientiously masked with a surface fabricated from hyper-local materials. An example of this in Banff is the common use of half sawn logs which are fastened to sheathing outside of dimensional framing.

2.6.5 Parametric Adoption Is there room to still define vernacular in the contemporary age? Do digital tools have the capacity to define new versions of vernacular through a revolutionary construction technique?

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In Patrik Schumacher’s book Parametricism 2.0: Rethinking Architecture’s Agenda for the 21st Century, Philip Yuan states that “regionalism in the context of the digital era is increasingly concerned with the integration and regeneration of physical information and virtual data through new technologies” (Yuan 2015, 93). Yuan believes that the concept of regionalism provides a great starting point for the integration of qualities “inherent in cultural aspects like building materials and craftsmanship”. While discussing the intersection between parametric design workflows and vernacular, there lies a clear potential for further refinement of construction methodologies and modes of tectonic expression.

This conversation around vernacular lies in direct contrast to the statements mentioned earlier from writers such as Bernard Rudofsky who argue that vernacular is “un-improvable”. However, while investigating the potentials of computational algorithms and parametric design methodologies, thinkers such as Yuan believe that the “performative parameters” of things such as “local climate” and “material” can be interactively refined and investigated (Yuan 2015, 93).

Digital design’s ambivalent nature has allowed any regionalism-based problem to be addressed unbiasedly. However, this approach to design can be dangerous. With this approach, there has been a tendency to deconstruct form into elements and thereby undergoing a process of reduction and abstraction that risks compromising any sense of vernacular authenticity. With the elements of regional or vernacular buildings taken away from their whole form through abstraction, the congregation of forces that spurred their creation may no longer be understood, in which case, we see their exaggerated and uneducated use. Perhaps another effective method for digital adoption of the vernacular would be to investigate materiality as a central mechanism for advancing its construction. For example, Advancing Wood Architecture: A Computational Approach, addresses the potentials of wood as a material that may deliver such a promise

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(Menges, Schwinn, and Krieg 2016). They argue that in the contemporary age, the designer has an opportunity to push the potential for wood to express itself in new ways that celebrate its inherent “natural traits and characteristics as a design driver” or take “full advantage of the [possibilities] of the reconfiguration of the material” (Menges, Schwinn, and Krieg 2016, 7).

2.5.6 Formal Perversion of the Vernacular Within contexts that once contained a prominent form of vernacular, the tendency to extrapolate character and manipulate it from its original state is seen. As a result, this change from its original course falls outside the bounds of acting pragmatically under the spirit of vernacular. The augmentations of vernacular forms often play on scale, geometric complexity and the use of material palettes not once accessible to the habitant of vernacular form. As described by Clark Thenhaus in his book Unresolved Legibility in Residential Types, the fundamental “character” of structures could be more closely be understood with the term “dramatizing”. The act of envisioning architecture in this fashion becomes an “aesthetic technique embedded in mediated culture” that draws from “social, contextual, political and environmental content” (Thenhaus 2019, 19). It is through this process that the essential nature of the vernacular form is lost and becomes blurred.

Thenhaus goes on to describe common methods for “dramatizing”. Among these methods, is the tendency to “elementalize” form (Thenhaus 2019, 20). When “elementalizing” architecture, its form is broken down, deconstructed and correspondingly studied within subcategories of “roofs, wall, windows, chimneys, etc.”. Maier and Goods’ assessment of structures located within the national parks yields an elemental discussion of both material and the structural component are

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discussed (Maier and Good 1935). As these elements are taken away from one another, perversion prevails, and the initial intensions of a construction technique are abstracted.

2.5.7 Sustainable Responsibility of the Vernacular If the fundamental components of vernacular form are analyzed through their sustainable merit, then one may find that they do not draw extensively from local ecologies and the environment.

We now know that when constructing, embodied energy has the potential to contribute a significant proportion towards the life cycle energy of a project. To work towards reducing this impact, the act of sourcing local materials, building to accommodate the local climate and to construct in a simple fashion will lead to low life cycle costs. However, the idea of vernacular architecture carries with it a romantic notion of simpler times and direct references to rural life in a pre-industrial economic landscape (Dorward 1990, 296). In the book Aesthetics of Sustainable Architecture edited by Sang Lee, authors such as Herald Rostvik write about how dangerous the distance we now have from this lifestyle can be (Rostvik 2011, 169). He believes that just because a piece of vernacular construction may have a relationship to its surroundings through local material does not mean it is necessarily sustainable (Rostvik 2011, 168). Rostvik urges individuals interested in vernacular to consider the full gamut of sustainability in construction. He goes on to say that in an age of reliable global transport and accessibility to an endless array of construction materials, the need to limit one’s self to hyper-local materials with the belief of achieving advantages in sustainability is the wrong focus. With a fear that materials and their place in a contemporary architectural climate carry too much aesthetic weight, Rostvik encourages the designer to treat material investigations as “a design process that is supposed to be transformative and which could ultimately be sustainable” (Rostvik 2011, 172). Rostvik believes that this problem originates from the aesthetic intent of “individual personalities” in

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design, but it could be argued that entire communities are equally dangerous. Depending on how local by-laws and design guidelines are formatted, the sustainable performance of certain materials can be forfeited when they are used for surface level, “cosmetic” applications.

If the topic of vernacular is addressed in relation to sustainability, then the definition of ‘local’ as discussed in the Industrial Vernacular section of this chapter must be leveraged as a catalyst for change. As discussed by David Briggs in Aesthetics of Sustainable Architecture, the material choices made by designers can have “influence on industrial processes” and “be valued by their direct impact on the environment” (Briggs 2011, 272). In other words, contemporary versions of vernacular can serve as important case studies for culturally and contextually based design. For example, if the use of timber is an important component to local design, then its potential as a material should be explored in a way that pushes contemporary industrial processes. This understanding steps back from interpreting timber as a ‘hyper-local’ material and instead as a material with viable transformative capabilities at the scale of the industry that produces it. In writing on the topic, Briggs clearly summarizes a gap in digital design by stating that these tools must accurately “measure how a project’s materials and systems will impact the physical environment” and predict “adverse impacts to local, regional and global milieus” that are the result of the building process (Briggs 2011, 272).

2.5.8 Conclusion Through an evaluation of the many conversations surrounding vernacular construction, important considerations have emerged while approaching the region of the Canadian Rockies.

Through foundational elements defined in the classical definition including consideration towards material, construction method and climate, the resultant form of vernacular

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construction may be critically evaluated. Sherry Dorward aptly frames the foundation for CRMV in the book Design for Mountain Communities: “The oldest mountain building styles are gentle expressions of agrarian life in a rugged climate and remote surroundings… Unpretentious, sturdy, and functional, the most enduring of these styles are pragmatic responses to a difficult environment” (Dorward 1990, 296). Keeping these foundational elements in mind, many secondary components emerge that might be considered in this study. Through a folk lens, vernacular’s relationship to culture may be understood as a function of time. By comprehending the force of industrial processes and forms, a more accurate and robust definition of local materials may be understood. By recognizing the potential of performance based parametric design, the future of vernacular design can be hypothesised. But the danger of “elementalizing” vernacular persists – threatening to yield a negative and perverse architecture – both culturally and environmentally (Thenhaus 2019, 20). Finally, the importance of responsibly framing vernacular’s intersection with environmental considerations in order to express a dominant culture may in fact prove crucial toward achieving a legitimate form of architectural environmentalism. These additional layers expose a complexity necessary to understanding the past, present and future of the CRMV.

2.6 The Fundamental Components of the CRMV 2.6.1 Introduction The relationship of three fundamental components allows us to perceive vernacular architecture in the region which are as follows: the ample use of local materials, the leveraging of common understood construction standards and the creation of architectural form that stands up to the demands of local climate. By first understanding these components as foundational ingredients

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in the creation of the CRMV – acting in different proportions to one another - the cultural and environmental performance of these structures may be assessed.

This section combines an introduction that frames both the eras of material culture and generations of construction methods in the region. It goes on to analyze case studies in Banff of the CRMV which exemplifies different combinations of material usage and construction method.

The case studies attempt to explain the meaning of the building, and how they have contributed to the culture of Banff.

2.6.2 Material Culture in the Region The material culture of the Canadian Rocky Mountains can be understood in correlation to local availability of materials themselves – and across multiple generations of construction, the use of wood has always been present. From the late nineteenth century up until now, only one thing has changed about wood as a material culture: its relative degree of processing. Beginning with the use of the log, the CRMV leveraged fallen trees in the most direct method possible, with the construction of dove tail corner, log cabins. But given the influence of the industrial revolution, the presence of the modern sawmill and efficient forms of cross Canadian Transport (i.e. the trans-Canadian rail network) dimensional lumber was able to weave itself into vernacular construction. Dimensional lumber has been a widely accepted and successful building material in the region for more than one hundred years (Places 2020) with its widespread use bolstered by commonly accepted construction standards. However, the relative simplicity of dimensional lumber has limited its acceptance of innovation and capacity to shift towards more novel methods of construction. As a result, mass timber’s capacity to be manufactured with precision

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and in a prefabricated way offers the opportunity for a new generation of vernacular construction that rids itself of the limitations posed by dimensional lumber.

Figure 13 Generations of construction types in the Canadian Rocky Mountain region

Along side the relative degree of material processing required, comes the implication of having to redefine one’s definition of local. It seems that throughout the twentieth century, the sourcing of wood destined for vernacular construction grew in distance. This investigation also looks at how the nature of redefining local is an important part following vernacular construction throughout the generations as discussed on page 29. With the non-negotiable, widespread influence of the industrial revolution, the nature of material usage became disconnected from something sourced out of one’s backyard to a sawmill or even engineered wood facility across the country. With this shift, the formal opportunities were discovered in the construction of the CRMV and the complexity of construction grew.

2.6.3 Construction Culture in the Region The Canadian Rocky Mountain region has experienced a shift in construction standards guided strongly by the force of industrialization. Unlike many other regions in the North American

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context who have also experienced this shift, some towns in the Canadian Rockies have maintained their image as mountain towns. How can a place accept the shifts that come with modern construction methods while successfully maintaining a sense of place that was born out of a pre-industrial era? A simple answer to this question is by creating new hybridized structural systems that embrace local material languages while also leveraging the economies of industrial materials. In section 2.7 of this chapter, three vernacular case studies discuss distinct eras of construction and attempt to summarize the lineage of residential construction in the region.

2.6.4 Response to Climate in the Region In the Canadian Rocky Mountain region, seasonally climatic variation is a factor that must be considered while creating shelter. Outlined in the book Design for Mountain Communities, the intersection between design and mountainous regions creates a vast array of critical considerations. Important thoughts on this list include; “marked seasonality”, “subfreezing winters”, “rapid swings in mountain temperature”, “low humidity”, “wind”, and “snow” (Dorward 1990, 58). Each of these factors indicate the region’s extreme climate and should be taken seriously by the designer. For example, in a region with a lot of snow, the structure and envelope of a building must be sized accordingly to accommodate its “weight”, “instability on slopes”, “creep”, “adhesive tendency”, etc (Dorward 1990, 74). In the case of Banff, and the observation of its seasonal temperature and precipitation variation, all the considerations should be present.

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Figure 14 Banff's yearly climatic variation, data taken from (Parks Canada 2020)

2.7 Vernacular Case Studies in the Canadian Rocky Mountain Region 2.7.1 Introduction The following three case studies were performed in conjunction with the Eleanor Luxton Historical foundation operating out of Banff, Alberta and Studio North, a residential architecture firm in Calgary, Alberta. The Eleanor Luxton foundation has played a critical role in the conversation around historical preservation in Banff and the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Each of the following case studies discuss three distinct periods of construction in the Banff region; the

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era of the settler, the era of accepting industrial innovation and the post world war II period. To adequately study vernacular in the Rocky Mountain region, an analysis equally invested in the architecture of the building and how it performed for the people who used it must be undertaken. The most successful way to interpret the following case studies is by embracing the narrative they create. Each one plays a distinct role in the definition of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Vernacular and many elements of their construction are worthwhile for the creation of vernacular architecture in the region today.

2.7.2 Of the Hills – The Era of Pre-Industry When an individual needs shelter, their first move is to reach into the hills. When the first settlers of the Banff region arrived, there was no choice in which material was to be used. In the context of Banff and the Rocky Mountains, the hill adjacent to the settled land held bountiful amounts of untouched trees. The chosen form of structure cultivated from these trees were forms of log cabin with varying displays of craft and refinement (Rebick 2018, 78). As these structures aged, transformation is seen on their skin and internal environment. Unlike any other structure seen in modern times, these buildings of the landscape have the unique capacity to display material homogeneity inside and out. After nearly 130 years, a select few of these buildings still stand, one of which being the humble stable tucked behind Banff’s Eleanor Luxton Foundation’s properties.

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Figure 15 Image of the Stable's south west corner.

A builder is constrained to the limitations of the materials they have on hand. In contrast to the modern builder, the settlers of the late 19th century did not have immediate access to a vast catalogue of ready-made materials. The builders could only produce structure through a direct and intimate relationship with the forest. Through knowledge only gained by experience or generational tales, tools were used to transform trees into building components. By conducting a close and intimate analysis of these structures, the limitations of the chosen material become apparent. For example, these include the maximum size of the room, the construction of a building’s corner, the complexity of a building’s spatial organization and the size of wall openings.

To begin with, the maximum dimension of a room did not respond to the occupancy of a space

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but rather the average length of readily available nearby trees. As a result, structures were limited to the constraints of the material instead of responding to the spatial requirements of their inhabitant.

As the popularity of modernity grew, the expectations of shelter evolved. Older structures crafted from materials of the surrounding hills quickly became unsuitable for the human’s expectation of comfort. As a result, they were relegated to housing their accessories. Over time, the contents of a human’s library of accessories changed. Before the motor vehicle arrived in Banff in approximately 1912 and even during its rise in popularity, the human’s primary accessory would have been the horse (Lothian 2010). In the case of the Stable on the Luxton’s property, it was once the home of the family’s horses (B. Luxton 2020). With the introduction of the automobile, it quickly became the garage and storage space for anything needed to upkeep the surrounding properties. Even though we do not know for certain if any human used the Stable for shelter, its raw and untouched structure provides a phenomenal example of material purity.

How often does one see the interior and exterior surface of a building be of the same material?

The experience of the resultant space is uncompromisingly honest in its assembly, structural language and spatial organization. What implications does this have on the individual experiencing it? Unlike any other structure of similar age – even though there are not many on the Banff townsite – the Stable has not been the subject of numerous material renovations and processes of volumetric addition that are seen on the structures that surround it. Structures like the Stable have seen minimal change, which allows for new appreciations of architecture to emerge. This honest expression of the past allows today’s historically focused audiences to appreciate the intimate ties the Stable’s builders must have had with the surrounding land. With

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limited access to tools, skilled labor and the constraints of a demanding climate, the reality that the Stable still stands today should be appreciated. What is to be appreciated about it one may ask? First and foremost, one should take note of how it has reacted to time.

Figure 16 Image of the Stable's interior

Certain materials age more gracefully than others over time. Amongst this library of materiality, those that are unapologetically raw accept the effect of patina most successfully. The MariamWebster dictionary defines patina as: “an appearance or aura that is derived from association, habit, or established character”. In a way, the “association” and “character” affiliated with the

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Stable are the fundamental tenants of the Rustic style. With the primary goal of the Rustic style being the responsibility to maintain the essence of the natural landscape, the Stable successfully exhibits these ties through its materiality. By displaying the graceful aging of wood taken directly from the surrounding hills, its rough assembly blends into the landscape. While discussing patina amongst architects, raw steel is often held in high praise. With raw steel’s ability to exhibit the effects of oxidation (rusting), the surfaces of the material develop an aesthetic that is often touted as being naturally derived. Ironically, steel as a material is far from natural. Weighing into consideration the amount of energy, industrial processes and manufacturing labor required to produce steel, nothing about its resultant aesthetic should be considered of natural origins (Benjamin 2019, 44). However, with the opportunity to appreciate the rawness of the Stable’s walls, a considerably more natural form of patina may be analyzed.

Figure 17 Facade and isometric diagram of the Stable

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One will find the Stable tucked in the alleyway of Banff’s historic Beaver street. Once a home to the horses of preindustrial transport, it now serves as an auxiliary space in support of the other properties around it (B. Luxton 2020). When discovered, time should be taken to absorb a style of architecture that is undoubtedly rooted to its place. Constructed with trees of the surrounding hills, it was made with the absence of an architect or even skilled construction workers. Its presence on the landscape provides a clear representation of what is made from the sole need to erect a shelter in response to Banff’s extreme and demanding climate.

2.7.3 Run to the Mountains – The Dawn of Industry The city has never been loved by everyone. For some, the busyness of the modern urban fabric is a solace, and for others, it is the central causation of anxiety, stress and suffocation. For the latter population, there has always been the mountains. The mountains embody a territory unacceptable for modern development and favour the portrayal of pure natural environments.

The notion of finding natural purity is sought out by many. As a result, there are many structures within the Rocky Mountains that provide temporary homes for those seeking escape. However, the challenge for the Rockies is its presentation. How will these mountain escapes create desirable destinations for adventure seekers? For those craving escape, the place where time is spent must be of discernable difference from what is offered in the city. Norman Luxton predicted the attention Banff would get from adventurers, as a result the historic Beaver Lodge was constructed to fill this void (B. Luxton 2020).

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Figure 18 Image of the Beaver Lodge from Beaver Street

In anticipation of individuals craving the escape offered by the rugged landscape of the Rockies, the Luxton’s spent time thinking about how it would present itself. As a result, the urgency to define an architectural style that embodied the picturesque qualities of the Rockies was recognized. The rustic style of architecture owes its creation to the national park systems of the United States and Canada, where parks such as Banff National Park and Yosemite National Park began deploying it (Dorward 1990, 314). Within both systems, the definition of a style became a central tenant to marketing them as a tourist destination (Maier and Good 1935). The style affected architecture at all scales and usage types; including administration, government, leisure, and most pertinent to this conversation, residential. The primary goal of the style was to communicate an awareness to nature, by constructing buildings that aesthetically related to the

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structures that were first erected by town settlers. Indirectly, this strove to connect architecture with the natural environment by designing buildings that are sympathetic to the surrounding landscape through tools of form and materiality. In the context of the buildings discussed here, the Stable may have served as a fitting precedent for its Rustic children. In the context of the Luxton’s Beaver lodge, a short-term rental property was created to attract the eyes of visitors to Banff.

The question remains, how did structures equipped with modern services successfully maintain the qualities of the rustic? The answer lies in the adoption of hybridized construction systems.

Architecturally speaking, the Beaver Lodge is a modest, one and a half story building with a side gable roof and centered shed dormers. It’s eight-bedroom plan was designed to sleep a large group of travelers with multiple common spaces that encourage socialization (“Luxton Family Fonds F3, Ii - 3” 1914). The Beaver Lodge’s hybrid construction successfully emits a welcoming temporary home for the weary mountain adventurer. With half sawn log cladding, the building has an aesthetic aligned with the rustic all while harnessing the efficiency of a nail frame structure comprised of dimensional lumber. As mentioned, Norman Luxton constructed the property with mountain adventurers in mind. With its completion in 1914, it took less than a decade of Norman’s presence in Banff to realize it was the future of the tourism industry (B. Luxton 2020).

Oddly enough, Banff was never originally meant to be a winter destination, Norman was one of the first to try and change this. As a result, the Beaver Lodge had to be winter ready through its capacity to generate a comfortable interior environment in the depth of winter. Thus, the typical log cabin construction devoid of any insulation would not be economical to heat. The Lodge’s dimensional lumber construction mimics its neighbor, the Luxton residence. The use of dimensional lumber to assemble floors and walls meant a forward-looking technique that

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leveraged an electric or steam heating system. As a result, the Beaver Lodge was poised to provide a comfortable destination for anyone seeking accommodation outside the high class of the Banff Springs Hotel.

Figure 19 Exploded isometric of the Beaver Lodge's spatial organization

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While striving to discover the picturesque, some visitors to the Rockies often carried fame along with them. Through the influence of pop-culture, the image of the Rocky Mountains was able to grow into what it is today. The Canadian Pacific Railway company has advertised the west as a traveler’s destination since the late 19th century. After a mere decade of these advertising efforts in place, Banff had grown into a desirable destination. The image of the town was sculpted through the artistic mediums popular in the early 20th century, including the photography, illustration and painting. For example, the Beaver Lodge was once the home to multiple persons of fame, both adventure seekers and artists. J.E.H Macdonald (1873 – 1932) – a founder of the Group of Seven – was known to travel to the Rockies every summer and intermittently stay at Beaver Lodge (Ellis 2019). As mountainous landscapes began to show up in his paintings, the image of the Rocky Mountains was undoubtedly important to him. In addition to artists, the mountains drew the attention of classically adventurous people. Conrad O’Brien-Ffrench (1893 1986) - a British Secret Intelligence Officer - was reported to have stayed at the Lodge (Sondheimer 1989). During a period of his life where he was enamoured with mountaineering, Conrad spent time in Banff exploring the Fairholme Mountain range north of Canmore (Sondheimer 1989). During his life, Conrad accomplished many things; not only was he a successful mountain man but a decorated military personnel and mounted policeman. With all this considered, his lifestyle was eventually chosen by Ian Fleming to help model the character of James Bond (West 2005, 64). Why were these people attracted to the Beaver Lodge? If you had the ability to ask them now, the answer would be undoubtedly related to the experience it provides. The detail placed in its construction to promote a rustic materiality and a warm interior environment have created an authentic mountain experience.

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The Beaver Lodge is an iconic residential property on one of the oldest streets in Banff. The century old structure has always filled a void within Banff’s self image (B. Luxton 2020). As a town born from the healing waters of Sulphur mountain, many people have visited the area for a glamourous escape. The Beaver Lodge has never been interested in this clientele. For the Lodge, the Rocky Mountain experience is about adventure and true proximity to nature. As a result, it has always managed to find such individuals. These adventure seekers need nothing more than a modest, yet comfortable home that services a burning desire to get out and run to the mountains.

2.7.4 Of the Mountains – The Post WWII Period At a certain point in history, the intensity of the modern city ecosystem became stale for many people. The response was permanent escape. While searching for their new home, these individuals established properties in the Rocky Mountains. The structures spare no expense in generating comfort of place and the support for everyday living. For those lucky enough to have this lifestyle, a home in the Rockies cannot be as focused on the romanticism of a rustic past. The modern Rocky Mountain home must be equipped with all the entities that have become a standard in post World War II life. All amenities should be available, heat should be reliably requested, and ample space for the storage of all leisure tools must be dealt with. Gently divorcing itself from a past precedent, the modern Rocky Mountain home expresses its rustic roots modestly. However, like its ancestors, the post war mountain home is pragmatically solving the problems that come with extreme climates by using the methods of its time.

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Figure 20 Interior view of the Mackenzie residence's front foyer area

The tenants of these structures would not describe their presence as temporary. Permanent residents of the Rocky Mountain home have shaped their lifestyle to leverage all aspects of the surrounding environment. This includes time spent working and in leisure. Careers often capitalize on local economies focusing on conserving the natural environment or supporting the limitless possibilities of Rocky Mountain sport (Thornton 2016). Similarly, the Rocky Mountain resident rarely takes leisure within the confines of the home. With hills around them begging to be skied, hiked, camped and explored, how could one be held back? To be successful in modern times, the Rocky Mountain home takes the problem of storage seriously. Residents of these homes use every available square foot to store their tools for the hills. Dependent on personal

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preference, these tools have seasonable change over. Not just limited to skis, the Rocky Mountain tool defines the specialization of the resident. For example; mountain climbers, backpackers, cross-country snowshoers’ and ice climbers all come with a discrete library of Rocky Mountain tools. Concurrently, the home must respond to the organization of these tools with craftily constructed storage compartments.

Figure 21 Elevations, section and plan of the Mackenzie residence

The construction of these properties acted in the spirit of the rustic style more subtly than their predecessors. Surfaces are more polished, refined, and reflect a consideration towards craft. As

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seen with the Mackenzie Home, this one- and one-half storey tall Rocky Mountain Home expresses the craftmanship of an experienced carpenter at every corner. Its front gable roof hangs over a sunroom that greets guests who may approach this corner lot from either Beaver or Caribou street. The property alludes to the tonality of mountain context through the crushed glass, stucco faรงade that is comprised of tan and brown tones. The exposed rafters of its gable roof form align with those seen on its neighbor, the Beaver Lodge. Once one is inside, exquisitely detailed hard wood floors and solid oak millwork repeatedly catch the eye of the viewer. The Mackenzie does not have the goal of portraying blatant influence from its Rustic ancestors, rather it is focused on being a comfortable WWII version of modern. As mentioned, the success of this generation of Rocky Mountain dwelling depends on space allocated to leisure. In the case of the Mackenzie, its residents are supplied with a surplus of space. The long axial plan offers storage within its generous attic space and undisturbed full height basement. In addition, the garage is accessed through a spacious back vestibule, found on Cariboo street.

Figure 22 Image of the Mackenzie residence's west facade

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At 75 years old, the Mackenzie now warrants respect through its defiance of age (B. Luxton 2020).

Built with the economic momentum from war time industry, the home is a product of Canadian unity. The energy of the mid 20th century is reflected in many ways within this generation of Rocky Mountain residence. During this epoch, the definition of CRMV was altered by the internal organization of rooms changing to reflect new values, widely accepting unified methods of construction and mandatory area relegated to the storage of the automobile. In the case of the Mackenzie, many details of the home clearly reflect this spirit. Beginning with its main level plan, the spacious full-service kitchen is connected directly to the open concept dining room and living space. With this arrangement, a cultural shift is seen in the values of the 1950s family, where time spent with kin inside common spaces should be maximized. While investigating the construction of the Mackenzie, common construction details of the post war period are seen, where the building’s timber construction is comprised of unified framing standards. Considering how well these details are deployed, the Mackenzie will confidently stand on the corner of Beaver and Cariboo for another century.

If one wanders down the residential streets of any small Rocky Mountain town, they will undoubtedly come across many mountain residents. The sense of community is unrelentingly strong within towns that gather and connect with nature. In the case of Banff and its historic Beaver Street, a timeless atmosphere is maintained. Modestly scaled properties, an inviting pedestrian atmosphere and generous residents coalesce into a streetscape that embodies the true essence of Rocky Mountain living.

2.8 The Current State of Design 2.8.1 The History of Guidelines in Banff

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There have been multiple generations of development in Banff which are the direct result of changing governing bodies and the incorporation of the town in 1990 (Town of Banff 2012). After being ran by the Canadian National Parks system since the town’s earliest days, the nature of development in the town progressed with control. However, in the latter half of the 20th century, guidelines had become loose enough that a consistent town image was lost. By 1990, the town planning department began to re-organize itself and publish design guideline documents.

In the guideline document in use at the time of this writing (2020), the rustic architectural style is mentioned repeatedly. Other architectural styles such as the Mediterranean, Californian and Spanish are said to “have no roots in the Rocky Mountain Environment” (Town of Banff 2019, B3). However, what is evidently missing from the guidelines is a firm definition of the rustic style.

As a foundational component of Banff’s tradition, its history and development should be exhaustively discussed. Without this discussion, it is difficult to follow the document’s procession and justification of necessary architectural elements and considerations.

2.8.2 Overview of the Current Design Guidelines The Banff design guidelines are found in a text document that is ten sections long covering everything from the recommended approach to architectural form and considerations when designing residential, commercial, institutional and heritage projects (Town of Banff 2019). The primary focus of the document recommends a direction towards high quality development (Town of Banff 2019, B-1). The document also folds in aspects of urban design with full consideration of maintaining a pleasant pedestrian environment on all streets in the town.

Section 3 is the first chapter outlining the status of design in Banff and discusses the General Design Guidelines. In Section 3, headings include: “The Banff Tradition”, “Scale and Massing”,

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“Materials and Colours”, “Roofs”, “Signage”, “Lighting” and “Landscaping” (2019, B-3). Across all the sections, there are subcategories describing specific elements related to the topic. For instance, in “The Banff Tradition” section, considerations include; “Sensitivity to Nature”, “Rustic Approach”, “Scale”, “Human Scale”, “Emphasis on Structural Expression”, “Strong Roof Forms” and “Deep Overhangs”, “Distinct Building Base, Middle and Top”, “Attention to Detail”, and “Relief and Texture” (Town of Banff 2019, B-6). The description of each section usually lies between two to three sentences long. The descriptions rarely describe substantial justification as to why the element must be included on buildings in Banff.

2.8.3 The Current State of Architecture in Banff As outlined in the Banff design guideline document, design considerations change across residential, commercial, accommodation, service, institutional and heritage projects. However, as a first comer to Banff, the type of architecture one will be presented with first is along Banff Avenue – the major thoroughfare into the town. Along Banff Avenue, the predominant architectural typology is commercial. Within these areas, shopping strips and large hotels dominate the architectural landscape. As a result of the guidelines, all buildings promote the use of veneered stone bases, earth toned stucco facades and an abundance of rough sawn or log faux structural elements. The aesthetic of these buildings meet the requirements of reminiscing on a rustic past, but in reality they are ordinary buildings with rustic elements pasted to their façade.

The Banff Design Guidelines mentions its deviation from a “cookbook” of design (Town of Banff 2019, B-1,B-2). However, if one walks through the town and observes the current state of new development, a deficit of design diversity exists. A prediction for this is mentioned by Sherry

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Doward, author of Design for Communities, where they state; “the potential for unique regional character is undermined by the force and momentum of modern generic styles, by insufficient appreciation for the qualities of the landscape” (Dorward 1990, 5). From an architectural perspective, the premise of exploring deep overhangs, strong roof forms and structural expression should yield a vast range of form and building shape available in the twenty first century. Considering this, why is that nearly all new developments in Banff default to gabled roofs, shed dormers and superficial faux-structural additions? A prediction for this has been uncovered through the exploration of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Vernacular but is not made clear in the town’s guideline document. Through an understanding of its roots and the forces that spurred its creation, only then does the designer comprehend the necessity of and reasoning for the architectural elements called out in the guidelines. The lack of advocacy for closely understanding the region’s history is why the document must be restructured.

2.8.4 Recommendations for the Banff Design Guidelines To push the Banff Design Guidelines away from being the cookbook it doesn’t want to be, a restructuring must occur. The following recommendations are meant to acknowledge the spirit of the existing guidelines with the understanding that their intensions have positive motive.

However, they are not effective in letting the designer express creative freedom in the context of Banff while maintaining the true spirit of the region’s history.

1. Provide an extensive description and timeline of architecture within the context of Banff. This timeline should extend far beyond settlement in the region and discuss the traditional pit house and tipi used by the Kootenay and Blackfoot.

2. Discuss and acknowledge the types of labour used to procure many of the historic buildings and infrastructure in Banff. This labour includes interned workers during periods of World War in the twentieth century (Kordan 2002, 102).

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3. The guidelines should encourage designers to enrich their historic knowledge of the region and any information specific to their site or project brief by investigating the archives found in the town’s Whyte Museum.

4. Time should be invested in ensuring the Town’s archives are comprehensively organized and readily accessible to all – preferably through a complete digital database.

5. All architectural design proposals to the Town of Banff must demonstrate an understanding of the built history in the region and how they plan to both acknowledge and improve upon it.

6. The Guidelines should provide an extensive definition of the Rustic architectural style and associate its form to the fundamental tenants of vernacular which include: a. Construction from locally available materials b. Construction from widely known methods c. Responding viably to the local climate 7. A comprehensive understanding of how the previous points intersect in vernacular construction to develop a sense of place.

8. Avoid the extensive use of the word “character”. Instead, give the reader an understanding of why an architectural element reoccurs in Banff. This understanding may be formed using the points outlined in recommendation six and referring to the book Design for Mountain Communities by Sherry Dorward as a precedent for how to structure design guidelines for mountain communities.

9. Layout a framework for how the designer should think about scaling vernacular.

Instead of just converting otherwise normal multi-family, hospitality-based buildings into something with a rustic façade, the guidelines should encourage the designer to push their understanding of how the ideologies behind the Canadian Rocky Mountain Vernacular perform as a larger building.

10. Refer extensively and collaborate with the authors of the Banff Environmental Master Plan. As Banff shifts towards being a world-famous location for sustainable tourism (Jarvis and Favale 2019, 17), the buildings within it should strive to promote environmentally conscious thinking.

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Chapter 3 CRMV Now | Assessing Material Supply: How Material Supply Chains Govern Vernacular Form 3.1

Context

Many sources suggest that the future of construction both in the residential and commercial spheres will revolve around mass timber as a novel construction material (Harte 2017; Green 2012, ii; Jones 2017; Burback and Pei 2017; Kaufmann and Nerdinger 2012; Kottas 2012, 11). As a relatively recent addition to the suite of mass timber products, cross laminated timber (CLT) is expanding the capacity for large buildings to be made entirely out of wood. As a panel-based product, CLT has the capacity to span in two directions, both on its principal and secondary axes.

With this characteristic, CLT can be applied as structural wall, floor and even roof elements.

Studies suggest that mass timber’s market share in the construction industry is set to increase as product awareness grows and more firms learn of its potential (Laguarda Mallo and Espinoza 2015, 207). However, in the North American context, particularly in Western Canada, there are several components of the supply chain that are limiting innovation, supply and product quality.

As a primary question, this paper investigates the location of these inefficiencies and aims to recommend best practices for success.

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3.2

Introduction

3.2.1 Motivation As was discussed in chapter one and two, vernacular architecture is constructed from three fundamental forces: local material flows, known construction standards and implications of the local climate. This chapter discusses the first of these three components with the assumption that the study of modern material flows can assist in understanding the nature of construction.

With the widespread use of any material, an undoubted sense of place emerges. Through observation of construction in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, that material has always been timber in one form or another. Ranging from the minimally processed log in the late nineteenth century cabin to the emergence of light weight timber framing in twentieth century homes. The twenty first century has the potential and is beginning to define itself as the era of mass timber (Anderson et al. 2020, 3). However, not all mass timber products embody the same potential for constructing entire buildings. Unlike other mass timber products, CLT a.k.a the mass timber panel (MTP) is “multi-talented� by nature and will inherently lead to greater demand and application towards multiple building types (Kaufmann and Nerdinger 2012, 14).

3.2.2 Assumptions In order to define an obtainable scope of research, this literature review focused on the mass timber supply chain in Western Canada with a focus on CLT or MTP. The research is also focused on the current state of the supply chain without spending to much time on the history of its development. Through this method of analysing the industry at this point in time, the literature

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review attempts to assess the state of each component of the supply chain. At each point along the supply chain, three components will be assessed including 1.) the appetite for innovation, 2.) the existing state of supply and 3.) capacity for processing. By analysing the supply chain through this lens, bottlenecks and inefficiencies in procurement may be uncovered.

3.2.3 The Cross Laminated Timber Supply Chain Explained Cross laminated timber is a unique material. Structurally speaking, it performs unlike any other mass timber product with the capacity to span in two separate directions. As a result of this characteristic, it can be placed in a building as a floor, ceiling or wall. Even though other mass timber products such as glue laminated timber, dowel laminated timber or nail laminated timber perform structural tasks well, they can only ever perform as one or two of the tasks CLT fulfills.

To design a CLT panel, a long list of variables must be considered. Initially constructed from dimensional lumber (when executed in Western Canada), the initial dimensions are predicated on the existing supply of 2x4s, 2x6s and 2x8s, which are stacked together in alternating perpendicular directions to constitute the layers of the panel. In 2020, 2x8 dimensional lumber represented the largest amount used for CLT manufacturing (Anderson et al. 2020, 49). Each piece of lumber within a panel has three principal directions; longitudinal, radial and tangential (Karacabeyli and Gagnon 2019, 7). Each of these directions have distinct mechanical properties which define the panel’s stiffness. When a CLT panel is constructed, care should be taken when assembling the layers to ensure the principal directions are aligned correctly in accordance to the panel’s overall major and minor strength axes. As mentioned, through the optimization of these two axes, CLT performs its best in planar floor, ceiling and wall applications.

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There currently exist two primary types of CLT; one where a panel is comprised completely of dimensional lumber and the other where layers of structural composite lumber (SCL) are integrated. Multiple types of SCL exist such as, laminated strand lumber (LSL), parallel strand lumber (PSL) and laminated veneer lumber (LVL). This report focuses primarily on CLT panels of the former variety where a construction of solely sawn lumber exists. As it currently stands, CLT made completely of sawn lumber are the only products certified according to the existing American National Standard (ANSI/APA PRG 320-2019). The reason being a lack of existing data on the performance of SCL integrated CLT. The equal integration of both types is discussed further in the recommendations section at the end of this paper.

A great assist in strengthening the investigation in this paper is the State of the Industry: North American Mass Timber report. Released in 2020, the report outlines the current state of the timber supply chain in Canada and the United States. It provides insight into many common questions posed against the timber industry and discusses the amount in which its grown. Most importantly, the report discusses the timber industry’s potential growth and direction and provides reassurance regarding its long-term sustainability.

3.3

Overview of the Supply Chain

3.3.1 Introduction In the book, Embodied Energy and Design: Making Architecture Between Metrics and Narratives, there is a story of three materials outlined; steel, concrete and wood. In the delivery of each story, the reader is given a direct and visualized understanding of each material’s supply chain – start to finish. In the case of lumber, the story is relatively simple; starting at the forest, trees are transported, brought to the sawmill, cut into longitudinal boards, correspondingly cut to length,

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dried, transported again, distributed for retail and used in construction. In the case of CLT however, the supply chain is slightly different where a secondary manufacturing process occurs, and panels are assembled from the dried lumber. In this crucial step, the quality of the resultant CLT panel is governed by the moisture content (MC), planing quality, layup accuracy and adhesion effectiveness. In the following sections, each stage of the CLT supply chain is outlined and the potential inefficiencies of each stage are discussed. This analysis will end with a series of recommendations for improving the efficiency and output quality of the Western Canadian cross laminated timber supply chain.

Figure 23 Stages of the CLT supply chain in Western Canada

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3.3.2 Forests With forests covering about one third of Canada and the United States, it is clear that a large and potentially ever lasting supply of timber exists (Anderson et al. 2020, 19). More specifically within the Western Canadian context, the majority of British Columbia is covered in forest land in addition to Alberta’s Rocky Mountain foothills. In 2016, BC produced nearly half of Canada’s total softwood supply resting at 13.6 billion board feet (BECK 2018, 14). The forest in Canada runs under a policy of public land ownership with 92% of which being publicly owned (Anderson et al.

2020, 21).

An important consideration when discussing the supply of forest products is an area’s Annual Allowable Cut (AAC), measured in cubic meters of wood per year (m3/yr). Across British Columbia and Alberta, the trend of AAC tells two different stories. The British Columbian market has faced a dropping AAC since its in peak 2007 where a surge of timber supply was developed from salvaging forest affected by the pine beetle epidemic of the early 2000s. Current projections suggest that the province’s AAC will continue to drop on the coast until 2030 and increase incrementally inland (COFI 2019, 5). The stagnation or decline of BC’s AAC is reflective of the wake of the Pine Beetle and the increased presence of land conservation efforts – particularly on the coast (COFI 2019, 4). In Alberta however, the AAC seems to be relatively unaffected from the problems that plague BC. Since the 2006/2007 season, Alberta’s AAC has seen a steady trend upwards, now sitting at just over 32 million m3/yr. The trend in Alberta owes itself to the submission and approval of forest management plans, which are predicted to continue the upward trend in the near future (Morgera 2011).

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As it currently stands, over half of the forest in British Columbia is designated for conservation (COFI 2019, 8). If the remaining land is relegated towards the forestry industry, then a consistent supply chain may emerge.

3.3.3 Log Transport The secondary stage of the wood product and CLT supply chain is log transport. At this stage in the process freshly cut logs are transported from the forest to the sawmill. In nearly all cases of the modern timber supply chain, this transport is accomplished via truck or “log hauler”. Since most forest access roads are rough, un-paved and remote, trucks with all-terrain capability are necessary. According to a report compiled by the BC Forest Safety Council, most logging truck drivers are owner operators (British Columbia Forest Safety Council 2012, 2). In 2014, there were approximately 2800 log haulers on BC roads which managed to transport 68 million m3 of lumber.

At this capacity, it would seem that there is enough log-hauling volume to keep up with the province’s AAC. It seems that the log hauler will be the predominant form of transport in the forest industry for the foreseeable future. In FPInnovations’ report on the Forestry 4.0 Initiative, the next logical step to gain efficiency in this part of the supply chain is to automate forest operations (FP Innovations 2015, 6). The report makes a comparison to the mining industry where autonomous trucks have been deployed in open-pit mines. However, the conditions of the forestry floor are largely different than the mine given “highly variable terrain conditions and the ever-changing forest stand structures”. In the time between now and a future where advanced automation technologies exist, the logging truck should strive for better efficiency. As suggested by the

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Council of Forest Industries (COFI), changes should occur to existing log haulers that improve their hauling capacity with integrated “automatic log scanning” (COFI 2019, 18).

3.3.4 Lumber Mills In British Columbia, the geographical location of sawmills is categorized in two sections; the coast and the interior. During 2018, lumber mills – the mills producing dimensional lumber for mass timber consumption – saw 70.7% of total log use, which was 64.3 million m3. The remaining log use went to exports or veneer, chip, shingle and other mills. When logs are processed through lumber mills, their efficiency at producing lumber products rested at 45.9% in 2018 (Economics Services Branch 2020, 9). In 2018, 17 lumber mills were operating on the coast and 50 on the interior, this is a 49% reduction in number of mills since 1990 (Economics Services Branch 2020, 18). This shrinkage is largely a result of the pine beetle infestation in addition to the closure of mills operating below standard levels of efficiency. In Alberta during 2019, there were 20 lumber mills operational across the province (AFPA 2019). Unfortunately, due to a lack of data, the overall efficiency of Alberta lumber mills was not found.

Since 1990, the capacity utilization (the output divided by capacity) has steadily increased across open mills in British Columbia. On average, BC lumber mills are operating at 99% capacity (Economics Services Branch 2020, 18). Even though this number is reflective of competing mills closing down, confidence can be found in knowing that these mills are capable of operating at nearly full capacity. This is justified by the amount of board feed produced every year increasing by 63% between the years of 1990 and 2018 (Economics Services Branch 2020, 18).

3.3.5 Manufacturing Dimensional Lumber

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Currently all mills in Western Canada are tooled to manufacture and produce dimensional lumber. However, while looking at European precedents, there are separate supply chains for lumber directed towards CLT production and dimensional lumber production. In order to increase the efficiency of CLT production, Western Canadian sawmills must recognize this discrepancy.

Across the diversity of dimensional lumber sizes available, there is a challenging relationship to balance between board width and corresponding use in CLT panels. Even though fewer “lams” – one of many boards used side by side in a single lamination of a CLT panel - would be required in a CLT panel if for instance 2 x 10 s were laminated, their supply is significantly less than 2 x 6s. As a result, in recent years the most popular lam size has been the 2 x 8 (Anderson et al. 2020, 49).

Its popularity exemplifies the fine balance between lam width and per lam cost. If a shift in the supply chain is to occur that accommodates CLT more proficiently, lam dimensions will be in constant flux season to season that balances this economic relationship.

A large component of this break in the existing supply chain is the drying standard. Currently, a sawmill producing dimensional lumber kiln dries their product to 19% moisture content (MC) while the MC required for CLT fabrication rests at 12±3 % (Anderson et al. 2020, 36). While producing CLT in this context, the manufacturing integrates two stages of drying, one at the lumber sawmill and another at the CLT facility. If a relationship is established between the CLT fabricator and their supply of raw dimensional lumber, then the drying process could be performed at a single stage. In this research, it does not seem that this relationship exists.

Another important consideration in the production of dimensional lumber and its eventual handoff to CLT fabrication is grading quality. There are two ways to grade lumber in the North

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American context, relying on “visual” and “machine stress rated” standards (Anderson et al.

2020, 35). For CLT, these grades change according to parallel and perpendicular layers. As it currently stands, the required grades for layers are generalized and do not consider the vast diversity of qualities that lead to an “out-of-grade” piece of lumber. As a result, there is an abundance of “out-of-grade” lumber available in the supply chain and “remains an underutilized and arguably underestimated resource” (Charry et al. 2018, 859).

3.3.6 Lumber Transport With few CLT manufacturers milling the dimensional lumber used in their panels, a secondary connection of transportation must occur along the supply chain. The difficulty in choosing the location of a CLT plant lies in the strategic balance of responding to the proximity of the lumber mills it expects to receive supply from. A manufacturer’s success also depends on the long term and consistent productivity of surrounding mills. With a diversity of surrounding mills, lumber supply prices are competitive and there is not a risk of being subject to monopolized pricing.

As it currently stands, most lumber transport is performed by independent truckers and trucking companies that contract transportation to CLT fabricators. With few fabricators in Western Canada, transportation distance may be considerable (Anderson et al. 2020, 59).

3.3.7 Panel Fabrication As mentioned in the dimensional lumber fabrication section, there is an important economic balance to consider when choosing a CLT panel’s lam size. The economy of lam choice is maximized when the unit cost of a dimensional lumber size is low, and its width is large enough not to require many pieces per lamination. The factors that govern the optimization of this relationship are numerous. By reverse engineering the size of the required CLT panel, variables

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such as wood supply levels, species, required adhesive volume, lumber lead time, and panel layup time must all be considered.

When dimensional lumber is fed into an assembly line, its length should not be considered. One of the first steps in panel fabrication is the finger jointing process, which makes dimensional lumber strips of theoretically infinite length (Ledinek 2016). Given the size of the panel to be produced, this continuous strip of lumber is cut to correct length for both the long and short lengths of the panel. To increase the efficiency of this process, CLT fabricators should consider accepting dimensional lumber of random lengths and communicating its economic benefits to lumber suppliers. Currently, dimensional lumber is cut and delivered in strict two-foot increments. Instead, if the length of lumber could respond directly to length of the pre-sawn tree striving to maximize the total volume it yields, more linear feet of lam would be fed into the finger jointing process (Anderson et al. 2020, 49).

In the research of Susan Jones from Washington state, a clear outline is found of the typical CLT panel. Even though panel sizes change dimensions and can be anything but standardized, the numbers disseminated in her book Mass Timber: Design and Research allow any CLT focused designer to grasp the scale of the product. She goes on to estimate that the average 8’ x 40’ CLT panel contains approximately 264 pieces of 2 x 6 dimensional lumber (Jones 2017, 57).

Another important consideration when preparing lumber for CLT fabrication is the surfacing of the material. To ensure that an effective bond is created between lams and across layers of the panel, a rough surface finish should be produced that accepts the adhesive used. When planning out the supply for dimensional lumber for panel fabrication, relationships should be established where boards are delivered with the required surface roughness. In current practice, pre-planed

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boards are re-finished for the purpose of panel preparation which results in wasted material and a redundant process (Anderson et al. 2020, 49).

In 2020, there were five operational CLT manufacturers in Canada with the plan of having twenty facilities operating by 2026 (Anderson et al. 2020, 55). Currently the five include Nordic Structures, Structurlam, Structure Craft, Element 5 (two facilities) and Kalesnikoff. The services offered by each of the facilities varies significantly. For example, in the case of Kalesnikoff a complete suite of services are offered that include; architectural design, project support, manufacturing, material supply and construction support (2020, 59). In addition, Kalesnikoff is the only Canadian company manufacturing both lumber and CLT, allowing for complete control over the quality of lumber used in its CLT panels (2020, 60). In contrast, even though Western Canadian firm StructureCraft offers support, supply and construction aid (2020, 59), the only product it offers is dowel laminated timber (DLT) (2020, 60). Another Western Canadian firm worth noting is Structurlam, who specialize solely in the manufacturing of CLT and glue laminated timber GLT (2020, 59,60).

3.3.8 Additional Panel Processing An emerging benefit of CLT is the opportunity for integrated technology into each panel. This integration can be and should be performed on the panel before it leaves its manufacturing facility, thus mitigating on site work that is done in a non-controlled environment that lacks the ability to perform tasks with dimensional accuracy. Todd Beyreuther has suggested multiple models that minimize on site activities (2016). Examples of additional CLT processes that achieve higher panel performance include; subtractive manufacturing, additive manufacturing and systems integration. The models he suggests actively shift onsite activities towards being a small

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part of the CLT supply chain thus reinforcing the material’s prefabricated performance and capacity to improve the accuracy of building systems.

3.3.9 Panel Transport For this final stage of transport in the CLT or MTP supply chain, a finished product is transported from the manufacturer to the construction site. In many cases, projects planned around prefabricated logistics are sent out with “just in time” scheduling. With this method, panels are made, transported and arrive on site as they are required in the correlation to the construction phase of the building. Currently, many European CLT fabricators are cost competitive and deliver a better-quality product than Western Canadian suppliers because the overseas industry has been in active production since 1990 (Laguarda Mallo and Espinoza 2015, 198). This acts as a clear motivation for innovating the Western Canadian supply chain to make it competitive and eliminate overseas transportation.

An important consideration in this phase of the supply chain is the sizing of panels. Currently, the average size of panel responds to available means of transportation and not to a project’s specifications. As mentioned, the average size of a CLT panel currently sits at 8’ x 40’ which has been designed to fit on the back of a flatbed trailer (Jones 2017, 57). Without a doubt, the implications of changing any level of infrastructure to highways, bridges and city to accommodate larger CLT panel transportation would be non-economical. However, the designer should have the maximum truck bed size in mind in early project phases for efficient subdivision of CLT panels during flatbed transport.

3.3.10 Construction and Site Assembly

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In this final stage of the CLT supply chain, panels are lifted off the flatbed and craned into place.

Referring back to the research of Susan Jones, who build her entire house out of CLT as a research experiment, discovered that a sizeable home could be constructed from a combination of twenty-two 3 ply CLT panels and thirteen 5 ply panels (2017, 41). As an interesting example of CLT deployed in the residential context, there is still much to be done in the industry before widespread its use in residential projects occurs. Outlined by the British Columbian report, Procuring Innovation in Construction, an area for future research is the establishment of prefabrication standards in the construction industry across Canada. The report goes on the say that there is also no available training within British Columbia for the tradesman interested in prefabricated construction (Goodland 2018, 49).

3.4

Summary and Conclusion

Over the course of this investigation, the stages of the CLT supply chain in Western Canada were summarized in accordance to three points of investigation: 1.) the appetite for innovation, 2.) the existing state of supply and 3.) capacity for processing. It was discovered that each of these points displayed varying levels of development and readiness to accept innovation. As a result, the primary method to add efficiency in the Western Canadian context is by establishing more vertically integrated CLT facilities. The benefit of vertical integration allows for complete control of the lumber manufacturing process and kiln drying. The following section adds detail to this discussion by outlining 11 points of industry improvement that encourage CLT adoption in Western Canada.

3.5 Moving Forward: Recommendations for Improvement

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After analysing the multiple stages of the CLT supply chain in Western Canada, a set of recommendations have been established that would help its success. The recommendations are geared towards researchers, capital investors, authors of building codes and current stakeholders of the timber products industry.

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With the predominance of publicly owned forests in Canada, there should be a consistent and concerted effort to maintain a nimble balance between forest for conservation purposes and forest meant for creating wood products in the Western Canadian region.

Time should be spent researching ways that add automation and increase the efficiency of off grid log hauling infrastructure, pushing for what is described in the Forest 4.0 Initiative (FP Innovations 2015) Parameterize and track the characteristics of each piece of dimensional lumber created in sawmills. With MC, density and strength characteristics tracked across lumber, high quality grades may be grouped and diverted for high value wood product supply chains such as CLT (Beyreuther 2016).

With the parameterized qualities captured in point three, the studies of Rebecca Charry et al. can be leveraged to integrate more “out-of-grade” lumber into CLT and circumvent the generalized grading specifications currently in place (Charry et al. 2018).

Create industry specific digital tools that help designers, engineers and manufacturers rationalize the multiple factors involved in optimizing the fabrication of a CLT panel. If project stakeholders are made aware of how to optimize engineered wood fabrication in the early stages of a design, then more economical designs will be discovered.

Establish a stream of dimensional lumber production solely dedicated for CLT production.

This dimensional lumber may be of varying – random – lengths because of CLT’s standard finger jointing process. This new supply would be dried to the appropriate amount (12±3 % MC) and pre-planed to an appropriate surface roughness for the adhesives used in the laminating process.

Encourage close relationships across stakeholders through the supply chain that strive for a high-quality product. An example of this may be a sawmill drying dimensional lumber more than their established standard for a supply destined for a CLT facility.

Establish more vertically integrated CLT plants such as Kalesnikoff in the Western Canadian region that control forest lease supply, moisture content and overall quality of CLT product.

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Work to certify the SCL under the American National Standard as another promising mass timber product.

10 Divert as much on-site CLT service integration to the manufacturing facility where subtractive manufacturing, additive manufacturing and system integration can occur with greater levels of precision and quality (Beyreuther 2016).

11 Establish formalized training programs in prefabricated assembly for the construction trades working in Western Canada (Goodland 2018, 49)

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Chapter 4 CRMV Now | Possibilities for Today’s CRMV 4.1 Introduction The importance of the case study is clear when conducting investigations on vernacular.

Atypically, the case studies found in this chapter are not clear examples of vernacular architecture nor are they like existing buildings in the Canadian Rocky Mountain context. As discovered in chapter 2, the current version of Canadian Rocky Mountain architecture as defined in the Banff Design Guidelines (Town of Banff 2019) does not fully exploit capitalist opportunities as well as being culturally disingenuous. It’s for this reason that a series of global case studies have been chosen; they strive to look outside the context by analysing the performance of mass customized, open-ended systems that have the capacity to be locally specific. There are lessons to be learned through the formal potentials outside the scope of vernacular at the global scale of architectural rhetoric. However, one of the primary limitations of architectural tectonics is what is afforded by the chosen material palette. As a result, the common thread across all the chosen case studies is the use of wood. Through the widespread use of wood, the designer will always ensure that architecture advocates for a sustainable future through its reputation as an ecologically conscious material (Harte 2017; Green 2012, ii; Jones 2017; Burback and Pei 2017; Kaufmann and Nerdinger 2012; Kottas 2012, 11).

The following case studies investigate the use of wood for application to the Canadian Rocky Mountain Vernacular through a solution-based approach. Currently, within the Rocky Mountain

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context the use of timber has maintained a stagnant performance by resorting to standardized components. With a shift towards precisely engineered, prefabricated timber products, the form of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Vernacular can deviate from homogenous form and be concerned with sustainable and cultural performance. For insight into what is preventing some of these material innovations from hitting mainstream use, please refer to Chapter 3 of this document where an investigation into the cross laminated timber (CLT) market is discussed. As the question of timber’s future is answered, the three chosen case studies provoke three large potentials of timber; novel material/product performance, achieving formal complexity through integrated project delivery (IPD) and finally, pushing for hyper economy through an innovative concept. Across all three case studies there is a diversity of design approaches, architectural intensions and primary forces driving the procurement of the project.

4.2 Case Study 1: Haus Gables by MALL Haus Gables by MALL (Jennifer Bonner) is forward looking in its deployment of CLT as a novel material variation of timber. As one of a handful of residences constructed fully from CLT in North America, it celebrates wood as a mono-material. Through the choice of CLT as the primary structural material, multiple benefits are unlocked regarding architectural integrity. In the case of this project, the nature of CLT has a distinct structural advantage, prefabricated performance and the opportunity to reimagine a local building form into an award-winning contemporary piece of architecture. The architect clearly had a playful attitude while designing this project. The building exudes a prideful intersection between contemporary construction and a deeply rooted understanding of local material culture. The combination of materials on the inside and outside

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of the home facilitates a discussion regarding the intersection between sustainability, innovation and local culture.

Figure 24 Exterior photograph of Haus Gables (Bonner 2019)

As a new addition to the family of mass timber products, the structural advantages of CLT make the form of this building possible. As described by architect Peter Eisenman, a CLT building makes “cardboard architecture” possible (Keegan 2019; Wittenborn 1973). By this he means the surfaces that constitute the form or shape of a design have a direct relationship to structure. If the force experienced by a building is transmitted across planes through a building’s surfaces, it removes the need for translational structural elements such as beams, columns, trusses and joists. To the architect, this liberation provides a completely new frontier of design possibility. As

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seen in Haus Gables, the second floor’s ceiling is completely unencumbered by secondary structural elements, mechanical systems or visual distractions (Figure 25). For the designer looking to achieve something that resembles pure form, the structural potential of cross laminated timber brings that opportunity closer to reality. In its relationship to the tenants of vernacular in this paper, the potential of limitless formal exploration with CLT exists. A strong consideration towards material conservation may also be developed with the material, where the structural planes of a building also resemble its envelope.

Figure 25 Interior photograph of Haus Gables’ second floor (Bonner 2019)

The performance afforded by prefabricated CLT allowed for this project to be constructed on site in a short period of time. Within a matter of days, Haus Gables was assembled. Using a crane,

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assembly was achieved by craning panel by panel into place using a “just in time” delivery strategy (Harvard 2020). The delivery logistics of constructing the home were difficult to organize given a long lead time. Arriving all the way from Austria, the 87 long span CLT panels arrived on site in response to the assembly sequencing of the home (Keegan 2019).

Figure 26 Panelized assembly of Haus Gables (Harvard 2020)

With the gable roof as a historical starting point, Haus Gables pushes the existing status quo for achievable complexity in residential architecture. As described by Jennifer Bonner, a central investigation of hers while designing Haus Gables was the concept of “roof plan” (Bonner 2019).

With roof plan, the designer rationalizes the home from the top down. After determining the form of the roof through a driven exploration of a design space, the spatial organization of the

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building responds to it. In the case of Haus Gables and the exploration of roof form in correlation to amalgamating local gable roof permutations, the spatial logic of the home responds in plan.

Room sizes, structural walls, the mezzanine space and the balcony are all a result of Bonner’s desired roof form.

In a method to develop a diverse material palette of the home, Bonner chose to translate the spirit of local material culture in a contemporary fashion. As a deeply rooted aspect of interior design in the south, homes have integrated the idea of faux into their decors. Across all rooms in the home, a different faux surfacing technique is used to differentiate space and act in stark material contrast to the adjacent CLT walls and ceiling. Some examples include thin black terrazzo tiles or OSB panels replacing ceramics (Bonner 2019).

By studying the home through the lens of vernacular, not all components of its definition are satisfied however it still provides an important example in the potentials of modern construction.

In this case, the integration of CLT in residential design. The nature of vernacular architecture is to be of its time, leveraging contemporary construction methods, readily available materials, coping with local climate and acknowledging the place in which its situated. Haus Gables does a fantastic job of discovering new possibilities of both construction method and material performance using pre-fabrication and an efficient assembly strategy. Future versions of vernacular architecture should look for opportunities to do the same thing with CLT construction in the exploration of novel form and structural performance.

4.3 Case Study 2: Temple of Light by Patkau in collaboration with Spearhead

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Resting in the hills that overlook Kootenay Bay near Nelson, British Columbia, the Temple of Light is a formally experimental project rooted in spiritual meaning and sustainable motive. Designed by the Canadian firm Patkau alongside timber specialists Spearhead, the project has pushed the boundaries of what is possible with timber construction. The project has already received recognition for its innovative efforts after winning both the Canadian Wood Council Innovation Award and the AIBC Innovation Award (Patkau 2017). With the original temple destroyed in 2014 by a fire, the new iteration strives to provide “the community with opportunities for contemplation and celebration that are directly enhanced by the temple’s flowing form” (Logan 2019).

Figure 27 Temple of Light by Patkau (Patkau 2017)

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Even though the temple of light is clearly not a classical example of vernacular architecture, there are many reasons it should be studied. The central reason being the power of integrated project delivery and its capacity to deliver an innovative and previously unthinkable feat. Patkau’s collaboration with Kootenay based Spearhead allowed for the project’s vision to coincide with the limits of CNC-based Hundegger timber processing machines. The narrative of this project reinforces the value of investigating what locally available construction standards mean within the context of vernacular architecture. Even though Spearhead is a unique and cutting-edge timber focused firm, the construction standards they provide may one day be accessible to lower budget residential projects. It is for this reason that looking towards innovative projects that leverage the power of timber and locally sourced construction standards provide a vignette into the future of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Vernacular.

Timber’s ability to be prefabricated with precision is highlighted in the Temple of Light. The collaboration across the project team allowed for the rationalization of a seemingly complex structure comprised of doubly curved surfaces. By reducing the structure into ruled surfaces, the eight larger petals of the temple’s envelope were broken down into four smaller sub-components (Salsberg 2016). As seen in Figure 28, a sub-component of a petal is being assembled on Spearhead’s fabrication floor in preparation for shipment to site. The primary goal of rationalizing the temple’s complex structure was to create parts comprised of solely linear elements that are easily processed by a Hundegger k2 joinery machine (Hundegger 2020). When the final assembly of the temple took place, the petals were assembled on site and tied together on existing concrete slabs built up for the original building.

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Figure 28 Prefabricated “Petal” component from the Temple of Light (Goldberg 2017)

As a practice, Patkau delineates its work into two groups; 1.) conventional building practice and 2.) research. The Temple of Light is their first constructed building to be classified under the research section. As mentioned by Patkau, the research team is focusing on the development of performance-based workflows “with embedded limitations and possibilities that are derived from the dimensions and strengths of actual materials” (Goldberg 2017). The resultant parametric toolset allows for an understanding between the closely-knit relationship between material limit – in this case, timber – and construction technique (Figure 29). For the form and potential of future iterations of vernacular yet to be seen, digital tools must be leveraged in a way that brings construction technique closer to material utilization.

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Figure 29 Digital explorations from Patkau's performance based workflow (Goldberg 2017)

The value of studying the Temple of Light through the lens of vernacular is not necessarily related to its form and a corresponding application to residential construction. Rather, this investigation acknowledges what can be accomplished via integrated project delivery (IPD). By striving to create a close partnership between the architect (Patkau) and fabricator (Spearhead), the fundamental tenants of vernacular may be explored in novel ways. In the case of the Temple, the intrinsic relationship material limitations have with innovative construction techniques. In future iterations of vernacular, the opportunities that IPD afford will likely contribute to the construction of more inspiring, economical and cutting-edge architectural techniques in the Canadian Rocky Mountain region.

4.4 Case Study 3: Villa Verde by Elemental Internationally recognized architecture firm Elemental led by Alejandro Aravena has approached the concept of affordable living with a novel idea. Through the initiation of their concept, “Half a House� across multiple projects, many fundamental tenants of vernacular construction emerge.

With the potential of treating the home as infrastructure where half of it is fully built out and the

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other left open, the tenant has the power to do with it as they choose. With this choice, people create their definition of home through a variety of construction methods and material palettes.

The experience of walking through the Villa Verde housing complex yields a rich diversity of different but somehow related and culturally connected homes.

Figure 30 Diversity of styles in Villa Verde housing (ELEMENTAL 2013)

Redefining the concept of affordable housing is central to Elemental’s cause. Through the opensource dissemination of all necessary documentation for the construction of their designs, the firm contributes to a global network of methods (ELEMENTAL 2020). By making safe and welldesigned construction methods in this way, the company is undoubtedly contributing to a new form of modern vernacular.

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Villa Verde is in Constitucion, Chile, where an 8.8 magnitude earthquake had previously destroyed 80% of the City’s buildings (Greenspan 2016). Elemental was called in by Arauco – a forestry company - to develop the area and generate a master plan to create 9000 units across multiple towns. Through funding made available by Arauco, the capital cost of the project was covered. Interestingly, there was a push to develop two different grades of housing, each with its own financing option. Residents would have the option to invest in a $25,000 USD unit without dept or choose a $40,000 unit with a bank loan (ELEMENTAL 2013). With such a firm financial constraint and the opportunity to build in large quantity, Elemental undoubtedly must design with pragmatism and economy in mind. Villa Verde is a case study in vernacular because of the balance it challenges in creating great residential space while being constructed with a low budget constraint.

The construction of a Villa Verde unit was meant to be easily learnt and repeated by residents of the community. Following a simple nail frame construction of dimensional lumber, a single unit takes up a footprint of approximately 6m by 7m. The outer envelope of the building is a twostorey rectangular extrusion with a low pitch front gable roof. Split directly down the center, half of the footprint is completely framed thus creating the “Half a House” expression. To save on material costs, traditional OSB sheathing is replaced with sheet metal braces and a ground level slab is only poured on the framed half of the unit. While observing a unit’s façade, expensive building components such as windows, doors and skylights are used sparingly with intention. The benefit of a unit’s high gable roof means that usable interior space is maximized all while having a roof that is incredibly easy to construct.

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Figure 31 The nail frame construction of Villa Verde homes (ELEMENTAL 2013)

By creating a home for those who need it across the globe, the lasting effects of their contribution generates a culture surrounding a sense of place that is not necessarily geographically bound.

But this is not a placeless sensibility as the organization of a building’s plan and its surrounding community governs the way people operate and their association to their immediate environment. Elemental’s master plan clearly observes the intension to grow a strong community by balancing the liberal use shared courtyard spaces and overall community density. Each unit has a publicly facing front yard that opens to public areas that either contain football pitches or large public spaces Figure 32. The benefit of the Half a Home strategy becomes clear at the urban scale. When a large amount of the units is stacked up beside each other along a street of Villa Verde, the potential for homogeneity is broken up but each resident’s personal expression of home. By undermining the potential banality and placelessness of serial homogeneity, the

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individual variation amidst the project creates a more locally sensitive responsiveness afforded through the plan.

Figure 32 Site plan of Villa Verde (ELEMENTAL 2013)

Contemporary vernacular construction in the Canadian Rocky Mountain region must learn from the hyper economy of the Villa Verde project. The concept of Half a Home allows for each resident to build out space and create their own version of vernacular. With this method in mind,

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a new type of affordable housing could find its way into the Canadian Rocky Mountain region.

What is currently seen across the project is a diverse use of materiality and choice in filling out the voided side of each unit. Ultimately, this project does not introduce anything innovative with regards to construction and technology but does prove the power of deploying a simple, yet novel architectural concept that can be individualized independent of capital exploitation and generic homogeneity.

4.5 Conclusion In this chapter, an investigation has been conducted that does not look to pieces of architecture that would be traditionally classified as vernacular in the Canadian Rocky Mountain region.

Instead, it has opened a conversation that aims to inspire the prospective designer and introduce them to novel ideas. The ideas have correspondingly been spread across three themes, novel material/product performance, achieving formal complexity through integrated project delivery (IPD) and finally, pushing for hyper economy through an innovative concept. Even though each of the case studies fail to meet all the fundamental tenants of Canadian Rocky Mountain Vernacular architecture defined in chapter one of this document, there is something to be gleaned from each one of them. The future of the architectural profession hinges on the capacity to be forward looking and take precedent from unusual sources.

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Chapter 5 Designing the CRMV | Developing Param-House to Access Parametric Potential for Conceptual Modeling 5.1 Context The era of parametric modeling has fundamentally shifted the way architects approach design.

By thinking about geometry in a way that is relational, formulaically driven and dependant on variables rather than extensive dimensions, the ability to iterate through design choices has and continues to become exponentially easier. Following parametric workflows, a new generation of design optimization has emerged known as heuristic design. While approaching a design problem in a heuristic fashion, many acronyms begin to appear such as; multi-objective optimization (MOO), multi-criteria design optimization (MCDO) or multi-objective generative algorithms (MOGA) (Ashour and Kolarevic 2015; Lin and Gerber 2013; Rohrmann and Vilgertshofer 2019; Turrin, Von Buelow, and Stouffs 2011; Nagy, Lau, et al. 2017; Vierlinger 2013b). The premise of this multi-objective approach is to leverage a parametric model’s capacity to iterate and discover novel solutions where many possible good alternatives exist. The field of multi-objective design in architecture is still generally unadopted in practice because care has not been taken to craft usable interfaces, tools and workflows (Ashour and Kolarevic 2015, 358). This investigation aims to expose the current state of multi-objective design in architecture and to discuss who the leading thinkers are in the field. Finally, there will be a discussion about where gaps exist in the field and how this can be corrected with new parametric tool or workflow development.

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5.2 What is the 21st Century Axe? What was once the axe is now the digital. When a settler trekked into the hills with the goal to design and build a home, the primary tool one had was the axe. The designer’s relationship with the material, understanding of how many trees were required and the process of creating shelter were all guided by the limits of the tool and the contingencies it afforded. As Henry Beecher said, “A tool is but the extension of a man's hand, and a machine is but a complex tool. He that invents a machine augments the power of a man and the well being of mankind.” (Beecher 1887, 44).

Over the course of the 20th century the processing of the log changed, through a constant search for efficiency and the momentum of modernization. A log once processed by “principle” (Moxon 1703, 63) tools became the subject of multiple longitudinal cuts by virtue of the industrial sawmill. While designing, one became limited by the constraints of dimensional lumber sizes.

Today, the designer’s constraints can change. With digital tools, the economical nature of dimensional lumber can be exploited or be reimagined through panelized systems such as cross laminated timber (CLT). The requirements of a building are no longer just conceived in the builder’s mind but also in digital space. However, just like in the process of constructing a rough log structure, a designer must be equally aware of the quantity of material and the complexity their ideas infer. A modern axe can not only deliver on these points but also assist in accomplishing so much more.

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Figure 33 Principal carpentry tools listed by Moxon in 1703 (Welsh 2013; Moxon 1703)

Parametric workflows have played an increasingly large role in the design of buildings. Through a capacity to visualize form, output metrics of performance and iterate through ideas, these workflows become indispensable tools for designers. However, as parametric methods mature, an important question has emerged: how can parametric relationships be explored to their fullest for the discovery of either novel or optimal solutions? What is described by some thinkers in the field as the “solution space� (Turrin, Von Buelow, and Stouffs 2011, 661), is the breadth of possible designs given an exploration of independent parametric variables. However, with

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complex problems, the list of input variables can become quite large and the task of manually exploring all variations becomes impractical if not plainly infeasible. As a result, we see the emergence of generative parametric workflows, otherwise known as a heuristic design approach (Ashour and Kolarevic 2015).

Later in this chapter, the parametric design workflow “Param-House” will be deployed in two ways across five different metrics to discuss both the construction of the parametric workflow and its potential for generative design. In the first case, the workflow is used as an analytical tool for efficiently modeling and exploring different generations of the Rocky Mountain Vernacular.

The second, as a generative design tool. As mentioned, the two predominant potentials of parametric workflows are for designing for hyper efficiency and the discovery of novel solutions.

In the case of efficiency, a proposal for affordable housing in Banff will be discussed in how suite counts trade off between the floor area ratio (FAR). The second is a proposal for a museum in the Banff area that discusses how novel formal investigation can productively push the Rocky Mountain Vernacular without completely ignoring existing design guidelines (Town of Banff 2019).

The introduction of a parametric algorithm within a conceptual design workflow can add many benefits to the chosen solution for a project. However, the success of its implementation depends on defining certain parameters of importance and deploying it during the correct design phase. Across all literature, it is agreed upon that multi-objective design tools have the most impact during very early design phases. In addition, the designer must be aware of key performance metrics defined by Sanguietti et al. as “Performance Indicators.” (PIs)(Sanguinetti et al. 2010, 3)

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5.3 Literature Review 5.3.1 Introduction The bulk of investigations discussing the potential of multi-objective optimization have been undertaken within the past fifteen years. Over that time, a diversity of approaches, programs and projects have been explored. During the time in which generative algorithms have grown, their accessibility has only increased with acceptance of scripted algorithms intersecting with architectural design. The relative success of a generative exploration depends on the simplicity of the parametric relationships and the ability to give generative intelligence. In the most contemporary examples, a scripted algorithm can become generative within Grasshopper through Galapagos (a single objective evolutionary solver)(Rutten 2020) or Octopus (a multiobjective solver)(Vierlinger 2018). In the following discussion, the types of generative workflows will be discussed in addition to their relative benefits and drawbacks. The discussion will also highlight each workflow’s contribution to the field of generative design.

5.3.2 Digital Project and Rhino Script With the goal of addressing challenges found in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) sector, Paola Sanguinetti, Matthew Erwin and Marcelo Bernal discuss the benefits of creating a workflow that provides performance feedback. The performance in question is targeted specifically at energy consumption, glare index and interior daylighting. Their workflow leverages the parametric modeling capability of Digital Project (Dassault Systemes 2012) and the scripting power of Rhino Script (Rhino Developer Docs 2020). The authors discuss the importance of defining performance indicators (PIs) in a project, which actively lead a designer towards

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productive adjustments and refinements. The team goes so far as to define a series of steps which helps the designer organize a performance-based analysis in the early stages of a project.

This project proposes a workflow that is targeted at pushing a parametric relationship’s capacity to iterate for fast decision-making processes. The process of iteration is also meant to initiate a productive conversation between engineers and architects by producing visual representations of building form along side automated numerical feedback. (Sanguinetti et al. 2010, 3) To make the best of integrating performance-based analysis during conceptual design the team proposes the following: (Sanguinetti et al. 2010, 7) • • • • • •

Understand the project’s PIs Create a series of “normative calculators” that perform calculations on the project’s inputs Ensure that there is adequate visualization of the project’s form Integrate “dynamic linking” Create an understanding of how appropriate solutions will be chosen Ensure the model is appropriately “calibrated”

As mentioned by the authors, the inclusion of all these factors will lead to a workflow that produces many iterations which are enriched by geometric representations and data feedback (Sanguinetti et al. 2010, 8). Across the three components of this project’s work flow -Digital Project, Rhinoscript and the normalizing spread sheets- the primary benefit of the approach is a direct link across “parametric modeling”, the “scripting environment” and the “performancebased calculations” (Sanguinetti et al. 2010, 8).

At the time of its writing (2010) the workflow proposed in this paper was advanced and the potentials of a parametric workflow were rigorously explored. However, the workflow described is still linear and iterative abilities of it demand human intervention which limit the potentials for

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vast design exploration. The lasting contribution of the paper is held within the clear set of guidelines defined by the authors for a successful parametric integration. With the evolution of new parametric scripting languages, many of their guidelines can be seamlessly integrated without the need for linking across three different programs. An implicit direction in the research is to develop a more user friendly version that does not require an “expert user” (Sanguinetti et al. 2010, 8) 5.3.3 EifForm and Generative Components This Journal article written by Kristina Shea, Robert Aish and Marina Gourtovaia develops a workflow which shifts the conventional relationship between computer and designer. In their research targeted at architects, engineers and designers, the tool generates a multitude of design alternatives meant to be sorted by the user. Their approach strives to promote critical thinking around a design system that creates “novel yet efficient and buildable designs through exploitation of current computing and manufacturing capabilities” (Shea, Aish, and Gourtovaia 2005, 263). Their workflow leverages the power of the structural design software eifForm and the associative modeling software, Generative Components (Shea 2000). The team of authors acknowledge that the main hurtle in performance-driven generative design is to create tools that designers want to use.

With the inclusion of the structural engineering software eifForm, the inherent collaborative potential of the workflow increases between architects and engineers. At the time of the paper’s writing in 2005, associative geometry and parametric scripting was still in its infancy. Despite being pioneers of a performance based workflow, their research is an example of how parametric tools have the capacity to achieve their goal of creating “novel yet efficient” designs (Shea, Aish,

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and Gourtovaia 2005, 263). In this application, the reasoning behind including both eifFrom and Generative Components in the workflow is centered around having a readily updatable and richly visualized input model for the sake of exploring many shape variations (Shea, Aish, and Gourtovaia 2005, 256).

In future work, the authors would like to create user friendly tools. They recognize that the primary barrier preventing the successful adoption of performance-based design is tool accessibility. At the time of its writing, the team believed that with further research a more comprehensive tool can be created between EifForm and Generative Components. It should be noted that this workflow was developed at a time when linear parametric workflows were paramount, and the user is responsible for responding to inputs and correspondingly augmenting them to produce another iteration. It would be interesting to take this same interest in structural performance and adapt it to a generative algorithm where a solution space could be more rigorously explored.

5.3.4 ParaGen The importance of including the research of Michela Turrin, Peter von Buelow and Rudi Stouffs in any discussion surrounding performance driven parametric models is their understanding of the field in 2011. The structure of their article “Design explorations of performance driven geometry in architectural design using parametric modeling and genetic algorithms� allows the reader to understand the power of novel workflows. Their case studies explored the use of ParaGen (Von Buelow 2012), an accessible parametric software at the time of the paper’s publication. Key to the discussion on parametric possibilities, the topic of managing the size of parametric solution space is discussed in depth. With the use of parametric tools, often there

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exists too many solutions, and this paper addresses the problem by recommending that teams define design constraints through interdisciplinary brainstorming. The authors cite the main benefit of performance-driven parametric workflows being the ability to design through “revelation and comparison” leading to in-depth exploration of design iterations (Turrin, Von Buelow, and Stouffs 2011, 659).

This research dramatically advanced the field of parametric workflows through its implementation of genetic algorithms (GAs). With the assistance of ParaGen, “a parametric design tool using GAs for the exploration of form based on performance criteria” (Turrin, Von Buelow, and Stouffs 2011, 663) the team was able to achieve its goal of exploring a multitude of design iterations. The power of unlocking this potential leads to a richer exploration of design alternatives that informs the relationship between input variables and formal output.

The team’s proposed workflow clearly advanced the state of generative design workflows at the time of its writing. The team was also able to quantify important considerations when exploring projects with high degrees of complexity. With heightened complexity, the designer is faced with a range of possible combinations that they would never be able to explore manually. However, the benefit of a genetic algorithm does not only expose novel solutions for the designer, but also translates relationships by “decomposing them into multiple levels of abstraction” (Turrin, Von Buelow, and Stouffs 2011, 660). While concluding their research, the team seemed genuinely happy with the success of their work. Likely, this was the result of having their workflow reside within just one program. The team acknowledges that the success of their work is also due to “a relevant investment of time and interdisciplinary collaborators in the very early phase of the design” (Turrin, Von Buelow, and Stouffs 2011, 673). Moving forward, the team sees a potential

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in further exploring “clusters” of algorithmic scripts that allows for the “decomposition” of relationships (Turrin, Von Buelow, and Stouffs 2011, 673).

5.3.5 Grasshopper and Octopus Across all the workflows described, the combination of Grasshopper and Octopus running within Rhinoceros 3D has gained the most attention for architectural research in the field of generative design. Originally developed by Robert Vierlinger, Octopus is a multi-objective evolutionary solver available as a plug-in for Grasshopper. Written as his thesis project in 2013 (Vierlinger 2013b), Octopus aims to transform any parametric relationship into a multi-objective problem.

The goals of the project are as follows; “practical applicability in tasks of architectural engineering, a flexible basis for further research, relatively easy extendibility and portability, focus on workflow, integration, and interface” (Vierlinger 2013b, 37). Through the formation of these goals, Vierlinger was looking to fill the gaps of existing generative algorithmic research within architecture. There exists a built in evolutionary solver within Grasshopper known as Galapagos, however Veirlinger critiques its applicability due to a lack of multi-objective potential and “always is safe” in its decision making power as a result of its evaluation method (Vierlinger 2013b, 39).

Once genetic algorithms have been placed within the multi-objective or multi-dimensional space, the grounds on which they operate should be understood. In the case of Octopus, the decisionmaking process is governed by Pareto Dominance (after Wilfried Pareto 1848-1923) which is a method for determining the validity of a solution in a multi-objective problem. As described by Vierlinger, Pareto Dominance yields solutions that offer “optimal trade-offs between two or more contradicting objectives”. The eventual formation of a Pareto Front characterises the “sum

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of all Pareto-optimal solutions” (Vierlinger 2013a, 4). In a well functioning multi-objective problem, the formation of a clear Pareto Front is desirable where the choice in a solution clearly depicts the trade-off between multiple objectives. The benefit of exploring a solution space with Pareto Dominance is that “parameters can be interdependent” and “highly non-linear” (Vierlinger 2013a, 5). One of the many benefits of applying this problem-solving approach to architecture is that the algorithm continuously calculates quantitative objectives while the designer’s responsibility is to guide it towards a desired aesthetic.

Octopus for Grasshopper is applied in the paper “Heuristic Optimization in Design” written by Yassin Ashour and Branko Kolarevic. The research team justifies their choice of using Octopus as the multi-objective solver because of exposed gaps uncovered by previous research (Bradner, Iorio, and Davis 2014, 8) such as “poorly designed user interfaces and inflexible data exploration and visualization tools” (Ashour and Kolarevic 2015, 357). As a case study, their workflow which acts to optimize floor area ratio (FAR), daylight factor, glare analysis and view analysis is applied to the Bow Tower located in Calgary, Alberta. The results of their typological exploration of the tower uncovered an interesting conclusion, “the more objectives, the better the overall performance of the solutions” (Ashour and Kolarevic 2015, 365). The findings of this paper support the benefit of implementing a multi-objective problem with several objectives. In addition, it seems that the deployment of Octopus offered the most efficient workflow that remains “accessible to most designers” (Ashour and Kolarevic 2015, 366).

5.3.6 Revit and Refinery In a new addition to Revit’s family of plug ins, Refinery (Autodesk 2020b) offers the capacity to explore the design space at the conceptual design phase within a building information model

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(BIM). Refinery was released at the time of this writing (Early 2020) and has not had any substantial academic literature published on its use yet. However, there is a primer published by the AEC Generative Design Team at Autodesk on its premise and use (Autodesk 2020a). There is a large potential for Refinery’s application to assist in design across multiple stages because of its integration into BIM. However, given how new the Refinery community is, new adopters may fail to see its true potential.

5.3.7 Grasshopper and Discover Danil Nagy’s Discover is a multi-objective solver written in python that interfaces with a parametric algorithm on Grasshopper (Nagy 2019). Discover’s server-based solver works differently than Robert Vierlinger’s Octopus because of the location of where the solving occurs.

Once initialized, the generative design process begins within a web browser and not the Grasshopper environment. The benefit of this set up is clear; all computation occurs outside of the user’s machine. Discover also offers an exceptional Java based user interface that allows the user to sort, search and categorize design solutions with ease.

As a leading thinker in the field of generative design, Nagy applied its power to explore both architectural space planning and urban design based problems (Nagy, Lau, et al. 2017; Nagy, Villagi, et al. 2017). Both explorations led up to Discover’s launch in 2019. In the reflection of both studies, Nagy calls for a unified system for evaluating the designs of highest “quality” that come out of generative design tools (Nagy, Villagi, et al. 2017, 445). It seems that there are enough high-quality generative design tools for designers. The profession should now focus on solidified workflows for the successful implementation of GAs.

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With Discover’s current version, the usability of the tool does not match that of Octopus. Even though the tool provides a legible and easy to use interface for evaluating designs, it is difficult to set up and it occurs outside the Grasshopper environment. The primary goal for a successful multi-objective solver is to focus on usability and limit the need for Sanguinetti’s discussion of the “expert user” (Sanguinetti et al. 2010, 8).

5.4 The Development of Param House 5.4.1 Context Through this research, there has been one primary question – how does the designer create vernacular architecture in the Canadian Rocky Mountains today? In keeping with its fundamental tenants of local material usage, accessible construction standards and climatically appropriate design, the process of creating vernacular architecture strives for pragmatic choices. These choices lead to architecture that is straightforward to assemble and is concerned about efficient material usage. This chapter outlines the parametric workflow “Param-House” which aims to be a way of designing vernacular now. By combining purpose built parametric widgets, a display with visual performance graphs and a multi-objective generative solver, it allows the designer to explore the potential of a design in its entirety.

5.4.2 The Need for Param-House After exploring the lineage and diversity of tools available to those interested in multi-objective, performance-based design, one inherent gap has been exposed – the need for a user friendly yet flexible interface for designers. The need for this tool is not meant to automate the entire design process, it simply allows the designer to explore a much larger field of options that are the output

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of a generative design process. By defining important design parameters and associated performance indicators, the designer can choose the best trade off between a model’s inputs and outputs (Rohrmann and Vilgertshofer 2019, 13; Sanguinetti et al. 2010, 3). The role of the designer now shifts towards setting up a problem’s solution space and applying their own intuition in moving forward with less time spent on producing iterations of a design manually.

Figure 34 The conceptual framework of Param-House

5.4.3 Accessibility Param-House has been created for individuals with no previous experience with parametric design. It aims to assist the designer in exploring the potential of the residential house typology with the explorative capabilities of generative design. The parametric workflow defined within Param-House aims to follow the iterative guide described by Danil Nagy, where a generative design problem “generates” solutions in a design space, “evaluates” the options on defined

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performance calculations and correspondingly “evolves” the solution through iteration (Nagy 2017). Previously, access to a workflow like this would have demanded extensive experience with parametric scripting languages.

5.4.4 Software Requirements Through literature review, it was discovered that a generative workflow is more successful if it relies on one software interface instead of transferring data between two or more. In both the explorations of Shea and Sanguinetti, the capacity to produce a multitude of design iterations was limited by the data interface between two pieces of software in the workflow (Shea, Aish, and Gourtovaia 2005; Sanguinetti et al. 2010). As a result, Robert Vierlinger’s work inside Rhinoceros 3D proved to be the most comprehensive by interfacing with Octopus – a multiobjective generative solver which was developed for Vierlinger’s thesis project (Vierlinger 2013b).

Param-House’s parametric workflow affords maximum accessibility to an explorative, generative workflow. Working with Rhinoceros 3D, – the only software license required – the workflow’s predefined modeling widgets work inside Grasshopper. Each widget has been defined in a way that guides the user to interface with Octopus. In addition, the widgets guide the user to create displays that have communicate performance through Human UI – a Grasshopper plugin developed by Andrew Heumann (Heumann 2020b). Across these three components, the user can access Param-House’s power and create an accessible, performance tracking, evolutionary solver.

5.4.5 Collaboration

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As we will explore in the section describing Param-House’s construction, the nature of using a cluster-based workflow within the Grasshopper interface allows for collaboration across users.

The benefit of integrating collaboration into a parametric workflow is the capacity to accomplish more by dividing tasks across project team members. Andrew Heumann, the creator of multiple Grasshopper plugins, has put extensive thought into the collaborative potential of Grasshopper (Heumann 2020a). His method suggests using shared local servers or cloud-based directories offered through Dropbox, OneDrive, Google and the like. By accessing a shared server, team members can tie together project data immediately across multiple computers. With the opportunity for the sharing and central storage of the Grasshopper clusters available in ParamHouse, each team member can define a component of a project. An example of this workflow would be one member working on the refinement of the exterior walls of a home and correspondingly handing off this parametric data to a team member refining the roof, windows, doors, etc. Keeping in mind that each stage of refinement has the potential for performance tracking on a visual graph or a generative approach with a multi-objective solver.

5.4.6 Early Design Phase Take Off Across all the literature reviewed in this chapter, authors agreed that to be most effective generative design toolsets must be integrated in the conceptual design phase. Param-House has been structured in a way so that a small amount of data is required for a design to commence and let the optimization process begin. By taking in a small amount of data in the Rhino interface (polylines and points), Param-House’s Grasshopper widgets generate parametric geometry. The data that comes out of the widgets is easily tied to Octopus or Human UI for generative design or performance tracking respectively.

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The importance of integrating generative design techniques in early design phases is the capacity to foresee a project’s future performance in relationship to form, material usage, environmental performance and construction complexity – to name a few. If the designer is aware of a project’s governing factors, the project’s PIs can be assigned quickly (Sanguinetti et al. 2010). The power of generative design becomes clear when the relationship between a project’s inputs and outputs (PIs) is not clear. Therefore, with the integration of Octopus, an exhaustive exploration of design options – or design space - is possible for a project modeled with Param-House widgets (Khan and Awan 2018, 712). In addition, if a collaborative workflow is set up across multiple ParamHouse users, multi-objective exploration can be undertaken across multiple stages of a project’s parametric definition.

5.4.7 Data Export – Numbers and Geometry Param-House has been constructed with future design phases in mind. It acknowledges that many projects will not be completely resolved within the Rhino environment. As a result, future investigations that further develop Param-House will integrate a method of handing over native Grasshopper geometry to parametric languages closer to BIM software, such as Dynamo inside Revit. In addition, future work on the Param-House interface will tie into Microsoft Excel for project’s containing extensive data destined for evaluation purposes.

5.6 Method As mentioned in the software requirements section, Param-House works inside Rhino-3D software and utilizes its parametric scripting language Grasshopper. Inside Grasshopper, the parametric workflow is comprised of discrete widgets that build up common residential building elements such as exterior walls, interior walls, doors, windows, roofs, floors and stairs. Every

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widget offers data export related to the modeled element’s volume or unit count, which is meant to tie into either Human UI for the construction of a performance tracking graphical display or Octopus for generative design. Both Human UI and Octopus are meant to be used congruently in a designer’s exploration of a project’s possibilities.

Figure 35 Available widgets within Param-House

5.7 Construction of Param-House Param-House began as a series of tangled and messy Grasshopper scripts that were parametric depictions of residential vernacular case studies. The need for it became clear while trying to model relatively simple residential houses at the level of detail required for diagramming and investigative purposes. Eventually, Grasshopper widgets were defined that constituted the walls, doors, windows, floors and roofs of the models. The choice to create a widget based workflow listens to Turrin’s call for adding efficiency through the “decomposition” of parametric relationships (Turrin, Von Buelow, and Stouffs 2011, 673). It was through this exercise of coding

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the widgets, that Grasshopper’s power to quantitatively evaluate the performance of each case study became clear. With its start as tool for modeling existing buildings, Param-House quickly became an evaluation and design-based workflow for the creation of new projects. The construction of Param-House can be broken down into three parts; modeling, performance visualization and generative design. These three components work together to create a powerful design tool that remains accessible with little prior experience parametric modeling.

To set a up a successful Param-House model, four stages must occur. First, starting in Rhino, curve or polylines critical to the model must be made. These curves usually constitute the outline of exterior walls, interior wall center lines or the outline of the roof profile. Next, it is important to define each polyline on its own layer – for the full potential for Param-House to be unlocked, a consistent and intuitive Rhino layering strategy must be created. Following this, Param-House’s Grasshopper widgets should be leveraged to commence the parametric modeling process. A Param-House model typically starts by defining the building envelope with exterior walls and the roof, which then moves on to secondary elements such as interior walls, windows, doors, floors and stairs. With nearly all the widgets, input sliders will be required for defining the dimensions of the associated architectural element – the sliders can and should be hooked up to Octopus for the generative design of the project. Once a comprehensive parametric model has been established, the project can move into either the performance visualization stage, generative design or both.

For both the performance visualization and generative design stages to be undertaken, critical outputs of the project must be defined. In the following section, examples of critical metrics are given, all of which can be accessed from the output side of Param-House widgets. For example,

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if a design hinges on the optimization or design space exploration of material volume versus construction grid complexity, these two quantities may be visualized and iterated through using Human UI and Octopus respectively.

In the case of Octopus, the workflow is simple to initialize. The designer must be familiar with some of the jargon associated with multi-objective solvers. Most importantly, the difference between a project’s genotype and phenotype must be understood (Nagy 2017). A design iteration’s genotype can be described as the combination of parameters that have led to its form.

Within the Grasshopper environment, these parameters usually take the form of sliders and should be decisively chosen by the designer with consideration towards relative importance and need. On the output side of a project, its form is the phenotype. As discussed, a phenotype should be chosen based on a designer’s predefined performance criteria that may be a combination of quantitative and qualitative affects. The Octopus multi-objective solver functions on the input of multiple parameters constituting the makeup of the genotype and output parameters that guide the choice of a phenotype. For a comprehensive understanding of Octopus, Robert Vierlinger’s thesis on its creation should be reviewed (Vierlinger 2013a)

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Figure 36 Project cluster attached to Octopus multi-objective solver (pink)

5.8 Types of Metrics Evaluated by Param-House 5.8.1 Introduction In evaluating the success of Param-House and for the purposes of its development and testing, key metrics have been defined that are readily applicable to the design of residential architecture both at the scale of the single and multi-family home. Multiple performance metrics can be chosen and would act as the projects PIs, (Sanguinetti et al. 2010) allowing the designer to perform a multi-objective generative search on finding a desirable solution. These metrics include; a building’s construction grid complexity, the floor area ratio (FAR), cost takeoff performance, bespoke unit count and total material volume usage.

5.8.2 Construction Grid Complexity

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An easy way to understand the complexity of a project - and potentially its constructability - is by evaluating the make up of its construction grid. For the sake of this investigation, a construction grid may be defined as the number of vertical, horizontal or diagonal grid lines in the plan view required to describe the exterior and interior walls of a project. While evaluating a residential design with this definition, more grid lines will inherently mean more unique wall lengths and more complexity in its design. In the age of digital design, the architect should not shy away from a more complex design if there is a good justification for doing so.

In the case of Param-House’s ability to visualize a project’s complexity, its graphical display built with Human UI widgets provides the designer with an up to date understanding of construction grid complexity. In the early phase of design when a project’s form is under development and the location of its exterior walls and interior walls are constantly changing, the ability to quickly weigh one decision against another is invaluable. The designer can immediately throw out one decision if it clearly constitutes a complex construction grid without measurable benefit. ParamHouse’s ability to track this form of performance guides the designer to resolve a construction grid quickly, much faster than they would have designing in a traditional way.

The following three examples (Figure 37, Figure 38 & Figure 39) show Param-House’s capacity to remodel residential case studies of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Vernacular. These case studies proved invaluable in developing Param-House’s parametric modeling widgets and the interface between geometry and the graphical dashboard. In the workflow’s graphical dashboard, a threedimensional preview of the geometry of interest is seen. Quantitatively speaking, the dashboard displays pie and bar charts that communicate information related to the total linear length of

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walls, approximation of dimensional lumber usage, and construction grid count for interior and exterior walls.

Figure 37 Construction grid analysis of Beaver Lodge

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Figure 38 Construction grid analysis of Luxton Residence

Figure 39 Construction grid analysis of Mackenzie Residence

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5.8.3 FAR & Unit Ratios Defined as the ratio between a building’s gross floor area and the area of a lot, the floor area ratio (FAR) is a crucial design consideration for larger buildings. In the case of this research, Param-House’s ability to visualize an up to date FAR while iterating through design solutions can greatly assist the architect in making choices. This problem can be translated into a generative design too, where a building’s outline is augmented in accordance to how many storeys it contains. Traditionally, FAR is calculated manually after an iteration of a building’s form is chosen.

This method of modeling, drawing and then calculating is inefficient, time consuming and limits the amount of designs an architect can explore within the short time span of the conceptual design phase.

Along side FAR calculations, an important consideration inherent with the delivery of a multifamily residence is the unit split. Commonly, a project proposal will require a defined ratio across studio, single and double bed suites. In projects where the total suite count is high, the unit ratios of a design become another time-consuming calculation. As seen in Figure 40, an up to date FAR is seen within Param-House’s visualization dashboard, unit areas are displayed and correspondingly coloured depending on their unit type. In this design proposal, the unit percentage graph proved to be useful in determining the location of unit demising walls and rationalizing the complexity of the building’s construction grid. Param-House allowed for the balance between FAR and unit count to be extensively explored while iteratively moving toward the required unit count ratios. In the case of this project, 40% of units must be one bedroom, 50 % two bedroom and 10% three bedroom.

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Figure 40 FAR and unit count optimization of multifamily project proposal in Banff

5.8.4 Cost Takeoff With Param-House’s ability to generate architectural elements quickly with small amounts of input data, their respective quantities can be taken and converted to costing estimates. By determining cost factors reliant on area, volume or linear length, a linked multiplier can be tied into the parametric workflow and displayed on its performance visualization display. If a project is governed by a tight budget or limited by a cost breakdown across materials, up to date information can be invaluable in early stages of design.

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5.8.5 Bespoke Unit Count While approaching any project attempting to leverage the efficiencies of prefabrication, an understanding of how many unique components comprise a project is important to know. In many cases, the number of unique components needed to build even simple projects is larger than expected. Depending on the desired details on component edges, corners and system integrations, one rectangular component may be vastly different that the one adjacent to it.

Param-House attempts to help the designer in keeping an up to date tally of unique component count and may even be a project performance indicator tied into its generative design engine.

As one of Param-House’s first design projects, the museum “House of Houses” was created as an addition to the Eleanor Luxton Foundation’s heritage properties. Three of their existing properties are studied in chapter two of this document under the “Vernacular Case Studies in the Canadian Rocky Mountain Region” section. The purpose of the museum is meant to be a community hall and museum space for the family’s extensive collection of artifacts. By encapsulating the historic Stable, the museum envelopes the region’s historic timber building culture with the contemporary nature of cross laminated timber (CLT). As seen in Figure 41, the museum is nestled amongst the properties facing Banff’s Cariboo street.

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Figure 41 Placement of the museum addition amongst the Luxton Foundation’s historic properties

In the case of projects with CLT as the primary structural material, this method can be particularly useful in understanding the total panel count. Across all panels, the range of length and width dimensions may be understood in addition to edge conditions. As seen in Figure 42, the panels of a Rocky Mountain museum design have been modeled using Param-House and optimized with Octopus (seen as pink widget) across three objectives; minimizing bespoke panel (part) count, minimizing total material volume (area) and keeping the overall roof peak height below a threshold. The option depicted in the figure offers a suitable balance across all three objectives.

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Figure 42 CLT roof panel optimization in Luxton Museum addition design

Figure 43 Render of museum addition's south elevation

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Figure 44 Render of museum addition's west elevation

Figure 45 Render of museum addition's east elevation

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A primary benefit of using Octopus to explore this type of metric is the capacity to evaluate multiple design options and prove that there are often multiple solutions that meet the required objectives. By deliberately misusing a multi-objective solver to create a set viable solutions, the designer is left to choose a form by considering the trade-offs offered by the design’s emergent characteristics. In the field of architectural design, the concept of finding a quantitatively optimal design does not necessarily correspond to a qualitatively optimal choice. In the case of the museum proposal, quantitative goals correspond to panel count, total material area, and building height. As seen in Figure 46, the rendered iteration meets the minimum viability criteria while producing a spatially provocative interior gallery environment.

Figure 46 Interior render of museum addition's gallery

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Figure 47 Types of geometric articulations augmented by multi objective solver

The museum’s roof is constructed from a series of volumes fused together with a Boolean union operation (Figure 47). By articulating the top volumes through simple geometric operations such as rotation, pitch and scale, the resultant roof form may easily vary in its form and corresponding complexity (Figure 48). By comparatively analysing iterations as seen in Figure 49 & Figure 50, the extent to which these articulations affect the performance indicators can be rationalized.

Through this method of comparative analysis, trade-offs between quantitative performance, emergent building characteristics and aesthetic can be understood by the designer.

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Figure 48 Range of geometric articulations available in museum algorithm

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Figure 49 Comparative analysis between baseline and simple rotation iterations

As the geometric articulations were iterated through and toggled by the multi-objective solver, emergent building characteristics were created that should be kept in mind while choosing a design. With the primary quantitative performance metrics of panel amount, building height and material area satisfied, designs offered trade-offs in accordance to roof pitch (for effective snow removal), maximum panel span (for effective structural viability), joint complexity (for manufacturing considerations) and resultant window size (for adequate natural lighting and views). When a design was chosen, a balance between the performance of all these emergent characteristics had to be considered. There was not a single solution that allowed all these characteristics to perform equally well. The chosen iteration maintains effective roof pitch across most of the roof, maintains appropriate panel span and produces adequately sized windows on all the necessary facades. The resultant joint complexity is a characteristic that would require

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closer future analysis to understand the limitations and constraints of the CLT manufacturing process.

Figure 50 Comparative analysis across multiple simple roof articulations

5.8.6 Total Material Volume Usage Like cost takeoff applications, material volume estimations can be valuable in early stages of design where performance related to embodied energy is present. If a multiplication factor between material volume and embodied energy is determined, either from an academic or approximated source, then a visualization of this data can be tied into Param-House. Resources like the book Embodied Energy and Design: Making Architecture Between Metrics and Narratives are great for making the concepts of embodied energy consumption accessible to the designer

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or architect. In the book, visualizations by Accurat depict the quantitative relationships buildings and their corresponding material banks have with energy consumption. If a user of Param-House is looking to relate material volume or corresponding mass, multiplication factors should be taken from sources like Benjamin’s literature (Benjamin 2019, 30).

5.9 Concluding Thoughts 5.9.1 Summary of Chapter This chapter has summed up a method that facilitates the design of residential architecture now and for the foreseeable future. With the understanding of the axe as not only a tool meant for cutting down trees, but as a design tool that guides the user into creating structure, then we are left with the question; what is the axe today? The answer to this question led the research into a literature review where the lineage and range of generative design was investigated. As a concept, generative parametric design is a large step forward for design tools. They assist the designer in searching for solutions that they didn’t know existed by tying in quantitative performance and parametric relationships. After reviewing the literature, one thing is apparent; no tool sets exist that are accessible to the user with no previous experience parametric modeling. The lineage of these tools experimented with multiple methods, data interfaces and types of software. There exists a gap for a tool set that is easily learned and does not require an “expert user” (Sanguinetti et al. 2010, 8).

5.9.2 Param-House The need for Param-House became apparent after a search for a suitable method to put parametric modeling, performance-based design and generative modeling in the hands of any

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residential designer. Many prominent thinkers in the field agree, the most effective phase for the implementation of a tool set like Param-House is in the conceptual design phase. Param-House has been designed in a way that facilitates the handoff of data and parametric geometry to other BIM software for a project’s remaining design phases. Using Rhinoceros 3D and its parametric scripting language Grasshopper, an intuitive set of parametric widgets have been created that model common residential architectural elements and quickly produce two dimensional conceptual diagrams. The widgets are designed to interface with Andrew Heumann’s HumanUI for the creation of performance visualization graphs and Robert Vierlinger’s Octopus for accessible multi-objective generative design capabilities (Heumann 2020b; Vierlinger 2013a).

This package of open-source parametric widgets and plug-ins is Param-House, and strives to be an economical, accessible and collaborative way to extensively explore innovative residential designs.

5.9.3 Limitations and Future Work Param-House has been developed over the course of four months. As a result, there is still time required to make its workflow, usability and friendliness undeniably robust. More time troubleshooting the widgets is required in order to confidently hand it off to a new user. A primary limitation of the workflow is the range of architectural elements it offers. As a result, it is limited to residential typologies for the sake of the vernacular research undertaken in this thesis. In future versions, there is no reason why Param-House can grow into all building typologies, big and small.

Speaking specifically to the construction of Param-House’s widgets, future development should take its clustered parametric widgets into the C# language. This shift would deliver more robust

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widgets that can be developed with precision and troubleshooted extensively. The shift to C# scripting would allow for the widespread distribution of the plugin on platforms like Food 4 Rhino (“Food 4 Rhino” 2020).

Speaking to the metrics evaluated by Param-House, there are multiple projects that offer future opportunities for development and testing. Three future projects that would expand the applicability of Param-House are as follows: •

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•

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Geo-Located Roof Design: As mentioned, a fundamental tenant of vernacular construction is the influence of climate. This additional component of Param-House would address the required snow loads of a location and tie directly into the plug-in’s multi objective solver to discover novel roof designs based on the structural analysis of the snow loads. The benefits of exploring roof design in this way would define a new series of quantitative constraints and limits (i.e. roof pitch, required thickness, maximum span length, etc.). This project would benefit from a series of design’s implemented in noticeably different snow loads across the Canadian Rocky Mountains. What form would a design take given the climactic, historical and supply chain requirements of Jasper, Banff or Revelstoke?

Material Supply as Design Constraint: How does the force of material supply, cost and lead time become a design constraint? By considering the constant fluctuation of CLT supply and cost (see chapter three of document) the multi-objective solver in ParamHouse could be leveraged to discover novel design solutions given supply chain constrains and how they interface with the desired form and complexity of a project.

Embodied Energy vs. Operational Energy Balance: If a project were designed in consideration to its predicted embodied energy versus projected operational energy, what would be the formal result? Inherently, to minimize operational vs. embodied energy vastly different considerations must be analysed. The resultant study would likely be an investigation into trade-offs and the importance of manipulating form that maximizes efficiency in correspondence to energy performance versus total manufacturing requirements and material sourcing.

Manufacturing Complexity and Construction Efficiency: By increasing manufacturing complexity and design consideration upstream, does assembly become comparatively

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more efficient downstream? By adding an additional component to Param-House that predicts CLT manufacturing time and complexity versus building assembly logistics, a comparative study would emerge between these two stages of project construction. As the designer explores architectural form, tectonic connection details, the integration of building systems and the size of openings (windows and doors), the time a CLT panel spends on the manufacturing floor versus assembly on site should be numbers where trade-offs are considered and metrics are optimized for.

Future testing should be implemented that explores Param-House’s capacity for collaborative workflows that implement generative design across multiple stages of a project’s parametric make-up. To perform this testing, multiple workstations should be implemented all running Param-House widgets and sharing data over a server. This investigation could also extend to Param-House’s data export capabilities where the reliability of the interface between Grasshopper and Dynamo inside Revit is tested. Developing this interface will improve the efficiency of transferring ideas across design phases from conceptual to design development.

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Chapter 6 General Conclusion 6.1 Discussion of Findings Across four chapters of investigation, this thesis covered all the desired objectives outlined in the introduction. They include vernacular research, case study investigations, analysis of the cross laminated timber supply chain in Western Canada and the development of a performance based parametric workflow.

In the investigation on the Canadian Rocky Mountain Vernacular, three fundamental tenants of its construction were summarized. Vernacular construction in the region depends on the utilization of local materials, widely accepted construction standards and a respect for the local climate. Through the combination of these three elements, secondary aspects of vernacular construction can be understood, such as a culture’s relationship to architecture, the acceptance of industrialization, sustainability-based performance, avoiding architectural perversion and the potential of parametric tools. After analysis of the entire region, the town of Banff was chosen for further investigation. The town was studied because it provides clear examples of CRMV architecture from every one of its definitive generations and has a set of local design guidelines available for analysis. Case studies yielded an interesting conclusion on the CRMV’s relationship to local and industrial materials, where the proportional use of both has seen constant change over the last hundred years. Secondly, the analysis of the Banff Design Guidelines (Town of Banff 2019) produced a series of recommendations that the town should take forward in future

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versions of their document which are correspondingly justified through literature review and this research on the CRMV. As a relatively new product in the North American market, the potential success of cross laminated timber (CLT) has an uncertain future in the Western Canadian construction industry.

Chapter 3 discussed each step of the CLT supply chain and exposed the inherent inefficiencies within it that limit its potential success. The largest conclusion that came out of this discussion was the discrepancies between timber destined for dimensional lumber production versus engineered wood products. To be considered for use in CLT, dimensional lumber must me dried to a greater extent, meet specific grades of integrity and have enough surface roughness for the lamination process. Currently, all these aspects are not being accounted for within this supply chain. These inefficiencies could be mitigated with the introduction of more vertically integrated CLT fabricators in Western Canada. To produce a high quality CLT panel, a fabricator should control forest supply, dimensional lumber production, panel design and distribution. Many existing lumber mills should consider retooling for CLT production and plan for a future where its demand is in constant growth.

Future generations of the CRMV will embrace the potential of timber as a product that promotes ecological consciousness with the capacity to accept innovation. In Chapter 4, a series of timberbased case studies were chosen that deployed open-ended, mass customizable solutions that the CRMV could adopt locally to create a new generation of its development. The case studies were not chosen because of their wholistic ability to represent mountain vernacular but rather their novel deployment of materiality, economical architectural concepts and integrated project delivery.

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How will the CRMV be designed and evaluated in the twenty first century? In the final investigation undertaken, the parametric design workflow Param-House was discussed after exposing the lack of user-friendly performance driven parametric design tools. With the use of parametric design, the CRMV could be designed in way that is concerned about material conservation, the rationalization of complex building construction and the effective deployment of prefabricated wood components. Param-House introduces performance-based design to the residential architect using pre-made parametric widgets, visualized quantitative feedback graphs and multi-objective generative design. Through the combination of these components, a novel parametric workflow is created that allows designers to explore novel solutions that usher in a new generation of the CRMV. The combination of conclusions from these seemingly unrelated investigations align to support the fundamental tenants of the CRMV. With awareness of its local form and cultural conditions, the use of novel materials and tools may assist the designer in responsibly procuring new forms of vernacular architecture in the Canadian Rocky Mountains.

6.2 Generalizations and Limitations Across this investigation, each chapter has decisively limited its scope to effectively cover a chosen subject matter. The scopes have related to the context, the type of material and tool.

In the case of the vernacular discussion, the Canadian Rocky Mountains were chosen and focused on because the region is large enough to hold a considerable variety of architecture. This variety allows the researcher to ascertain the qualities of vernacular. Acknowledging this, the region does have a multitude of different communities in it, including ones north of the area investigated on the research’s field studies. As a result, it is possible that these communities

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associate with slightly different governing forces that form the architecture of their towns. In addition, as mentioned in the introduction, this investigation has been limited to colonial architecture with the understanding that different forms of indigenous vernacular construction exist in the region.

This research chose to focus on the cross laminated timber supply chain because of the unique requirements for its assembly and its promising future as an innovative wood product. However, the specificity of this investigation does not discredit the many other mass timber products that exist with potentially different supply chain conditions and opportunities for improvement. This limited the study because it prevented an understanding of how the supply chains across multiple products intersect and where additional efficiencies may be found by manufacturing mass timber products congruently. Even though the focus of this study yielded many novel findings, it was limited by a specific search.

Param-House was developed as a proof of concept that aimed to exemplify an accessible performance-based parametric workflow. This generalization is a result of the time offered to develop the tool and corresponding workflow. With more time, development of it can pursue more testing by running other designs through it. In the case of Param-House, the limitation of time prevented it from being converted into a fully functioning, parametric plug-in. In addition, the focus of Param-House’s application was on residential house modeling and design.

6.3 Future Opportunities Across the three major studies undertaken in this paper, each one has its own series of opportunities that would yield productive research. Broadly, they are as follows; look to integrate the findings of the vernacular research at a municipal level, look at the structure of successful

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cross laminated timber supply chains and develop Param-House to a level where it is confidently distributed to new users.

Working closely with the town of Banff to strategize and author a new iteration of its design guidelines is the next logical step in helping facilitate change with this vernacular research. At this level, the probability of progressing the nature of design in Banff is highest. After this occurs, it would be productive to design a series of buildings that exemplify the next generation of the CRMV at multiple scales. Investing research time into the indigenous forms of vernacular architecture is another priority for future stages of this research. If more is known about indigenous architecture in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, lessons can be gleaned from a culture’s intimate relationship to the landscape.

To further the study on the CLT supply chain, an investigation on the potential growth of many other mass timber products should be undertaken. Through a global understanding of engineered wood products, efficiencies will be exposed in manufacturing products simultaneously in the same facility. In addition, if facilities are fabricating multiple products, it is likely that the same level of quality can be achieved no matter what the type of engineered wood.

In parallel to this investigation, an understanding of how vertically integrated plants operate will expose the relationship between quality and control over a supply chain.

Further development of Param-House is eagerly anticipated to complete its development and testing. Once this is performed, it will be translated into a scripted plug-in with integrated performance graphs and a built-in generative design tool. Once available as a plug-in, it can be distributed to those who are interested in accessible, performance-based design. In addition to its development as a plug-in, a series of future projects that expands on Param-House’s built in

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evaluation metrics should be implemented. For more detail on these projects, refer to the concluding thoughts and future work section of Chapter 5.

The benefit of all the future opportunities outlined in this section is that they can be undertaken in solidarity. For example, if further development of Param-House is pursued, it does not necessarily need to be tied to vernacular research or engineered wood supply chains. Conversely, if supply chains are of interest, they need not be studied along side parametric tools. In all future work, all research should be undertaken with the importance of innovation in mind. Without innovation, the practice of architecture can not progress towards better cultural understandings, environmental efficacy or the creation of functional yet inspiring spaces.

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Appendix A Field Study Drawings During the field study of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Region, many additional drawings were produced that did not directly fit in the narrative of this thesis’ body text. As a result, this appendix is dedicated to showing this additional content.

Figure 51 Folk Foursquare residence in Banff, Alberta adapted from (Town of Banff 2020)

i

Figure 52 Folk front Gable in Banff, Alberta adapted from (Town of Banff 2020)

Figure 53 Victorian style residence in Revelstoke, British Columbia

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Figure 54 Tall Pyramidal in Banff, Alberta adapted from (Town of Banff 2020)

Figure 55 Wide Pyramidal in Banff, Alberta adapted from (Town of Banff 2020)

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Figure 56 St. Henry's Church in Twin Butte, Alberta

Figure 57 Jasper Lutheran Church in Jasper, Alberta

iv