Modular Mass Timber System Targets Canada’s Housing Shortage
Architecture and design firm Perkins&Will has developed a prefabricated modular mass timber system intended to accelerate housing construction in Canada. Created with industry and academic partners, the research combines engineered timber components, adaptable floor plans and coordinated building services in a scalable construction model.
A Kit Of Prefabricated Timber Components
The proposed system uses a rationalised structural grid and a concise kit of prefabricated mass timber elements. Standardising these elements could simplify design, regulatory approval, manufacturing and on-site assembly, helping project teams deliver housing more efficiently.
Mass timber is particularly suited to off-site production because engineered components can be manufactured with a high degree of precision. According to Perkins&Will, prefabrication could reduce on-site labour requirements and shorten construction schedules. It could also support Canada’s domestic timber and manufacturing sectors.
Although based on a standard structural system, the concept is not limited to identical buildings. Different dwelling types, façade systems and market requirements can be accommodated without changing the underlying grid or production strategy. In this way, the research challenges the perception that industrialised construction inevitably results in uniform housing.
Lower-Carbon Housing
The material strategy focuses on reducing the embodied carbon associated with residential construction. Responsibly sourced timber is renewable and can store biogenic carbon during its service life. Replacing part of the concrete, steel and gypsum typically used in housing could therefore lower the embodied emissions of the building system, although its overall environmental performance would depend on factors including forestry practices, transport, durability and end-of-life treatment.
Exposed timber surfaces may also contribute to warmer interiors and a stronger connection with natural materials. The modular grid is designed to support spacious, family-oriented homes with access to daylight and ventilation.
Designed For Adaptability
Perkins&Will tested the system against regulatory, construction and liveability requirements. One of the study parameters was the ability to create 100% adaptable dwellings. The framework can support both fully adaptable homes and more conventional layouts without modifying its main structure or fabrication method.
The research was led by Perkins&Will with ASPECT Structural Engineers, Introba and Simon Fraser University’s School of Interactive Arts & Technology. Completed in February 2026, its first phase was funded through a co-investment from DIGITAL under Canada’s Housing Growth Innovation programme.
Source: Perkins&Will (via v2com)
Image: Aesthetica Studio courtesy of Perkins&Will