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WOOD, UNDERSTOOD.
CONCRETE IS A STAPLE OF HIGH-RISE CONSTRUCTION - A FACT THAT HAS SPAWNED A GREAT MANY MYTHS ABOUT ITS PERCEIVED "SUPERIORITY" IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF LOW-RISE CONDOMINIUM BUILDINGS LIKE UNO.
IN NORTH AMERICA, WOOD IS THE MATERIAL MOST FREQUENTLY USED FOR RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION ... FOR MANY GOOD REASONS. WHEN IT COMES TO DESIGN FLEXIBILITY, COMFORT, DURABILITY AND SAFETY, WOOD OFFERS SOLID ADVANTAGES OVER CONCRETE.
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GREAT ARCHITECTURE STARTS (AND ENDS) WITH FLEXIBILITY
In residential construction, concrete is the stuff that handcuffs are made of. Once structural concrete has been poured, there's little room for architectural visions to evolve.A wood-frame structure's inherent flexibility lends itself perfectly to a stylish, contemporary boutique building like UNO. It also accommodates future modifications and upgrades in ways that concrete simply can't.
THE SOUNDS OF SILENCE
If stiletto heels fall in the upstairs apartment, will anyone hear them? Not if the structure is well constructed with wood.With adequate separation of the walls and floors coupled with sound-absorbing insulation, a wood-frame structure will be as much as 50% quieter than one made with a standard 8-inch slab of concrete.
THE TEST OF TIME
Wherever you may be, the ground beneath your feet is far from solid. It shifts, it settles, it squirms. And a wood-frame structure like UNO will comfortably flex and settle along with it. Concrete ... well, concrete responds the only way it can: by cracking. Research by the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) shows that wood-frame construction is "strong enough to withstand extreme weather and severe earthquakes."
SAFETY IN LUMBERS
Yes, wood is combustible. But once it starts burning, it forms a layer of char that helps maintain its strength and reinforce its structural integrity.As CMHC notes, today's wood-frame construction is "designed to keep fires from spreading - it withstands fire longer than many steel structures."
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