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The 67,000-square-foot, four-story structure is unique because it is constructed entirely of mass timber, a sustainable building material gaining popularity in the United States. The building, known as Building Four, was a joint venture between Swinerton and Monteith Construction and is expected to house over 200 employees. The project utilized glulam timber and cross-laminated timber (CLT) components fabricated by Swinerton's sister company, Timberlab.
Timberlab, with locations nationwide, specializes in mass timber engineering, procurement, fabrication, and installation. The company used Southern Yellow Pine (SYP) sourced from the region to use for manufacturing. Timberlab also provided the timber engineering and design for the exposed wood-to-wood connections, a distinctive feature of mass timber construction.
This isn't Live Oak Bank's first foray into mass timber construction. In 2013, the bank opened its headquarters, a 36,000-square-foot, two-story, U-shaped building, constructed with nearly 400 Southern Yellow pine glulam beams, columns, and trusses. Described as having an "emphatic emphasis on employee health and wellness," the building features abundant natural light, easy outdoor access, fitness and dining amenities, and broadly accessible technology.
The headquarters received several awards, including a 2014 AIA State/Regional Award and a 2014 IIDA Carolinas DesignWorks – 2014 Corporate Design Award. “The bank’s senior leadership wanted a bank that reflected the natural beauty of North Carolina,” said project architect Laura Miller, AIA, LEED AP of LS3P. “The people that work there are some of the smartest I’ve ever met. They work long hours. Employee retention and happiness also weighed heavily in the owner’s requirements. Wood’s leading role in crafting a winning aesthetic was never in doubt.”
The bank also constructed a 30,709-square-foot fitness and wellness center on the campus called FitPark. The building is constructed of mass timber, steel, concrete, and glass and includes a 600-space parking garage.
Live Oak Bank President Huntley Garriott stated, “Live Oak Bank’s commitment to creating a sustainable, attractive, and intentionally designed campus for our employees continues to be evident in the thoughtful construction and design that Swinerton, Monteith, and LS3P are deploying in Building Four.”
The building is designed to achieve LEED Silver certification. Trees surround it, and it sits in front of an expanded pond. Jared Hoeflich, vice president at Swinerton’s Carolinas Division, said that Building Four is the Cape Fear region’s first 100% mass timber project. He explained that mass timber’s growing popularity as a building material is attributable to its lightness relative to steel and concrete, its renewability, and its suitability to biophilic design.
It is a testament to Live Oak Bank's commitment to sustainability, employee well-being, and innovative design, and it serves as a model for future sustainable building projects.
This is a partial list of all the individuals and organizations contributing to the Live Oak Bank project. In the comments section, please let us know if you contributed in any way.
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