Oceanfront Squamish – Presentation Centre and Public House

The Presentation Centre and Public House (PCPH) is the inaugural landmark of the Oceanfront Master Plan in Squamish, British Columbia, Canada. Built on a former industrial site, the project transforms the area into a sustainable, community-focused waterfront rooted in cultural storytelling and Indigenous heritage.

The building’s form reflects its coastal-industrial context, clad in yellow cedar shingles and galvanized steel. A central House Post, carved by Squamish Nation master carver Xwalacktun, anchors the space in Indigenous narrative and tradition. The architecture emphasizes structural honesty by exposing prefabricated mass timber elements, including SPF cross-laminated timber CLT panels and Douglas Fir glulam beams and columns. This biophilic approach celebrates British Columbia’s wood legacy, creating a warm, tactile environment that bridges the gap between raw industry and natural landscape.

Designed for long-term flexibility and seamless transitions, PCPH serves a dual purpose. Currently, it functions as a presentation centre for local developments and a public brewery/restaurant that engages the  Oceanfront Park and Howe Sound community. Once the presentation centre is no longer required, the building will evolve into a permanent community hub.

As a model of prefabrication efficiency, the superstructure was completed in just six weeks during extreme winter conditions. This prefabrication strategy ensured a high-performance, airtight envelope that exceeded energy targets. Environmentally, the mass timber sequesters 602 metric tonnes of carbon. PCPH proves that sustainable, place-based architecture can successfully unite environmental stewardship, cultural narrative, and rapid, high-precision construction into a resilient community legacy.