Designed by Revery Architecture, the PNE Amphitheatre / Freedom Mobile Arch will feature a precedent-setting starburst mass timber roof, creating a covered performance venue for up to 10,000 people. Set within Hastings Park, the project balances ambitious structural innovation with acoustic performance, environmental responsibility, and civic presence.

The design brief called for more than just a large event space. The amphitheatre needed to maintain uninterrupted views of Vancouver’s iconic North Shore Mountains, reduce noise impacts on surrounding residential neighbourhoods, and serve performers ranging from community groups to international touring acts—all while showcasing leadership in sustainability and climate resilience.

At the heart of the project is a dramatic mass timber roof spanning 105 metres, rising 25 metres high, and composed of 60 arches arranged into six intersecting barrel vaults. When complete, it will be the largest free-span mass timber roof in the world.

Located in a dense urban context, acoustic performance was a critical driver of the design. Revery worked closely with Stages Consultants to shape a venue that delivers an immersive sound experience for audiences while minimizing noise spill into adjacent residential areas.

The mass timber structure itself plays a key role—its material properties enhance acoustics while creating a warm, biophilic environment that connects audiences to both nature and performance.

The amphitheatre includes a generous permanent stage, a three-storey back-of-house building, and integrated food, beverage, and merchandise facilities. Custom house lighting, rigging, and sound systems create an accessible, plug-and-play venue suited to a wide range of events.

Flexible audience configurations include removable seating, lawn seating, standing-room dance floors, and VIP box suites. A continuous ramp network flanking both sides of the seating area targets Rick Hansen Accessibility Foundation Gold, ensuring equitable access throughout the venue.

This project will be Vancouver’s first net-zero carbon cultural building.

It is targeting Zero Carbon Building certification through the Canada Green Building Council, aligning with LEED Gold, and pursuing Salmon Safe certification. The amphitheatre will be fully electric and powered by renewable hydroelectric energy.

An integrated stormwater management system captures, cleans, and reuses rainwater to irrigate the landscape, with excess water released slowly into the district system—an essential response to Vancouver’s high annual rainfall and watershed concerns.

More than 2,000 cubic metres of mass timber will be used in the roof alone, achieving an estimated 40 percent reduction in embodied carbon compared to a conventional baseline. The structure combines glulam arches—leveraging their exceptional strength-to-weight ratio—with CLT decking that provides structural stability and diaphragm action.

Beyond carbon reduction, mass timber enhances acoustics, supports responsible regional sourcing, and offers exceptional durability and fire performance.

In 2026, the amphitheatre will host the FIFA Fan Festival during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, placing Vancouver’s mass timber innovation on an international stage.

The PNE Amphitheatre is more than a performance venue—it’s a powerful case study in how architecture can align structure, sustainability, acoustics, and civic identity at a monumental scale.

A reminder that mass timber isn’t just an alternative material—it’s shaping the future of large-scale cultural architecture.

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