Project Tag: Local

Arbutus Centre Redevelopment

The redevelopment of the Arbutus Centre Shopping Plaza resulted in a highly mixed-use urban village. The new buildings incorporate major retail uses including a supermarket, liquor store, and banking at ground level, a neighbourhood house facility, dance studios, and more, paired with a significant number of new rental and social housing units above – all sharing an underground parkade. Shepherding both the first two phases from rezoning to development permit, we reconciled complex programmatic demands into a form that celebrates the street-level experience with active street edges and a new plaza space.

Each residential portion is focused around a highly-landscaped courtyard space and both buildings provide shared rooftop patios for residents. Projects like the Arbutus Centre Redevelopment showcase the interplay with the public realm and careful attention to the public/private transition.

For Arbutus Centre Phase 1 and 2, Adrian Politano was co-designer, working on design development and entitlement documentation.

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False Creek Towers

Located in beautiful False Creek, beside Vancouver’s seawall, these twin towers fit delicately into a view cone that triangulates the site. The design intent was for the buildings to frame a public park between them, while animating these spaces with active home fronts.

Roofs were shaped to bring rooftop water down the sides of the building, a rarity in tower design. Curving ends were intended to ‘deflect’ traffic on the nearby bridge ramp. Subsequent design changes by others resulted in material, massing, and colour changes.

Alan Boniface was design partner and lead designer for Development Permit.

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CBC Building

The renovation of the CBC building in Vancouver focused on connecting various CBC functional components, such as the newsroom and the summer concerts, to Hamilton and Georgia streets. Significant underground renovations were made, as well as planning of the private residential and retail lands on Robson Street. The newsroom was designed to engage with this significant public intersection and a public area was created to watch CBC programming at the entry.

The concrete structure was augmented with structural additions and new public and retail spaces.

Alan Boniface was principal in charge and design partner. He led the early design process and the Development Permit process for the residential
and retail lands.

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1088 Burnaby

The proposal for development at 1088 Burnaby Street provides 300 purpose-built rental homes, including 20% below-market rental suites in the West End of Vancouver. Located on the sloping corner of Thurlow and Burnaby Streets, the site is well positioned to take its place within the vibrant community that provides proximity to Downtown, the Seawall, numerous recreational, shopping, and cultural resources, all within walking and cycling distance of the site.

Its approach to the ground plane and massing allow it to fit within the established context of mid- and high-rise apartment buildings and the treed boulevards of the surrounding streets.

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Lot P

The project is located in the Mount Pleasant Creative District, near the Great Northern Way-Emily Carr SkyTrain station and the Great Northern Way Campus shared by UBC, SFU, BCIT, and Emily Carr University of Art + Design. This emerging district is ideal for transit-oriented mixed-use development, including housing, workspace, retail, and public space.

The redevelopment, in consultation with Host Nations, contributes to the “Cultural Ribbon” concept proposed in the Broadway Plan, showcasing Coast Salish peoples’ history and culture. The proposed development integrates active ground-level retail commercial use, a podium containing office workspace and an amenity rooftop, four residential towers of mixed tenure including hotel, secured market rental, below-market rental, and strata live-work dwellings with below grade vehicle and bicycle parking.

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Langara

Situated in the unceded traditional territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), this project represents a unique partnership between local and First Nation stakeholders. The development will feature a variety of housing types, a community YMCA, an inclusive public realm, and pedestrian links to Langara College, the golf course, and the transit station. Guided by the wisdom and traditions of the Musqueam people, the project aims to create a unique intersection of community and inclusive living.

The design incorporates cascading gardens and gathering places, engaging residents and visitors in high-quality public spaces. Views to the south and the Fraser River visually connect the site to its elevated position. The design integrates Musqueam culture and history, culminating in a south-facing gathering place that enhances the pedestrian experience and links to Langara College.

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1188 Cardero

Situated in the West End, the design of 1188 Cardero draws on three key influences: the site’s ‘gateway’ position on the downward slope of Davie Street to English Bay; the historic Rogers Mansion to the east; and the rich context of mid-century modern apartment blocks that characterize the architectural language of the neighbourhood. This residential tower will provide secured rental housing, 20% of which will be below-market units, and features an amenity courtyard with children’s play area, a rooftop terrace with views to English Bay, and a variety of indoor amenity space for all residents.

The design incorporates precast concrete panels with a geometric motif referencing both the modernist context of the West End and the materiality of the stone on the neighbouring Rogers Mansion. The metal panel cladding adds dimension with slight variations in colour and depth, inspired by cedar bark. The building enhances the public realm through thoughtful landscape design, providing seating along Davie Street that creates a gentle transition to the more open, active entrance at the corner of Davie and Cardero.

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Howe Renovation

Building on the opportunities presented by both the existing architectural character and the surrounding site conditions, the following interventions help improve the public realm, tenant experience and the overall building safety and security:

The ‘Tongue’ – a new stone cladded canopy structure extends from sidewalk into the interior lobby to bring improved finishing, lighting and connection between building and street

The ‘Screen’ – a new painted aluminum picket screen that runs the length of the upper parking level, referencing the geometry of the existing building columns with a variety of angled shapes that ‘ripple’ along the building face

The ‘Welcome Mat’ – new paving and landscape treatments provides a more inviting interface with the sidewalk.

The ‘Wrap’ – a new painted gradient mural that wraps around the building from its frontage down to the lane, with its geometry referencing the angled form of building columns, to improve the pedestrian experience and deter vandalism

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