The public square is formed on the whole site area and designed as a surface, rising from street level to the top of the retail block. The surface creates a stair or amphitheatre towards the 152 street adding new qualities to the public space. Retail, public and service functions are placed under the surface. All the volumes (office and residential) are raised above the surface and linked to the bottom floor with stairs and elevators. The platform has a longitudinal passageway continuing the adjacent street and a cross-passage forming the main entrance from town square.

 

The design of the housing block in based on the idea of flying volumes. The composition of the volumes creates a visually transparent structure with spectacular spaces between the volumes. The vertical volumes of elevator shafts are placed in the center of the inner space and linked to the apartment blocks by bridges. Each of 62 apartments has qualities of a detached house; oriented to 3 sides with a terrace or a balcony. The whole development has 13 000 m2 of residential space, 1 000 m2 of offices and 6 000  m2 of retail and public areas. 2-level 10 000 m2 underground space houses 250 parking places.

 

 

Architects: Vladimir Belskiy, Sergey Pospelov, Ildar Valishin

Location: Semiahmoo, Surrey, BC Canada

Project: 2009

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