2013 MERIT AWARD FOR CONDOMINIUM
This project began in 2008, and went through a process of extensive discussion in the immediate neighborhood, which is not unusual but the effect to which this process impacted the final building form is. The first design attempted to position the building as close to the East property line to create a large separation to the neighbors to the West. These neighbors were not satisfied with that and wanted a stepped three to four storey building to make a scale transition. An internal landscape courtyard was combined with stepping form to gain neighborhood support. The final product is a 36-unit, four storey condominium complex with units ranging in size between 785 sq. ft. to 956 sq.ft.
The external treatment of a variety of materials and planes was used to break down the scale of the building. This was the first multi-family project in Saanich to utilize a solar hot water heating system. Green considerations incorporated into the project include a solar hot water system (60% capacity), solar powered exterior lighting, insulation on the roof and below the main floor slab was increased by 10% over the code requirement; use of recycled and locally sourced materials, 20% of the timber used was green source certified, 25% of construction waste was recycled; there are electric recharge stations for 10 cars and storm water is reused in irrigation.
