From day one, our partners have dedicated themselves to designing buildings with a purpose beyond simply providing roofs over people’s heads. From the 1960s-era single-family homes with their decks and gardens that invited neighbours to meet and chat, to contemporary high-rise projects that incorporate interior and exterior shared space, our projects have always been about building community.

Multi-use urban development

1616 Bayshore Drive (Tower IJ) is an example of a multi-use project designed for a dense urban site. It represents our expertise in combining a variety of residential and institutional uses: high-rise/townhouse, market/non-market homes, childcare space, theatre space, and retail shops.

With its high-rise residential tower, low-rise townhouses, and grocery store, Cielo is a unique multi-use development project. The top floor of the tower is an interior/exterior amenity space, providing all building residents with access to water views. At ground level, the grocery store and covered seating/eating area offer views of Harbour Green Park and the North Shore mountains. They also provide a community focus and a retail anchor for future retail projects being developed along Bute Street, from the waterfront to Georgia Street.

Community buildings

The SFU Student Residences and Dining Hall, completed in 2005, is a complex of four buildings. Our goal was to ensure that students had a comfortable social space outside of their rooms. This was accomplished by including a central lounge on each floor of the residence buildings. The dining hall has also become an active social space for student residents. And for those who enjoy gathering outside, plazas and gardens are nestled among the U-shaped buildings.

The Parkgate Community Centre is a project that required eight years of planning and construction and 120 consultations with stakeholders, but just $11 million to complete. Located in North Vancouver, this cluster of buildings forms a village that has something for everyone - a library, recreation centre, seniors’ centre, childcare facilities, health care offices, and a central public square for community events. With its complement of multi-generational services, Parkgate is considered a model for other community centres.

Iconic / centrepiece buildings

The flagship of the Great Canadian Gaming Corporation portfolio, the River Rock Casino Resort represents bold planning and neighbourhood reclamation from an urban planning perspective. The interior and exterior spaces were designed to provide a variety of carefully planned experiences, as pedestrians move through and around them. The architectural features are supported by the thoughtful landscape elements and interior décor.