Award

DECEMBER 2018 | 59 Madison & Dawson PHOTOGRAPHY + RENDERING COURTESY GBL ARCHITECTS Madison & Dawson by NATALIE BRUCKNER A nyone who has recently visited Brentwood, a neighbourhood in North Burnaby, B.C., will have noticed the area is undergoing a spectacular overhaul. Once highly industrial, Brentwood is now being referred to as one of the largest and most impressive new urban destina- tions in North America. Porte Development Group's new mid-rise Madison & Dawson project on Dawson Street perfectly comple- ments the transition being witnessed in Brentwood as well as the City of Burnaby's goal to transform the area into a vibrant live/work/play community. "This site was very appealing to us due to the proximity to the SkyTrain station and Brentwood Town Centre, which is currently undergoing major redevelopment. We are excited to have provided housing to 92-plus peo- ple who will get to enjoy living within walking distance to so many ameni- ties and also be centrally located to anywhere in the lower mainland," says Jeanette Chaput, director of sales and marketing at Porte Development Group. With a rail tunnel located under the site, the team needed to navigate a number of base parameters early on in the design. "That is how the park came about," explains Chaput, refer- ring to the large, beautifully designed community space to the east of the new building. "The building sits west of the train tunnel and the park is above." "The biggest challenge was defi- nitely the rail tunnel," agrees Greg Ellingson at GBL Architects. "Close collaboration with officials and consultants helped us figure out what it would take to build there, the setbacks required, and other design provisions." Once the details were ironed out, construction of the six-storey, mixed- use building could begin. Kevin Wurmlinger from Bryson Markulin Zickmantel Structural Engineers, says that existing storm pipes had to be relocated to make the structure work with the CN Rail tunnel. He adds that the suspended parking levels are on a transfer slab that steps at the P1 level to make the grades work with the parkade and residential. "There is concrete below grade and up to level two [the podium] and wood frame above in the residential area," says Wurmlinger. "Because of the CN Rail line tunnel on the east side of the property, we couldn't impose any loads on the existing tunnel, which was achieved with pile supports." When it came to the design of the new building there is a contempo- rary playful esthetic to it. "It was our intention to create a livable condo development through the design and integration of well laid out suites that are complemented with generous bal- conies and patios," says Ellingson. The east and west ends of the build- ing have higher volumes for the suites and bookend the project. For the com- mercial space, as much window glazing was used to emphasize visibility and interaction with the street. "Large bay windows are arranged on the residential floors to visually con- nect the residents with the generous LOCATION 4305 Dawson Street, Burnaby, B.C. OWNER/DEVELOPER Porte Development Group ARCHITECT GBL Architects GENERAL CONTRACTOR Trillium Project Management STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT Bryson Markulin Zickmantel Structural Engineers MECHANICAL CONSULTANT Jade West Engineering ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT Nemetz (S/A) & Associates LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Durante Kreuk Ltd. INTERIOR DESIGN CONSULTANT Occupy Design TOTAL COST $20 million

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