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FEBRUA RY 2019 | 57 Prime On The Plaza RENDERINGS BY DG WORKS/COURTESY BINGHAM HILL ARCHITECTS Prime On The Plaza by LAURIE JONES T owering over the streets of Surrey, B.C., the 37-storey, 398-unit Prime on the Plaza mixed-use residential building sets an example for the new lifestyle choice of minimalist living. With suites ranging from 288-square- foot micro-units to 1,036-square-foot townhomes, the variety of options will suit a wide demographic of buyers. A combined effort in development from Reliance Properties Ltd. and Macdonald Development Corporation (now Macdonald Communities Ltd.), the project has many layers of exper- tise. "I took over the file for our half of the Prime on the Plaza partner- ship with Reliance Properties after we had broken ground," says John Macdonald, COO. "The project is the brainchild of Jon Stovell of Reliance and our [Macdonald's] late partner Bob Glass who worked together to con- ceive of, design, and presell the tower. Jon Stovell is a real visionary and it has been a pleasure working with him on this project. Our version of micro suites adds a lot of complexity to construc- tion, but allows us to pack an immense amount of utility into each square foot. I am confident our customers will be very pleased with the end result." Doug Nelson, associate, Bingham Hill Architects says this was a focused micro-unit project with deliberate compact design that includes luxuri- ous features. "City Hall and SFU [Simon Fraser University] are across the street so these suites could be beneficial for people who live in outer parts of Metro Vancouver but need a city apartment for work or education reasons. The studio layouts represent just over 50 percent of the 398 units in the building. "When the properties were released for sale, the owners realized that there was a higher demand for smaller units. The more traditional units, like a cor- ner two-bedroom suite, were selling, but at a slower rate. Because of that, design plans were revised for the unsold upper 10 storeys of the building and more units were added. Even units that were intended to be a standard two-bedroom apartment were rede- signed to be a micro three-bedroom apartment." Most units have a stan- dard bathroom but the kitchens are more compact and Murphy beds offer double duty with a fold-out dining or study table. With such tight quarters, Prime on the Plaza has a number of amenities for socializing within the building including a fully equipped gym, sauna and steam rooms, a yoga room and study areas. With such a tall structure, and the unique twist on the upper floors, several considerations were needed beyond the standard frame. Mike Carlaw, senior project manager at Metro-Can Construction Ltd. says, "There was a two-foot-thick transfer slab on level 27 to accommodate new columns and wall locations to transfer loads from the upper tower to the lower tower. To form and support level 39's perimeter beam, there were fly tables stacked for three levels below as parts of the perimeter beam had nothing under them for 38 floors. Parts of the beam projected past level 38 to the ground floor." He adds that for the window wall installation for views on level 38, they added wind screen for the roof terrace to guard against high winds. The interior design was a major factor in creating comfortable liv- ing spaces in the downsized units. "Because they are so small, we kept the colour palette as neutral as pos- sible," says Andrea Finlay, principal, Studio Finlay. "The windows are mas- sive so essentially the view is the artwork for the suite." She adds that because each area also has two modalities – a living area or dining/kitchen – the design ensured people didn't feel they were in the kitchen the whole time, including when they are sleeping. "Twenty-four-inch 2:27 PM

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