Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1295215
O C T O B E R 2 0 2 0 | 49 P H OTO G R A P H Y BY CU RT YO D ER /CO U RT E SY L E F E V R E & CO M PA N Y T he City of Victoria is known worldwide for the charm and history reflected in its down- town architecture. One of the latest additions to this landscape is the 88-suite, dual-building Ironworks condominium complex, featuring a rust finish with the unique Corten cladding. This new structure looks like it was built decades ago, blend- ing in perfectly with the actual vintage buildings in the Old Town district. "One of the largest parts of my business is heritage renovation work, so the fact that I built something new that is appropriate for the location is quite pleasing to me, and important," says Chris Le Fevre, president and CEO of Le Fevre & Company Property Agents Ltd. "I spent a lot of time in the desert in California where Corten steel is prevalent, and I remembered how cool that product can look. For this design I was mindful of some- thing that was steel and antique without being pseudo, and fortunately we found people who were capable of putting it together architecturally and physically in a complete fashion." The colour on the outside of the building is actually rust. "What makes Corten different from regular steel used on a rusty shed roof, for instance, is this material rusts to a certain point and then it actually creates a beau- tiful, long-standing, weatherproof surface that protects the fresh steel underneath," says Justin Gammon, project architect with Christine Lintott Architects Inc. The Ironworks development began in 2016 and its footprint is a compilation of five lots. "Phase One encompasses three lots and is part of a multi-phased project," says Christine Lintott, princi- pal. "Newer buildings in the plan will have a different exterior finish." Comprised of studio and one-bed- room apartments, the Ironworks buildings are priced for young, urban, downtown residents who want to get into the market. "Each unit has either a patio or some other form of bal- cony, high transom windows to add to the natural light factor, and beautiful views," says Gammon. "We've included a large interior courtyard space and many suites have an overlook into it. This creates opportunities for sharing and developing the community." The two interior colour schemes are subtle, including pallets of white, greys, and blacks with light wood cab- inetry. Long length, wide plank LV T flooring, large format tiles in the bath- room, and honeycomb kitchen tile create a fresh, modern look that bal- ances the vintage exterior. "Taking cues from the Corten steel, the exte- rior rust red – symbolic of bricks in the surrounding buildings – and black accent colours are typical of a Victorian warehouse esthetic," says Gammon. Lukas Farey, project manager, Campbell Construction Ltd., explains the cladding came with almost a stainless-steel look to it. "We applied a solution to the Corten that makes the oxidizing of the metal accelerate. Eventually the building would do that on its own over time." He adds the two buildings at Ironworks share a con- crete podium, with a glazed walkway connecting the structures. "It acts as if it's one building, but during con- struction we built it as if it were two," he says. "There are four commercial spaces on the ground level, with four levels of residential above that. One potential business is an Indian restaurant so we had to upgrade the ventilation system and the existing structure to accom- modate kitchen requirements." Farey notes one of the challenges during construction was dealing with a rust water coming off the building. "As the Corten is exposed to the ele- ments, and before it reaches its final patina, it begins to oxidize and the run-off water will be a rust colour. To prevent this from flowing onto the balconies or sidewalks, we used a vari- ety of drains and canopies." He notes Ironworks is a unique project in terms of anything locally, or even on Vancouver Island. "It's just across the street from the Capital Iron building, which is also a heritage landmark in Victoria." A IRONWORKS by LAURIE JONES LOCATION 515 Chatham Street, Victoria, B.C. OWNER /DEVELOPER Le Fevre & Company Property Agents Ltd. ARCHITECT Christine Lintott Architects Inc. GENER AL CONTR ACTOR Campbell Construction Ltd. STRUCTUR AL CONSULTANT RJC Engineers MECHANICAL /ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT Avalon Mechanical Consultants Ltd. ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT Triumph Electrical Consulting Engineering Ltd. TOTAL SIZE 64,345 square feet TOTAL COST $17 million Ironworks 10:39 AM 10:27 AM