Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1295215
O C T O B E R 2 0 2 0 | 53 R EN D ER I N G CO U RT E SY C I ELO P RO P ERT I E S Customs House sympathetic to the sandstone of the Customs House but that would lighten it up and give it more life. We opted for a Portugese limestone that has a natu- ral variation in colour and gradiation. For the windows on the new building, we were able to mimic the origi- nal punch windows, but with a good height close to the floor that opens it up inside and allows a natural stream of light," says Merrick. The commercial, which is around 16,000 square feet of retail space at ground level, has undergone a radi- cal transformation, as Wong explains: "The previous retail was not animated to the street and almost half buried, like a bunker. Now the full glazing really activates the corner, and being south facing has the potential for a wonderful patio with some of the best views in Victoria." Inside, the brick wall on the origi- nal building has been left exposed, while subtle variations on the new building offer a more modern yet sub- tle sense of place. The floor structure in the original building was raised to open up the views, because as Merrick explains, once you sat down, those views were lost. Wong adds that inside the old building there is a courtyard on the third floor that brings light deep into the luxury condominiums (of which there are 57 in the old and new build- ing, all entirely unique in design), which is reminiscent of courtyards seen in Europe. "There is no one type of unit, which of course is challenging from the con- struction side, but is truly spectacular," says Sipos, to which Wong adds, "The building has much larger and longer floor plates than those in nor- mal residential buildings with all units having high, soaring, and sound- proofed ceilings that illuminate the interiors. These are a result of the building going through many itera- tions, but the result is fantastic." Needless to say, the two penthouses on the top of the buildings offer the most amazing views and at 3,531 square feet and 4,422 square feet, with 1,900 square feet of rooftop garden each accessed by a small elevator from the main living area, are above and beyond in their offerings. While the team will agree this was an extremely complex project requir- ing an almost design build mentality, it's obvious that this is one of those projects that will go down in history, and one everyone involved is proud to have been a part of. "I can't imagine I will ever have the opportunity to work on a project like this again. They don't come along very often. The signifi- cance of this project to Victoria's Inner Harbour, which in my opinion is one of the most beautiful spots in the world, is immense," says Sipos, to which Merrick concludes, "The significance of its place and complementing its neighbours, paying respect on the one hand but not repeating the century-old architecture, is extremely exciting." It's fair to say that the Customs House building will once again take its rightful place as an important part of Victoria's architectural heritage when it opens in early 2021, if indeed it hasn't done so already. A Vintage Woodworks is proud to be part of the heritage restoration and manufacture of Victoria BC's Customs House Wood Windows and Storefronts (778) 351-3151 www.vintagewoodworks.ca VintageWoodworks_AWARD_1020.indd 1 9/17/20 2:27 250-383-5157 brewiselectric.com 638 Hillside Avenue, Victoria, B.C. Proud to be the electrical contractor for the Customs House project. Island Owned & Operated Since 1984 BrewisElectric_AWARD_1020.indd 1 10/1/20 11:22 AM 250.478.4225 • www.westerngrater.com Congratula ons to Banyan Construc on on another successful project – Customs House. WesternGraterCustom_AWARD_1020.indd 1 9/30/20 10:24 PACIFIC WATERPROOFING LTD. Pleased to participate in the Customs House project. Member of RCABC Roofing & Re-Roofing Systems Waterproofing Vehicular Traffic Decks Urethane & Epoxy Coatings RCABC Systems Tel: 604.299.3580 | Fax: 604.299.5322 | info@pacificwp.ca PacificWaterproofing_AWARD_1020.indd 1 9/29/20 7:25 AM December 2020 ANNUAL INDUSTRY FEATURE: Walls & Ceilings Book your ad space now: Dan Chapman 604.473.0316 Alexander Sugden 604.473.0358