Award

J U N E 2 0 2 2 | 71 tə šxʷhəleləm̓ s tə k ʷaƛ kʷəʔaʔɬ – UBC P H OTO G R A P H Y BY U B C S T U D EN T H O US I N G A N D CO M M U N I T Y S ERV I C E S TƏ ŠXʷHƏLELƏM S TƏ K ʷAƛ KʷƏʔAʔꞭ – UBC by ROBIN BRUNET T he new five-building student residences tə šxʷhəleləm s tə k ʷaƛ kʷəʔaʔɬ (The Houses of the Ones Belonging to the Saltwater) at the University of British Columbia (UBC) not only provides 744 beds for upper year students plus 196 suite style hotel rooms, it also contributes to the reju- venation of the northeast corner of the Point Grey campus. However, the project took consid- erable effort to develop. "The new buildings had to be arranged in a horseshoe shape around the existing Walter Gage Residence and required considerable campus and local com- munity input," says Andrew Parr, UBC's associate VP, student housing and community services. Fortunately, UBC's long history of residential development benefitted the project. "We knew what unit types and sizes were needed, what ame- nities were required, and what the public spaces should be, so we worked out the programming ourselves," Parr says, adding that community resi- dents' concerns about the scale of the project was remedied by downgrading the originally intended 1,000 beds to 940 beds. Parr adds, "What we needed was the architectural experience to lay everything out, so we retained the services of Hotson Architecture and Ryder Architecture to bring the build- ings to life." Kai Hotson, principal, Hotson Architecture Inc., says the intent early on was to "introduce more of an urban development around the existing Gage Residences, which will address, reinforce, and animate the street frontages along Student Union Boulevard and Wesbrook Mall." Adam James, principal at Ryder Architecture, adds, "As a team we are driven to maximize efficiencies and value, including designing for regen- erative sustainability." Therefore, it was decided to heavily utilize BIM: this would meet an accelerated proj- ect schedule while using less materials and energy, in addition to achieving a cohesive architecture. The architects organized five buildings between seven- and 10-sto- reys tall in a slender arrangement, with gaps in between to ensure physi- cal and visual porosity throughout the site, and also relating to existing and desired pedestrian connections. The massing mediates the density on Wesbrook Mall as a transition from the lower scale residential contexts to the north and east, with the taller scale of the newer Exchange Residence to the south, and the existing Gage Residence towers to the west. As for design aesthetics, Hotson and Ryder strove to add a new archi- tectural variety found within the Gage area by using a sense of depth to the façade, the use of recessed windows, and alternating patterns and repeti- tion with masonry brick. The exteriors also received glass treatment where the staircases are located. Building amenities include a front desk and lobby, fitness room, music practice rooms, house lounge, floor lounges, laundry facilities, and in-suite bike storage. To create a vibrant public realm the architects also developed generously planted areas, multi-purpose lawns (includ- ing a revitalized Gage Court), smaller plazas and walkways, lighting, and integrated site furniture. Construction began in October of 2019, and Parr credits Heatherbrae Builders for not only adhering to aggressive scheduling but also coping with COVID safety measures and co- ordinating work in order to minimize disruption of daily operations.

• Cover