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J U N E 2 0 2 2 | 73 P H OTO G R A P H Y BY EM A P E T ER + R EN D ER I N G BY H AY E S DAV I DS O N /CO U RT E S Y O F W E S T BA N K P RO J EC T S CO R P. ALBERNI BY KENGO KUMA by ROBIN BRUNET I n a real estate market as aggressive as that of Vancouver, it's becoming more difficult than ever to deliver a project that truly distinguishes itself visually. But that's exactly what Westbank Projects Corp. has achieved with Alberni by Kengo Kuma, a 43-sto- rey tower – renowned architect Kengo Kuma-san's first high-rise residential tower in North America – that lives up to the description of being sculpted. Designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma of Kengo Kuma and Associates, the tower is carved out by two "scoops," the first rising from the base on one side to the upper levels, the second on the other side from the top to the lower levels. Because of the way the otherwise orthogonal tower is carved its silhouette constantly changes, cre- ating illusionary profiles of arching cantilevers. The exposed structure of the concave voids is complemented by a tessellated three-dimensional wooden trellis at the base building. The tower meets the ground with two intersecting domes that embrace Alberni and Cardero streets. Under the arching structures an extensive moss garden – the first of its kind in Vancouver – defines the entrance and flows upwards to the swimming pool above. Kengo Kuma says, "I thought the site for this project was unique in that it was close both to the sea and the mountain, so the location itself was inspiration enough. I don't think our design has evolved since the begin- ning of the project for this reason." In the past Kuma has stated that the wood components both on the interior and extensively on the exterior create an ambiance that is contrastingly dif- ferent from typical towers – especially in a city of green glass. Kuma comple- mented the exterior wood features of the scoops with a cladding of anodized aluminum and glass. Of his working relationship with Westbank, Kuma says, "We have a good chemistry with [Westbank founder] Ian Gillespie, who respects our design very much. Merrick Architecture is likewise. We tried var- ious new designs and succeeded in creating sharp and modern details." Gregory Borowski, principal at Merrick Architecture - Borowski Sakumoto McIntyre Webb Ltd., says, "After guiding Kengo Kuma's office through all the necessary regulatory procedures in Vancouver, the next stage of the project was disassembling and reclaiming the materials of the existing 1960's 10-storey office building on site, which took the better part of a year." Borowski credits Glotman Simpson Consulting Engineers for engineer- ing a crucial component of the tower. "Among other innovations, they designed a concrete tensile strut on the south side of the building that acts to support the structural core," he explains. Since the design's foot- print at the ground level occupies a completely different space than it does at the top, the use of curved concrete columns transfer the forces of the irregular shape from all directions. Borowski adds, "As for what I con- sidered to be notable challenges, the shingle metal curtain wall panel inter- connections with the façade and roof were very complicated and required design assist from RDH Engineering and the curtain wall manufacturers." Levi Stoelting, principal at Glotman Simpson explains that the sculptured massing created interesting chal- lenges for the design and build team: "In design, this resulted in unique floor designs at each successive tower level, and inclined column forces resulting in tension and compression demands varying in the slabs up the tower's height as the plans extend or recess on successive levels." Stoelting adds that fundamen- tally the frame of the building is very simplistic, with consistent column alignment in a horizontal pattern on one axis, "however, the other axis is segmented and offset in its alignment, creating the curving façade and slab setbacks. In construction, the shift- ing floor edges demanded creative formwork solutions, cantilevering the Alberni by Kengo Kuma

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