Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/147234
renderings courtesy canada sunrise development corp. Quintet by Peter Caulfield ot long ago, Richmond, B.C. was just another quiet Vancouver suburb, known for being the location of Vancouver International Airport. But Richmond is growing and is now the fourth largest city in the province, according to Tourism Richmond. Thanks to the quick and easy access to the airport and downtown Vancouver by an extended SkyTrain system, Richmond is a hive of activity, with construction cranes all over the city. Canada Sunrise Development Corporation's Quintet project is one of the latest developments that will help Richmond reach its goal of becoming the most appealing, liveable and wellmanaged communities in Canada. Quintet is located in a master-planned neighbourhood in Richmond's retail and commercial core. The development consists of five condominium towers and executive townhouses that are connected by a two-acre park. It will also house the graduate faculty of Trinity Western University (TWU) and a community centre. Visitors approaching the completed project will see ground floor retail space and towers containing 704 market condominiums that rise four to 16 storeys into the sky. The exterior of Quintet has many energy-efficient features, including the building's orientation to the sun, green roofs over the community centre and the living-green walls. The exterior N Quintet p74-77Quintet.indd 75 cladding materials include coloured spandrel glass panels, fibre cement panels and local basalt. A two-acre rooftop garden with extensive water features will be located over the parking podiums and will connect the towers. The park, or landscaped podium, will span the entire development and is open to Quintet residents only. Jane Durante, special consultant with Durante Kreuk Ltd., says the landscaped podium comes with a high "wow-factor." Durante adds, "The podium is meant to engage everyone who lives at Quintet. There are spots to hold barbecues, areas for children to play and quiet areas where you can go and read a book if you want. And the waterfalls that are part of the landscaping will help mask sounds from the nearby streets." Despite the size and scale of Quintet, each residential tower responds in its own way to its unique orientation to the outside environment, says architect Wing Leung, principle of W.T. Leung Architects Inc. TWU and the community centre will have pride of place in Quintet, situated on the corner of Minoru Boulevard and Firbridge Way. "It's an excellent spot, facing south-west," says Leung. "The prime location reflects the importance of education and community involvement in society today." Phase 1 of the project is slated for completion in September 2013. Anthony Lo, general manager at Canada Sunrise, says it is made up of two towers combining residences, commercial retail space and recreational facilities, as well as a four-storey parking podium with 290 stalls. "Phase 2 consists of three residential towers and a stand-alone four-storey building that will hold a community centre and TWU," Lo adds. Phase 2 will also have a four-and-a-half-storey parking podium with parking for 552 vehicles. The development features Low-E glass, low-carbon fly ash in the concrete mixture, low-flow plumbing fixtures and Energy Star appliances and lighting systems. The interior finishes will use many natural materials such as locallysourced wood flooring, wood-faced cabinets and stone counter tops. Quintet also has several features that make the project unique. "In addition to a gym and a 75-foot indoor lap pool in Phase 1, each residential tower has a private, fully-furnished amenity dining august 2013 /75 13-07-12 1:54 PM