Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/175815
PHOTOS: BOB MATHESON / COURTESY PACIFIC ARBOUR RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES AND BESHARAT FRIARS ARCHITECTS Cedar Springs Retirement Residence by Jerry Eberts he world knows the lush green rainforests of Canada's west coast are beautiful. Now there is a new building in North Vancouver that takes full advantage of the natural surroundings available: Cedar Springs Retirement Residence. Owned by Paci ic Arbour Retirement Communities, the 11-storey Cedar Springs offers gorgeous views of forest and mountains, with all the amenities that older, retired folks need, including weekly suite housekeeping, complimentary laundry facilities, restaurantquality meals, 24-hour security and perks both indoors and out. "We don't build and sell," says Peter Gaskill, president of Vancouver-based Paci ic Arbour. "We are long-term owners and that shapes the way we approach projects such as Cedar Springs." The company has several other retirement residences and is currently building a sister project to Cedar Springs in West Vancouver. "When we plan a project like this, we look for a central location adjacent to amenities, a place that is sensible for our residents, who are mostly 75 and older," says Gaskill. A wide variety of suites are available in the Cedar Springs residence, including one- and two-bedroom suites. The residents move in as they would into any apartment, with their own furniture and pets. "It's sort of encoded in the Western, Calvinistic culture to iercely guard our independence," says Gaskill. "That's the way people are. We strive to create something so appealing that they T Cedar Springs Retirement Residence p.66-69Cedar Springs.indd 67 can overcome those feelings. We try to make our buildings a central point of the neighbourhood, a hub of that area. "Mainly, we try to offer a fantastic lifestyle option that makes a difference to both the seniors and their families. People might feel guilty, having their parents away from home, but if the seniors are busy, if they're socializing and having fun, that's better." Gaskill reports that residents often compare the Paci ic Arbour atmosphere to a cruise ship. There have even been occasions when seniors met in the residence and gotten married. One of the two architects for the project is Helen Besharat, principal with Besharat Friars Architects of Vancouver. She says Paci ic Arbour has been a client for more than 12 years. "This is our fourth project for seniors that I've worked on with them," says Besharat. "Paci ic Arbour is dedicated to serving the seniors community. Each project is different; it depends on the community. We don't use a repeating formula." Besharat says each project offers her and the entire team a chance to improve building design and performance. "We become the students and take nothing for granted," she says. "We talk to the managers of operations and the marketing team, and ask what we can improve for the next time." Besharat points out that Cedar Springs is a LEED Gold project. "I am thrilled with that," she says. "There are all kinds of green aspects that motivate us, including balcony insulation to improve thermal performance, initiated by Reiner Muller, the owner of Paci ic Arbour." Vice-president of preconstruction for Burnaby-based Ventana Construction Corporation, Tyler Pasquill says the European-born owner of Paci ic Arbour wanted to maximize green building technology on the project. "The owner is an architect in Europe," says Pasquill, "and he wanted to use a product that is well-known there but is relatively new in North America: Schöck's IsoKorb. This is the irst time it has been used in a building of this size in North America." The product is a reinforced foam insulation placed inside concrete slabs and balconies to prevent heat transfer into, and out of, the building. Energy savings are signi icant. Pasquill's company, Ventana, is "committed to sustainable building practices and delivering green buildings." Pasquill himself is an accredited LEED professional, and often helps clients decide which green building initiatives are most suitable for a project. "On LEED projects, we can bring value engineering to a whole new level," he says. "We help the team decide which credits are most bene icial to the client by reviewing both capital and operational impacts." The interior design was created by Aliki Gladwin & Associates Inc. Owner Aliki Gladwin says her goal was that materials used inside be a re lection of the natural surroundings outside. It was designed to be warm and comfortable in winter, open and airy in summer. "The look of the interior is warm: OCTOBER 2012 /67 9/11/12 12:07 PM