Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/255439
River Green – Phase One by Robin Brunet photos Courtesy AspAC Developments ltD. A s far as urban residential redevelopment goes, Coal Harbour is widely viewed as the apex of achievement for Vancouver – something other cities can aspire to. So it's not surprising that Coal Harbour was very much on the minds of City of Richmond policy makers when, in 2007, they chose Aspac Developments Ltd. (Coal Harbour's master- minds) as the winning bidder of a 27-acre parcel of land on the Fraser River waterfront beside the Richmond Olympic Oval. When that 27 acres is fully transformed as River Green 15 years from now, it will consist of 25 residential buildings with 2,600 units: a unique resort-style community with an urban village; a new waterfront park, pier and daycare; and $2-million worth of public art. But the recent completion of the $370-million Phase One of River Green has already created major excitement amongst local buyers and investors. It consists of 458 units in six residential towers plus two amenity buildings, designed by Vancouver architect James K.M. Cheng. Phase One gives everyone a clear idea of just how unique the completed River Green will be. To take one example, the buildings are interlaced with complex waterways and private islands, reflecting the true nature of Richmond itself and the Fraser River. The buildings are also angled for maximum sun exposure and staggered towards the river in such a way that every occupant has scenic views. River Green was developed with significant input from the City of Richmond. Although Richmond had a concept for the proposed residences, John Ryan, Aspac VP of develop- ment, points out that "it was fairly standard and would have resulted in all the buildings being arranged in a horizontal fashion along the river – not ideal for either the residents or the best use of what is a fairly narrow rectangle of prop- erty. Ultimately, after the City's policymakers visited Coal Harbour and saw first-hand what we had achieved, they agreed to Cheng's vision." Ryan credits Cheng for not just staggering the buildings but also creating a courtyard midway in the property that effectively cuts the rectangle in half and provides an east- west public corridor that will eventually extend to the Richmond Olympic Oval. To help determine River Green's overall ambiance, Cheng paid close attention to the needs of Asian buyers. "They don't want gaudy, neo-classical villas like the ones that exist in Shanghai and Beijing," he says. "Instead, [the buyers] want Vancouver values and lifestyle. They also want a feeling of community, security and an environment that favours edu- cation for their children – which is why, for example, I created dedicated music rooms for them to practice in." Cheng adds, "Social interaction was vital to the success of River Green. In addition to music rooms we created areas for kids to play in, communal spaces for parents, front yards for our townhouses and many common areas." Phase One underwent an energy-modelling study by BC Hydro that led to Aspac and Cheng increasing roof and wall insulation for the residences as well as including high-per- formance glazing, interior and exterior lighting controls, low- flow water fixtures and high- efficiency heat pump systems. Other environmental mea- sures incorporated into what would become a LEED Silver equivalent design included green roofs and a community shuttle to the Canada Line transit station and local shops. A high-efficiency irrigation system outside the build- ings helps reduce water use, and a curtain wall with low- emissivity glass gives the resi- dences excellent thermal and sound insulation. Ledcor Construction Ltd. and a small army of consultants and sub trades had to contend with a variety of challenges, starting with elevation. Due to the property's proximity to the river and soft soil conditions, extra care was taken for better protection against flooding. The grade of the property was raised to the same level or above the adjacent dyke, and the soil was densi- fied with preload and stone columns, creating a waterproof slab foundation that's over five feet (about 1.5 metres) thick in some locations. Cheng also designed the buildings with concrete frames to ward against water damage. The concrete structure with higher glazing standards also reduces airport and traffic noise. february 2014 /45 river Green – Phase One p44-47River Green.indd 45 14-01-22 11:01 AM