Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/331457
high-rise of this kind, according to Willie Perez, partner with mechanical consul- tant MCW Consultants Ltd. That means electric baseboard heating throughout, with split heat pumps in the retail units on the ground level and air condition- ing in the penthouse suites. "Everything was built to Green Silver standard, so that dictated the details, like the num- ber of thermostats per suite, the ceiling ductwork, and so on," says Perez. Green Silver standards also man- dated all Energy Star appliances and water-conserving fixtures, notes Mark Herron, associate with electrical con- sultant Nemetz (S/A) & Associates Ltd. Overall, construction went exception- ally smoothly, says Herron. "The only challenge was that there were some overhead service lines that needed to be incorporated underground, which meant a lot of co-ordination with all the utility service providers." "For Beedie's first residential build- ing, it's a pretty nice benchmark for them," says Geoff Deacon, project man- ager for Axiom Builders Inc. He adds that a high level of detail has been paid throughout the design of the building, highlighting the Rogers Communica- tions equipment layout and design, in particular. "In most buildings, they're on the roof and, although people try to incor- porate them into the design, they're still exposed. The Austin is one of the first buildings to include a successful design concept where the antennas are not vis- ible, which contributes to maintaining the overall design intent and look of the building," explains Deacon. Another community-pleasing ele- ment of The Austin's design is the emphasis on creating additional public spaces at the ground level. The goal was to establish privacy for the ground level residential units at the north side of the development, "while at the south side, where the retail units are located, the emphasis was on designing space that is urban," explains Durante Kreuk Ltd. intern landscape architect Emily Nixon. Wide boulevards for pedestrian traffic employ paving elements to demarcate the private space, and an outdoor fire- place with ample seating on the main street corner encourages socializing in the public space. As for the interior design, the inten- tion was to create something that would appeal to the target market – an even split of first-time buyers and empty nesters, says Cristina Oberti, principal of Cristina Oberti Interior Design Inc. The resulting design boasts custom millwork, quartz countertops and back- splashes, and thoughtful touches such as soft-close cabinets and under-cabinet lighting. The architecture makes the most of the location, with expansive, energy-efficient f loor-to-ceiling win- dows and extra-large balconies in every suite; inside, white lacquer kitchen cab- inets, large-format tiles and a cool pal- ette of greys and whites create a sleek, seamless and neutral backdrop to the true star of the show: stellar views of B.C.'s Lower Mainland. n Location 955 Austin Avenue, Coquitlam, B.C. owner/deveLoper Beedie Development Group architect Chris Dikeakos Architects Inc. construction manager Axiom Builders Inc. structuraL consuLtant John Bryson & Partners mechanicaL consuLtant MCW Consultants Ltd. eLectricaL consuLtant Nemetz (S/A) & Associates Ltd. Landscape architect Durante Kreuk Ltd. interior design Cristina Oberti Interior Design Inc. totaL area 128,000 square feet totaL project cost $25 million raef grohne june 2014 /83 The Austin p.80-83TheAustin.indd 83 14-06-03 10:24 AM