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Kwayatsut – housing for low-income individuals; Silver – residential tower. Heather Place – affordable housing; The Gardens at Qualicum Beach – seniors' housing and care project. AuguSt 2015 | 9 photography & renderings courtesy nsda architects NSDA Architects Neale and Staniszkis didn't realize this philosophy of integrating community input and sensitivity to context would shape one of Vancouver's most prominent architecture firms, but looking back, NSDA's path was set. "The way we have evolved is a reflection of how this region has grown and some of the values that Vancouver represents. That was the thrust of me wanting to work here. I saw this as a place in the world it was going to happen," says Neale. While the partners originally worked on smaller scale residential developments this direction soon evolved when in 1982 Jerry Doll joined the firm. "A real important step in the firm's development came out of left field via Expo 86," says Staniszkis. "We were involved in the Marine Plaza area, which Jerry was responsible for. It was a great opportunity and we did it well, and this contributed to the recognition and financial standing of the firm." Doll joined NSDA, further expanding the team's knowledge base and helping cement its goals. "I saw the firm's approach as a way to make a difference. Your career can be short and so we wanted to be able to stand back and know we have contributed to society." NSDA was diversifying at a fast pace. Opportunities came up that allowed the team to take what they had learnt and branch out into an area where they would soon set a new standard across Canada. "When we started working together we realized we had the same objectives in mind and from the residential field we moved into seniors housing," says Staniszkis. One of the first projects the team worked on was the Hollyburn House retirement residence on Vancouver's North Shore. "This was one of the first seniors facilities in Western Canada that combined conventional residential with care and congregate. The design offered a more humanistic approach within a empowering community that would offer a sense of home for all its residents. That was very successful and led onto other seniors housing, residential care facilities and special-needs residen- tial projects," says Doll. Being part of this ground-breaking new movement, NSDA was ready to fur- ther expand its horizons. The team had nurtured a special and diverse talent, and understood the kind of thinking required to work on socially relevant, economically viable projects that encompassed differing needs all under one roof. They had found a niche in the mixed-use sector, even before mixed-use became a common term. In 1991 Larry Adams joined NSDA and was later followed by Molly Chan to com- plete the five-strong partnership team. Adams brought with him an insight into housing projects and Chan's understanding of the ever-evolving green movement and the complexities involved helped seal the unit. NSDA soon became involved with BC Housing, which develops, manages and administers a wide range of subsidized housing options across the province, as well as the Provincial Homelessness Initiative. This opened the door to other not- for-profit organizations. "We started working for non-profit groups like the Salvation Army, that led to expanding our focus and further diversification of the firm. Everything from high- rise projects like the Lido in Vancouver or the Silver in Burnaby, to affordable rental housing like Heather Place for Metro Vancouver Housing Corporation. We became a firm that evolved from one or two sectors to a multi-faceted firm," says Doll. While NSDA has left its mark on the architecture of Metro Vancouver you would be forgiven for not recognizing the firm's signature style. Just take The Gardens at Qualicum Beach, which is located in the picturesque seaside community on Vancouver Island. It was essential for NSDA to ensure the four-storey building morphed with the local community, something the partners and the team have become skilled at. The Gardens was also archetypal NSDA as it was an integrated senior's housing and care project requiring a thought process that could understand how to integrate multi-use needs under one roof. "The building is configured in a plan as a pinwheel form with four wings radiating outward from a central hub," explains Doll. "The Gardens integrated four types of seniors housing. This project involved mixed use of a demographic type; once again integrating different people with varying needs." This skill of diversification can been seen in so many of NSDA's projects. Take Kwayatsut, a mixed-use building by Vancouver Native Housing Society (VNHS)

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