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FEBRUA RY 2016 | 73 Seylynn Village – Beacon Tower PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY DENNA HOMES Seylynn Village – Beacon Tower by NATALIE BRUCKNER-MENCHELLI W hen all the lights went out due to a power outage in Metro Vancouver last October, there was one building that continued to shine brightly, guiding residences back to the North Shore; it was the aptly named 24-storey Beacon Tower – the first in a series of developments that make up the new Seylynn Village. Strategically located south of Highway 1 in B.C., with easy access to nearby parks, trails and transit, Beacon Tower offers epic views of Vancouver, the Burrard Inlet and the North Shore and coastal mountains. "The idea for Seylynn Village came about four years ago when we were lucky enough to hear about the land," says Pedram Hosseini, project manager at Denna Homes. "It took us two years to finalize the project because we set a very high standard. We didn't want a cookie cutter development. For us it was about bringing people back to the North Shore." Beacon Tower is the smaller of what will eventually be three towers, that will rise up in a way that complements the local mountains (building is currently underway for the 28-storey Compass Tower which will be proceeded by the 32-storey Apex Tower). Even the building's architecture takes its cues from its surroundings. "The architectural form and character draw inspiration from the mountains, the areas rich industrial heritage in shipping and logging and timber milling, and the neighbouring Second Narrows steel bridge, as well as the mid-century modern buildings that remain an integral part of the North Shore commercial and residential character," says Al Johnson from DA Architects + Planners. "From the outset we knew we wanted to have different elements for each building. At Beacon we wanted a rustic look and used large expanses of orange coloured and textured fibre cement panels that go hand- in-hand with the orange of Second Narrows bridge," adds Hosseini. The tower's exterior glass window wall and metal details complement its concrete podium, culminating in a rooftop lantern; the same lantern that shone brightly during the outage. "The southeast mechanical penthouse enclosure has been designed as a distant landmark feature. The mechanical penthouse is surrounded with a layering of translucent glass, metal louvers and steel columns that recalls both tree branch and bridge imagery," says Johnson. Townhouses on the south along Fern Street create a defined street wall with individual entries, terraces and landscaping. Just like the building itself, the landscaping at Seylynn Village takes its metaphorical cues from what sets the North Shore apart; its connection to the outdoors generally and the mountains specifically. "Materials throughout the site reflect this imagery with the use of granite, heavy timber and native plantings," explains Gerry Eckford, principal at eta landscape architecture. "Through the use of heavy timber and steel we are able to reference the rich cultural and industrial heritage of the North Shore as well as its First Nations history. These connections are made visible in contemporary forms throughout the site planning as retaining walls, building entry features, water features and signage elements. We wanted to create a space where the residents will feel a strong sense of place and a clear connection to their new home." Hosseini quite rightly describes Beacon Tower as a functional work of art that mixes simplicity with detail; a concept that is further evident as you enter into the building and are welcomed by a main double-height lobby. "The reversed terraced ceiling in the lobby is a striking feature of the building. The ceiling rises in a series of asymmetrical polygons in response to the stairs that step up to the main entrance of the building. This is finished with a glowing custom light fixture that sits perfectly within the final and highest polygon," explains Linda Gallo, interior designer at Insight Design Group Inc. Inside, the colour palette is derived from the unique West Coast natural setting of water, landscape and sky and the 196 suites and four penthouses at the top feature one of three contemporary colour schemes – wenge, walnut and olive. "Our main design influence was a combination of the clean and contemporary architecture, juxtaposed with the beautiful North Shore surroundings. Our challenge was how to fuse these within the interior design. We wanted to create spaces that brought the outside in and allowed the sweeping views to be the primary feature," says Gallo. As much attention to detail has been paid to the unseen elements as they have to the esthetics of Beacon Tower, explains Duncan Beattie from ITC Construction Group. The building features three high-speed elevators, one of which will be dedicated to LOCATION 600 Mountain Highway, North Vancouver, B.C. OWNER/DEVELOPER Denna Homes ARCHITECT DA Architects + Planners GENERAL CONTRACTOR ITC Construction Group STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT Glotman Simpson Consulting Engineers MECHANICAL CONSULTANT Integral Group ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT Nemetz (S/A) & Associates Ltd. INTERIOR DESIGN CONSULTANT Insight Design Group Inc. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT eta landscape architecture TOTAL SIZE 211,000 square feet TOTAL COST $90 million 9:32 AM 10:59 AM 11:52 AM 10:53 AM

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