Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/687429
94 | J UNE 2016 YWCA Cause We Care House RENDERING COURTESY DIALOG YWCA Cause We Care House by NATALIE BRUCKNER-MENCHELLI T he YWCA Cause We Care House is about to change the landscape of the Downtown Eastside in Vancouver, B.C. It's a standout project for many reasons; firstly, this six-storey LEED Gold concrete and wood-frame building will be one of Vancouver Public Library's (VPL) largest; secondly, it's an example of how when partnerships align – in this case VPL, the City of Vancouver and YWCA Metro Vancouver – an entire community can benefit. This innovative new development, named after its lead donor Cause We Care Foundation, will include YWCA programs and services, a public library and 21 units – a mix of two-, three- and four-bedroom – of long-term supportive housing for single mothers and their children who are at risk of homelessness. The idea came about five years ago. "In early 2011 the City of Vancouver had the library project planned and wanted to maximize their density on the site. As part of the City's commitment to increase affordable housing options in Vancouver, they reached out to the YWCA. The project was a good fit for the YWCA since we know firsthand the incredible need for affordable housing options for single mothers and their children," explains Chantelle Krish, associate director, communications and advocacy at YWCA Metro Vancouver. In fact, according to Arthur Mills, VP of housing at YWCA Metro Vancouver, the YWCA currently has seven sites for housing in Metro Vancouver that are always full. The project is guided by a Steering Committee made up of YWCA and VPL representatives, together with the City of Vancouver, and the work is managed by a Project Working Group with representatives from the partners and design team. "There was a lot of learning about the building process, and about the culture of our individual organizations, so that we could understand each others' interests and perspectives. We also hired CitySpaces to act as a project manager due to their experience in building lasting, livable communities," explains Beth Davies, manager, neighbourhood services, VPL. The site was the former home to two commercial properties, so before construction could begin Haebler was tasked with deconstructing those buildings. "It is the first Vancouver City pilot project for commercial deconstruction," explains Masoud Safarian, project manager at Haebler Construction Projects Inc. "We were able to recycle or reuse 98 per cent of the materials." Before construction could begin, Haebler discovered that Hastings Street is made up of backfill. "When we started excavation we found a new silt material that became a slop that would never dry. We came up with a hybrid solution; to pump out the slop and dig down another six to eight feet to build a base to put the footings on. At the front of the building we couldn't find any till so we had to redesign gigantic footings to carry the weight of the building," says Safarian. The next challenge was the design. How do you create a mixed-use building that is inviting to the local community, provides its tenants with maximum security, brings both groups seamlessly together and complements the existing neighbourhood and the Steering Committee's vision? This was a task for Cityspaces Consulting Ltd. and architects DIALOG. "We have two very different clients with two different requirements and two different budgets," says Brett Hotson from DIALOG. "The multi-headed client group always presents challenges, and it was our job to tie their vision together." For the front of the building, DIALOG chose an assortment of plain and coloured metal panels and glazed white brick, while the rear respects the old Strathcona neighbourhood. "We chose punchy colours with bursts of orange, purple/blue and lime green on the Hastings Street side and at the rear of the building we have a bright orange exit stair door." The Hastings Street north elevation is built right up to the property line to form a street wall presence, with the aim of enhancing the streetscape. The library frontage features a large double- height piece of curtainwall to create transparency right through the library. Above the main entrance is a pop out structural glass meeting room that extends 12-inches beyond the building and is part of the VPL library space. This frameless meeting room, which LOCATION 720-730 East Hasting Street, Vancouver, B.C. OWNERS/DEVELOPERS City of Vancouver / Vancouver Public Library / YWCA Metro Vancouver PROJECT MANAGER CitySpaces Consulting Ltd. PRECONSTRUCTION MANAGER/ GENERAL CONTRACTOR Haebler Construction Projects Inc. ARCHITECT DIALOG STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT Read Jones Christoffersen Ltd. MECHANICAL CONSULTANT Integral Group ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT Applied Engineering Solutions Ltd. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Hapa Collaborative TOTAL SIZE 12,000 square feet (library) 17,700 square feet (YWCA) TOTAL COST $25 million Safarian likens to the design seen on the front of the TELUS Garden building, was a result of mass collaboration. "We heard from the community that they wanted a light-filled, beautiful space that reflected the community," explains VPL's Davies. "We also heard that there is a lack of meeting room space in the community, so we wanted a large, dividable meeting room, a smaller room that's a glass box jutting out on to Hastings Street, and two small breakout rooms for four or so people." To the right of the building is a five-storey strip of curtainwall glazing, which is the main stairwell for the YWCA residents. The southern aspect, which faces the residential neighbourhood, has been designed with terraces on levels two and three that step back. These terraces provide privacy and offer glimpses of vegetation as chosen by landscape architect Hapa Collaborative. This side also provides access to the underground parking which features 11 stalls and a bike room. Head on inside the main VPL entrance and you are met with a two- storey, 12,000-square-foot concrete and wood library. The east wall of the library features a wood slat wall to warm up the space and provide some acoustic absorption, while on the west wall a frosted glass screen on level two extends right out to the front where you find a VPL sign that projects over the sidewalk. The ceiling of the library also ties the outside to the inside. "We have a crenulated ceiling of white drywall that has an acoustic plaster finish. This is an extension of the main curtainwall, which itself has some interesting geometry as it is sloped with an angle, so it's a bit of a play on the frontage," explains Hotson. To meet the security needs of the YWCA residents, access to levels two and above has been carefully thought out, with a separate entrance and key fob security system. "We place cameras on certain entries and particular locking mechanisms. We base everything on our experience," explains YWCA's Mills. While level two of the building is primarily YWCA there is also a shared space for VPL and YWCA. In fact, a focus of the design was to ensure a unity between the cohabitors. "Interior windows on level two overlook the library space and we are working closely with VPL on programs for our residents and their children," explains YWCA's Mills. A level three concrete floor acts as a barrier between the wood frame and the library below, according to structural consultants Read Jones Christoffersen. On the residential levels the housing detail design is quieter with a wood frame structure. Generous corridor spaces encourage people to come out of their apartments and kids to play together. Read Jones Christoffersen was also mindful of the two uses and ensured there was quality spatial separation. "The privacy of residents and a quiet library environment is essential. We chose a structural system that offers better acoustic separation between the library and the residences, between the activity room and the rest of the spaces, and between residential units themselves. One strategy was to introduce a staggered stud wall system in resident partition walls to achieve a cost-effective, spatially efficient acoustic separation," explains Thomas Poon from Read Jones Christoffersen. Due to the two very different uses of the building, Integral Group, the mechanical consultants, and Applied Engineering Solutions, the electrical consultants, were tasked with installing two separate systems. VPL has heat recovery units while all levels have radiant heat. Also, because the mechanical systems at the ground floor take up a lot of ceiling space, a flat concrete floor plate at level two was used to create headroom. Despite the challenges the project is proving to be a major success. "The YWCA is a wonderful partner, and we're really looking forward to working with the families who move into the housing – one community member commented that they will be the smartest kids in Vancouver! It has also been great to work with CitySpaces, DIALOG and Haebler – I'm really proud that we're creating a beautiful, contemporary space that community members will enjoy for years to come," says Davies. A