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West Ā鶹“«Ć½Ó³»­ā€˜Tree Houseā€™ condos a sign of things to come

It may be a called the Tree House but donā€™t expect this one to come with a rope ladder and trap door. West Ā鶹“«Ć½Ó³»­council has given approval to developer British Pacific Properties for a new 12-storey condo tower off Cypress Bowl Road.
tree house

It may be a called the Tree House but donā€™t expect this one to come with a rope ladder and trap door.

West Ā鶹“«Ć½Ó³»­council has given approval to developer British Pacific Properties for a new 12-storey condo tower off Cypress Bowl Road.

When completed, the ā€œtree houseā€ project will include 37 market condos on Lot 1 of the long-approved Rodgers Creek Area Plan 6.

Much was made by councillors about the design of the project by Seattle-based Olson Kundig, and Kasian Architecture

The structure consists of two ā€œtotemsā€ 12- and 11-storeys tall, with modular units jutting out and a two-storey connecting bridge. The design is intended to blend in with the surrounding natural landscape, rather than dominate it.

ā€œI am partial to the architecture. I think itā€™s very thoughtful. I think itā€™s potentially quite iconic,ā€ Coun. Craig Cameron said.

Coun. Nora Gambioli said she ran the designs by her 14-year-old son who assured her the building was indeed ā€œsickā€ and ā€œdopeā€ (both good things in the context).

Jason Wexler, vice-president of design and development for the company, said this will likely be a preview of whatā€™s to come for the remaining developments in the British Properties.

Ā Still in the planning stages is Cypress Village, a ā€œmountain villageā€ on the slopes of Hollyburn but it wonā€™t have the alpine resort look, like Whistler, mimicking European-style steep roofs.

Instead, the developer will be looking for more designs inspired by West Coast Modernism as seen in the Tree House.

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British Pacific Properties' "Tree House" condo project off Cypress Bowl Road will likely offer a glimpse of the architectural style to come for the remaining developments on the slopes of Hollyburn Mountain in West Vancouver.

ā€œWe thought that we should take a look at what some of the West Ā鶹“«Ć½Ó³»­masters like Erikson, Thom and Pratt were doing, and try to develop an architecture that was truly indigenous to our climate, our environment,ā€ Wexler said. ā€œI think itā€™s probably going to be a theme moving forward.ā€

Members of council were under no illusion that the Tree House would do anything to alleviate the affordable housing crisis, but they did agree it would fill a need in giving wealthy downsizers from the British Properties a way to stay in the community.

ā€œThere is a full spectrum of residentsā€™ needs that need to be met, one of which is our downsizers,ā€ said Coun. Mary-Ann Booth, adding she hopes to see the units marketed and sold locally. ā€œThe market is not the offshore buyer. Thatā€™s not what our houses are for. That market should be looking at commercial real estate, not residential real estate, in my mind.ā€

tree-house-below-image.jpg
British Pacific Properties' "Tree House" condo project off Cypress Bowl Road will likely offer a glimpse of the architectural style to come for the remaining developments on the slopes of Hollyburn Mountain in West Vancouver. image supplied
tree-house-close-up-image.jpg
British Pacific Properties' "Tree House" condo project off Cypress Bowl Road will likely offer a glimpse of the architectural style to come for the remaining developments on the slopes of Hollyburn Mountain in West Vancouver. image supplied
tree-house-cross-section.jpg
British Pacific Properties' "Tree House" condo project off Cypress Bowl Road will likely offer a glimpse of the architectural style to come for the remaining developments on the slopes of Hollyburn Mountain in West Vancouver. image supplied
tree-house-details.jpg
British Pacific Properties' "Tree House" condo project off Cypress Bowl Road will likely offer a glimpse of the architectural style to come for the remaining developments on the slopes of Hollyburn Mountain in West Vancouver. image supplied
tree-house-side-image.jpg
British Pacific Properties' "Tree House" condo project off Cypress Bowl Road will likely offer a glimpse of the architectural style to come for the remaining developments on the slopes of Hollyburn Mountain in West Vancouver. image supplied