Iconic. Simple. Clean. That鈥檚 how architect Gwyn Vose of IBI Group describes the听听Henson Developments听听for 1059 to 1075 Nelson St. near Thurlow Street in the city鈥檚 West End.
If the project is approved, it will be among the tallest buildings in Vancouver, reaching a height of 555.5 feet 鈥� or 585.5 feet to the top of its appurtenance (the part of the structure above the highest occupied level where mechanical equipment that supports the building is located).
The tower is proposed for 1059 to 1075 Nelson St. near Thurlow Street. Photo Naoibh O鈥機onnor
Tom Wright of U.K.-based WKK Architecture designed the Nelson Street tower, which is being built to Passive House standards, while Vancouver-based IBI Group is the executive architect whose role is to help the design architect with local policies and regulations.
The building, featuring a total of 485 units, including 113 social housing units, 49 market rentals and 323 market condos, was unveiled at an open house last week. Its wavy shape frames a curvy column of greenery down its centre.
Vose, representing IBI Group at the open house, says the tower鈥檚 design is reminiscent of the coastline.
鈥淭all buildings want to be simple and elegant,鈥� he added.
The building鈥檚 proposed height puts it on par with the听, a 57-storey luxury condo tower Westbank is constructing at 969 Burrard St.
Currently, Vancouver鈥檚 two tallest buildings are the 60-storey, 659-foot-tall Shangri-La at 1128 West Georgia and the 63-storey Trump Tower, measuring 616 feet, at 1161 West Georgia.
Several city policies, which council has set over time, regulate building height in Vancouver, explained Jason Olinek, the City of Vancouver鈥檚 acting assistant director of planning for development planning.
The city鈥檚 district schedule outlines the base zoning for a site, while the rezoning process allows developers to apply to exceed the permitted height and density. That鈥檚 limited by urban design guidelines and, during the rezoning process, various factors are taken into account, including public opinion, shadowing, and view cones that protect views of the Burrard Inlet, the North Shore and the mountains.
罢丑别听听is another regulation governing height. It鈥檚 a set of guidelines used in conjunction with other policies for reviewing buildings seeking significant increases over existing height limits.
Adopted in 1997, and amended several times, the policy identifies certain areas and sites where consideration can be given for buildings that are taller than the general downtown zoning height limits or for those entering the Queen Elizabeth Park or other council approved view corridors.
鈥淭he intent of these guidelines is to mark the prominence of the Central Business District in our downtown skyline, while also providing opportunities for strategically placed height at the prominent 鈥済ateways鈥� to mark the entry into downtown: the Burrard Bridge, the Granville Bridge, and the Georgia Gateways in Northeast False Creek and at West Georgia and Pender streets,鈥� the policy states.
The tallest building permitted under the policy is 700 feet.
Various city policies determine heights of 麻豆传媒映画buildings. Photo Dan Toulgoet
Henson Developments鈥� rezoning application is being considered under the West End Community Plan, which allows for consideration of up 550 feet at that location. Buildings at this height must also follow the听, which applies to buildings which extend into the Queen Elizabeth Park view cone.
Under the Policy, building proposals at 550 feet undergo an enhanced review by the Urban Design Panel that includes the addition of two local architects appointed to the panel by the Director of Planning. The proposed Nelson Street tower has been allowed an additional five feet, to 555 feet, in consideration of the applicant鈥檚 commitment to build to a Passive House sustainable building standard.
How does 麻豆传媒映画measure up?
How many storeys a building鈥檚 height equates to depends on a variety of factors including the type of use, such as office or residential whose floor-to-ceiling heights differ, the type of construction, the preferences of the developer and architect, and rooftop appurtenances.
鈥淭all,鈥� however, is relative when you consider the height of the highest skyscrapers in Canada and the rest of the world.
Vancouver鈥檚 policies mean even Burnaby is exceeding this city on the tall building front.
Onni Group鈥檚 64-storey highrise at 2 Gilmore Place will be 708 feet from the lobby level to the top of the appurtenance. When it鈥檚 completed, it will be the t.
That will eventually be surpassed by Concord Pacific鈥檚 planned new 65-storey building on the old Sears site at Metrotown, which will hit 723 feet.
At 2,717 feet, however, Dubai鈥檚 163-storey Burj Khalifa in the United Arab Emirates would tower over those buildings, as would Shanghai Tower in China, which is 128 floors and reaches 2,073 feet. Abraj Al-Bait Clock Tower in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, measures 1,971 feet with 120 floors.
But really tall buildings need a large floor plate, noted Vose, and require more elevators to bring people up and down, which takes away from saleable space.
Vose, however, isn鈥檛 concerned that 麻豆传媒映画isn鈥檛 competing with international cities like Dubai in the race for the highest tower.
He鈥檚 pleased that Vancouver鈥檚 urban planning approach, dubbed Vancouverism, has produced slim, smaller footprint buildings with a lot of space between them.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 a good idea to have thinner towers with smaller floor plates,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 what鈥檚 made 麻豆传媒映画what it is, and 麻豆传媒映画is a pretty amazing place because of that.鈥�
VANCOUVER TALL TOWERS
- Shangri-La (659 feet) at 1128 West Georgia.听Completed 2008
- Trump Tower (616 feet) at 1161 West Georgia.听Completed 2017
- The Butterfly (556 feet) at 969 Burrard St.听Under Construction
- 1075 Nelson (555.5 feet).听Proposed
- 1133 Melville (550 feet).听听Under Construction
- One Burrard Place (550 feet).听Under Construction
- (535 feet).听Proposed
- Private residences of Hotel Georgia (518 feet) at 667 Howe St.听Completed 2013
- 麻豆传媒映画House (507 feet).听Under Construction
- . (497.3 feet).听Proposed
- One Wall Centre (491 feet).听Completed 2001
- Shaw Tower (489 feet).听Completed 2004
- Harbour Centre (481 feet).听Completed 1977
