Winona on Cambie designed to reflect its occupants

At the Winona on Cambie new-home project, the design features an interweaving of balconies and floor orientation vertically and horizontally with the building, which will rise over the next two years at West 61st Avenue and Cambie, adjacent to Winona Park.

Architects can sometimes run a gauntlet when they are designing residential buildings, trying to create an interesting looking structure from the outside without running afoul of design guidelines or compromising the interior space.

That is the challenge that Andrew Emmerson and GBL Architects faced when they were asked to design Winona on Cambie, a new 38-unit building along the Cambie Corridor.

“We wanted to create some energy and movement and cadence to the exterior expression of the building,” Emmerson said. ”So we worked with the idea of a flux expression along the façade,” which reflects the flow of traffic on a busy Cambie Street.

The result is a kind of interweaving of balconies and floor orientation vertically and horizontally with the building, which will rise over the next two years at West 61st Avenue and Cambie, adjacent to Winona Park.

“A lot of credit goes to the client,” the architect noted. “When he came to us, he wanted to do something different and challenged us with the design task of breaking out of the mould. He was fairly hands off during the design process and gave us a free rein.”

Along the way, the building’s form was designed to optimize sunlight inside the homes while providing shade from the summer sun, he said. As well, stretching out the balconies along the building’s west side facing Cambie served to dampen the sound of traffic.

Emmerson said the client also wanted to have a mix of homeowners who reflected the area, whether they are first-time buyers or people moving out of larger single-family homes in the area. As a result, the building’s suites range from relatively modest studios at 418 square feet to three-bedroom penthouses of 2,109 square feet and large private rooftop patios.

Mukhan Rai, president of Raichu Development Group, said he is pleased with the final result.

“We worked closely with GBL to create Winona’s striking exterior façade, and I am excited that this building will be unlike anything on the Cambie Corridor,” he said. “The stunning geometric architecture of the building is engineered with a unique angled façade that maximizes opportunities for view exposure, privacy and natural light.”

Rai said many of the homes are indeed spacious. “Someone who is looking to downsize from a single-family home to single-level living will not have to compromise on space or quality of finishes.”

He noted all homes include a Sub-Zero and Wolf appliance package in the kitchens, polished Cambria quartz countertops with a waterfall edge and a unique built-in wood-frame detailing over the bathroom vanity.

“Our one- and two-bedroom homes are very spacious as well. From 754 to 874 square feet, these homes are designed for those seeking a lifestyle balance with their home being nearby to urban conveniences such as transit and shops, as well as recreation and parks.

Each home offers outdoor living space on a private balcony that includes electricity, gas and water connections. Portico Design Group chose wide-plank engineered hardwood floors through all the living spaces and bedrooms. Windows come with roller shades and four-inch recessed lighting in nine-foot ceilings. All homes have a Blomberg front-load washer and dryer.

Appliance packages vary with the suite sizes, with 30-inch integrated refrigerators with two freezer drawers in the two- and three-bedroom homes, while one-bedroom and studio models have 24-inch wide versions. The same applies with 30-inch and 24-inch Wolf built-in convection wall ovens. All homes come with Panasonic microwaves and Asko dishwashers.

In the bathrooms, 24-by-24-inch tile extends from the floor to walls, and a tiled shower with glass enclosure has a niche and linear shower drain.

In main bathrooms, the bathtub has a tile front face that matches the floor.

Rooftop patios with views of surrounding parks on Vancouver’s west side feature an outdoor kitchen with a 36-inch Napolean built-in stainless steel barbecue and a 28-inch flush-mount cabinet with double stainless steel doors for a propane tank and 17-inch Napolean drawers. Topping it off is a 24-inch Marvel undercounter outdoor stainless steel refrigerator.

All homes are covered by a 2-5-10 New Home Warranty and are LEED Gold certified on completion.

Project: Winona on Cambie
Project location: 7638 Cambie St., Vancouver
Project Scope: 38 studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom homes, ranging from 418 to 2,109 square feet in a six-storey concrete building. Close to Winona Park, and Oakridge shopping centre, Langara Golf Course and the Canada Line
Prices: From $900,000s
Developer: Raichu Development Group
Architect: GBL Architects
Interior Designer: Portico Design Group
Presentation Centre: 5710 Cambie St. (Cambie and West 41st Ave.)
Centre’s Hours: TBA
Sales Phone: 604-364-2688
Email: teresa@WinonaResidences.com
Website: winonaresidences.com