Chroma
Vancouver, BC
Chroma
Vancouver, BC
The Landscape design takes reference from the strong architectural expression of the buildings’ angular undulating façade and clean, linear forms.
The landscape has been designed to be highly urban to reflect the commercial uses at grade, with nods to the industrial history of the site through the use of metal planters and architectural plantings. Diamond shaped pavers in three colours have been used in the recessed pedestrian plaza fronting East 2nd Avenue with retail entries highlighted by transitioning to darker pavers closer to doorways. Custom metal planters are used to take up the grade differential as the natural grade dips to the west. Bike racks with simple, clean lines do double duty as bollards at the property line to accommodate bicycle traffic while also delineating the semi-public plaza space fronting the commercial units from the public sidewalk.
A woodland bosque of columnar trees flowing down Scotia Street is proposed as a permeable screen to the patio situated at the southwest corner of the project as well as the residential entry, creating a vertical architectural expression with partial visual separation and a strong psychological separation from the street frontage. The bosque of trees and multi-layered understory provides a vertically layered, bird-friendly landscape.
Seating and Bike racks are also provided adjacent to the residential entry.
Metal planters have again been used along the lane on the northside of the building to take up the difference between the building’s finished grade and that of the adjacent lane, as well as to soften and provide a green edge to the lane and bike lane beyond.
On the upper levels, where outdoor residential and office amenity spaces have been proposed, a green edge of bird friendly native evergreen shrubs and drought tolerant grasses and perennials (many of which are edible) has been proposed to provide a low screen to reduce overlook as well as to provide a buffer to the adjacent buildings and streets below.
Additional street trees have been proposed to complete the offsite boulevard.
Completion: 2025
Category: Residential
