Aperture Living

Location

795 West 41st Ave

Vancovuer, BC

Canada

V5Z 2N4

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Certifications & Awards
  • CaGBC LEED Canada NC 2009 - Gold (targeting)
Project Team
  • Sustainability Consultants: Integral Group
  • Architect: Arno Matis
  • Developer: Buffalo Investment
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Alasdair Hamilton, Arno Matis Architecture & Kevin Welsh, Integral Group

Summary

Aperture is a residential development located at 795 West 41st Avenue in Vancouver. It features 1-3 bedroom units ranging from 970-1124 square feet. Designed by Arno Matis Architecture, the site is divided into two 6-storey buildings and 11 lane-way facing townhouses. It pays homage to the area’s Mid-Century Modernist heritage while infusing it with a distinctly West Coast flavour.

GREEN BUILDING HIGHLIGHTED FEATURES

  • Innovative design responsive to the history and future of the neighborhood
  • Custom glazed wood paneling for an efficient and elegant building envelope
  • Rooftop garden space for residents
  • Stormwater filtration to minimize run-off into municipal water supply
  • Excellent connections to transit and amenities

SUSTAINABLE SITES

The site is located on a full city block that was formerly the location of five single-family lots. The development took advantage of existing building footprints, and remediated the land for soil contaminations. The new mix of buildings on site maximizes density as well as open space, providing more open green space than was required for redevelopment.

Between the two 6-storey building blocks there is a pedestrian breezeway, featuring a water fountain (which helps dampen the noise of the busy street), bamboo courtyards and a children’s play area.

The two building blocks each feature a 7,000 square foot roof gardens for residents, where they can garden or simply enjoy a relaxing community and social space, as well as stunning views of Mount Baker and the Gulf Islands. The townhouses also have vegetated green roofs. This mitigates the heat island effect by providing a surface that naturally absorbs heat.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Aperture is located at the gateway of the Oakridge neighbourhood. Oakridge was developed as a single family neighbourhood in the 1960s, and features an array of mid-century homes and office buildings in the modernist International Style. Aperture pays tribute to this history aesthetically with its low-lying design, wood paneling and sun shades.

Oakridge is currently transforming from single-family residential to unban, transit-oriented density, and Aperture was designed for this changing context.

TRANSPORTATION

Located on the busy corridor of 41st Ave, residents have access to a diversity of amenities and 3 different bus routes. The Canada Line rapid transit station is within walking distance at the nearby Oakridge Mall.

Inside the building, residents have access to bicycle stalls with personal storage areas, as well as electrical vehicle charging stations in the parking garage.

WATER EFFICIENCY

Indoor water usage was reduced with the selection of efficient fixtures, resulting in an overall savings of 44% below baseline considerations.

The landscaping was designed to minimize the need for irrigation and maintenance. A drip irrigation system and moisture sensing technology has resulted in a 70% savings in outdoor water usage.

Aperture uses Jellyfish Stormwater Filtration Technology to filter storm water before it enters the municipal sewage system, minimizing runoff and reducing pollutants in the ecosystem.

MATERIALS AND RESOURCES

Suites feature floor-to-ceiling windows for natural light, which are framed by box-like architectural “apertures” which regulate the amount of light in the space, like an aperture of a camera. They have been designed to provide increased sun shading on the south elevation, and to allow for more light on the north side. These overhangs also provide weather protection, and direct diffuse light into the suites.

The apertures are clad in glazed wooden panels constructed specifically for this project. Wood veneer, a renewable resource manufactured in British Columbia, has been pressed between panes of UV glass. This preserves the richness and colour of wood without additional staining or treatment. Wood grain adds warmth to the exterior, which is enhanced by the glass finish.

The glazed panels also serve as a rain screen system, and and are insulated, improving energy performance. Concrete has been used in the spandrels, allowing for long-term maintenance and a longer life for the building.

Inside, finishes with low VOC (volatile organic compound) have been selected. There has been no use of refrigerants with CFC’s (Chlorofluorocarbons), supporting the Montreal Protocol.

During construction, steps were taken to limit waste production and maximize the diversion of waste. Regionally available materials were selected to limit the impacts of material extraction and transportation to the site.

ENERGY PERFORMANCE

The building was modelled using the ASHRAE 90.1 – 2007 path, and the design has been targeted to save 29% of the building’s total energy cost. On completion, all systems were commissioned for maximum performance.

The two building blocks have south facing solar exposure, reducing the need for heating and indoor lighting.

INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY

The building uses HRV (heat recovery ventilators) in each suite, providing outdoor air with MERV 8 filtration media, which is distributed through each room. Exhaust is recovered from the kitchen and bathrooms of the suites and redirected for heating, reducing overall heating consumption. Fresh air in the corridors is provided by a supply fan on the roof of each building block.