AN ICONIC BEACH LIFESTYLE
New building in Kitsilano recalls high-end boutique hotels of Malibu and Santa Monica
No Vancouver neighbourhood epitomizes West Coast beach lifestyle more than Kitsilano. Though today the area boasts a mix of more upscale shops, restaurants, and services than, say, when it was the counterculture hippy hub back in the '60s and '70s, it still retains its laid-back beach vibe. And just as terroir is instrumental in creating a great wine or growing specific food, so does a location inform new architecture — that is when the developer has an appreciation for the site.
“First and foremost, what drove us to the site … (was) we saw it as a really great opportunity for one of our brands, either food or drug, on that corner (MacDonald and West Fourth Avenue),” observes Ray Bourbonnais, executive director of Hathstauwk Holdings Ltd, the development and property management arm of Vancouver's H.Y. Louie group, proprietors of IGA, Fresh St. Market and London Drugs, among others.
The retail vision expanded as the team spent more time at the location, Bourbonnais says, and they became enamoured with the site for various reasons, which inspired the site-sympathetic design for the stunning, four-storey residential and commercial structure Kitsilano Block.
“Obviously, it's Kitsilano,” he says. “It's iconic. Kitsilano Block, where the name came from, is just the belief in the iconic nature of the neighbourhood. When we sat down with MCM (Musson Cattell Mackey architects) and explored things, and we sat down with Magnum (marketing), what really jumped out at us is that area is really a true beach district. From that, we came up with a sense of the high-end boutique hotels of Santa Monica and Malibu; that whole beach lifestyle; that whole experience of West Coast beach living.”
To that end, the structure was imagined to maximize the indoor-outdoor living experience, which in turn magnifies the sense of spaciousness in the interiors. The three floors of the 59 residential units — above the ground floor commercial space — are stepped or terraced to allow for large outdoor areas and lightdrenched interiors, which culminates with expansive rooftop patios with sweeping ocean and mountain views for the penthouse units.
The beach boutique hotel theme is reflected in the stylish interiors designed by CHIL Interior Design, which devised two aptly named palettes, Stone and Sand. The mix of open shelving and sleek, slab cabinetry in the kitchen provides visual interest in the open-plan living space.
Quartz is used generously for the islands, countertops and backsplashes for a chic, seamless look. Some islands, in the two-bedroom suites, feature a built-in dining area.
The appliances are Miele, which include an integrated fridge and dishwasher, and a built-in microwave, all of which maintain the cleanlined look of the room.
The boutique hotel esthetic is carried through to the bathrooms with large-format porcelain tiles on the walls and floors, floating underlit vanities, undermount sinks, frameless glass-enclosed showers, and built-in medicine cabinets with open shelving.
Though most of the suites are two bedrooms, there is also a selection of one-bedrooms and studios that boast an inventive feature that maximizes space and functionality.
Movable wall systems magically transform spaces from studios to one-bedrooms and then back to open-concept spaces.
“We tried to use innovative features that enhance the livability of the spaces,” Bourbonnais says.
“During the day, you can open the walls, and you have a nice open space. At nighttime, you can enclose it, and you've created your own bedroom or two bedrooms.”
Creating a building that complements and fits into the neighbourhood is integral to Hathstauwk's good neighbour philosophy, as the company will retain a presence within the commercial retail space.
“For us, it's very important to be integrated and be part of the community, part of the neighbourhood,” Bourbonnais explains.
“That was very important to us when we went through and thought of design and integration into the neighbourhood and how the building and how the architecture fit with the community.”