This 4000 sq ft wood, steel, and architectural concrete home sought a balance between modesty – to respect its striking natural surroundings – while also capturing the tremendous architectural vision of the client. There isn’t a square inch of this home that wasn’t researched, worked through, and detailed until it matched the intention.
Thank you to North Mountain Construction for the spectacular result; to the engineering team of Effistruc, Rocky Point Engineering, VAST, Highland Consulting, and Griffith Surveys, and to Tamarack Media for the photos.
The property was rezoned to R-6 high density multi-family residential, which allowed an increase in the residential capacity on the site from 8 units to 20 units. Originally, there were two older 4 plex’s on the site that was replaced by the new building. The completed project is a 20 units, 4 story building; 20 percent of these units are “Barrier Free”. There is also a green space included on site, with a playground, which fulfils the requirement for amenity space. It was completed in October 2020.
This custom residence on the shore of Kootenay Lake has been designed using PassiveHouse strategies to substantially reduce energy use and offer a high quality of life. The wall system includes an insulated 2×8 stud frame, 1/2” ply air barrier and an insulated 2×4 installation cavity, creating an R50 assembly. The exterior overhangs, which include a 12’ cantilever and a 28’ span have been accomplished using BC built “cross laminated timber” panels. Timber and steel detailing has been completed in collaboration with Spearhead.
This project is the first new live/work unit in the Railtown neighborhood, and uses creative design to overcome a challenging lot in terms of site slope and available building footprint. It is a two-storey building with an apartment/office on both the main floor and second floor. Each suite is self-contained and the dwelling on the main floor is available for rent. The plan is a trapezoidal shape due to site constraints which generated a dynamic building form.
The project is owned by BC Housing and operated by a local non-profit. The project achieved Step Code 4, offering approximately 30% better energy performance than the base requirements of the BC Building Code. It is a mixed-use residential/office building that includes 20 bedrooms, a large shared kitchen, and a living room. The office component includes a large meeting room and 6 offices.
Cover was involved in the design of phase 2 and 3 at Granite Point, a 3 phase multi-residential development in Nelson, BC. Each phase included 16 units of 1-2 bedroom suites over 3 storeys. The project had similarities to the COTR project approach in that the work on phase 2 was underway while foundations were being laid on phase 3 – this allowed for a sequential approach to construction where trades were able to move from phase 2 to 3 without interruption, reducing the need for mobilization/demobilization of sub-trades and the embedded cost.
The CopperHorn Chateau complex is a group of six multifamily residential buildings located in Radium, BC. The project was started by Timbercreek Developments in 2008 and designed by Sticks and Stones Design Group Inc. in partnership with ACI Architecture Inc. Construction proceeded until the buildings had reached “Dry-in”. At that point the project stalled and the buildings sat vacant. In 2017, the project was purchased by PrimevestCapital Corporation, who is completing construction of the project. Cover Architecture has been working with a host of consultants to bring the project to completion, including complex evaluation of the existing structures to ensure that they were structurally sound and that the envelope would meet current code. The project will reach completion in 2019.
Bedford
Road House is the first certified PassiveHouse multifamily residential building
in Canada. As part of a grant from the
province of BC and FortisBC “Super Efficient New Construction”, the project was
intended as a showcase of how accessible a high efficiency multi residential
building could be built with only a minimum premium over conventional
construction. The Bedford House was subsequently awarded the 2015 NAPHN Design
Award at the North American Passive House Conference.
The construction was based on standard Canadian construction to make construction methods easier and more accessible to local trades. The project also explores a number of other sustainable design principles such as energy production, water catchment, durable and healthy materials.
The Lee Hems residence is a contemporary “mountain modern” residence located in Blewett BC. The project is carefully situated on a sloping lot to give the basement suite at- grade access, while maximizing views to the North and sun access to the South. The timber is locally sourced FCS wood, and the cladding is a combination of corrugated steel, tongue and groove cedar and cedar shakes.
The SHARE Housing Initiative was started by the Kootenay Christian Fellowship in Nelson BC in 2016. After two years of effort, the project was fully funded by BC Housing with construction starting in the spring of 2019. The project includes 39 units of low income housing, each approximately 420 sqft. , commercial space on the main floor, and a meeting room for the Fellowship on the second level. The project is on a complex lot that required creative thinking to accommodate the necessary parking, fire lanes, and site circulation, and intends to achieve Step Code 4 of the new Provincial Energy Code.
