The N and O Towers are a residential development of one tower with townhouses at 610 Beach Crescent (Tower N) and one tower with townhouses at 1530 Granville Street (Tower O), both in the Beach Neighbourhood Area. These prime residential developments with a high quality of urban design and architecture are intended to be energy efficient buildings in line with the “Green Building Strategies”. This project was selected by CMHC as a case study to investigate the “Strategies for Alternative Energy Use and Redistribution at the Building Envelope”. The findings of this study are expressed in the orientation and massing of the building as well as in the elevation treatment. Both towers are oriented towards the views. The location of the towers next to Granville Bridge forces the suite orientation towards the park and the water. The units above the bridge have nice views towards English Bay. Although the east and the south tower elevations are angled to maximize views, the north and west elevation as well as the core and the interior walls (with a few exceptions) are oriented towards the established downtown city grid. Although a maximum 7-storey base along the Beach Crescent & George Wainborn Park was allowed in the guidelines, a strong 3-storey base framing the park would is more in relation to the human scale. Both proposed towers fan out from the 7th storey down and tie in with the 3- storey base framing the park. The townhouses also step down from Beach to the Waterfront Walkway, following the 6m slope. Rather than a 7-storey high wall along the park, the proposed massing creates a more open character towards the water. A lookout from the semi-private courtyard towards George Wainborn Park is located between the two towers and is set within the townhouse framework.The tower portion of both buildings above the 7th floor has 6 units per floor up to level 11 with 5 units per floor for the upper floors.
• from: Busby + Associates • document: Concord N & O Residential Development • in detail XlnkS600 XlnkC1786