Awards

City of Vancouver Heritage Award, 2007

This retail development is a renovation and addition to existing heritage buildings on historic Water Street in Vancouver's Gastown district, a late 1800's pit-stop for mill workers and Klondike gold miners stocking up on provisions. The addition (50 Water Street) has been developed into a high-end design and furniture showroom for Inform Interiors. As a general strategy, heritage features of the existing building were retained and accentuated, standing in contrast to a new, modern addition at the rear of the building. The addition extends to the property line at Blood Alley, another significant heritage street named after the miners' nightly whiskey-inspired brawls and stabbings. Blood Alley is now being serviced by local pubs, including the new Salt wine bar at the rear of 44 Water Street.

The main retail space is arranged around a majestic, skylit stair which will be the principal circulation element for the store. Fully restored existing brick walls line the perimeter; while the store's former 6"x6" wood columns have been replaced with larger, more substantial concrete columns. Existing joists have been reused as part of the formwork system for the new, cast in place concrete floors, and the ceilings of the space reflect the aged texture of these members. The new concrete floors also serve to stabilize the existing heritage facade.