The four-storey arm of this wood-frame structure faces high-traffic Robert Service Way, with many units looking out to the Yukon River beyond. The townhouses run along Jeckell St., fitting better with the quieter and more intimate environment.

The final design represents a balance between the client’s needs, the site and the budget; maximizing the unit count and type, parking, outdoor amenities and views. We kept the forms simple, allowing the building’s dimensions and balconies to create exterior interest. An undevelopable land parcel between the road and building forms a noise and privacy buffer, while the structure’s shape creates a triangular courtyard as outdoor amenity space.

With such a diverse unit mix – including 13 suites designed to be barrier-free under CSA standards – plus extensive communal and amenity spaces, rooftop patios, a diesel backup generator and an energy efficiency rating to meet, this was an ambitious project. And we were able to deliver a simple, coherent design.