A SENSE OF HOME BEYOND FOUR WALLS

The design philosophy driving many contemporary master-planned communities has become community-centric. Developers have clearly seen the value of creating projects where there's not just an array of easily accessible amenities — like grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants, and services — but also public spaces, think a new iteration of the village green or town square, where people can gather with family, neighbours, and the wider community. A place where the concept of home extends well beyond the walls of a residence.

The simple but evocatively named lelǝḿ, the new master-planned community on the edge of Point Grey at UBC by the Musqueam Capital Corporation, is a perfect example of the concept of extending the sense of home beyond four walls. The first completed phase of lelǝḿ, which means home in the Musqueam language, features a combination of residential buildings (which include rentals), commercial spaces, a village square, public art, and a park with a rehabilitated wetland bordering it. When all phases are completed, there'll be a daycare and community centre adjacent to the park. The project is a unique mix of modern urban design that reflects the cultural heritage of the Musqueam, as is evident in the public art, the basket-weave pattern in the community square's brickwork and the names of the streets.

The pattern of interweaving Musqueam culture continues with the newest addition to the community: West Wind at lelǝḿ by Polygon. The West Wind tower, which will face out to the park filled with evergreen, cathedral-height trees, will showcase work by local Musqueam artist Gracielene Ulu who created plaques to go on the exterior of the building. Ulu's metalwork plaques interpret traditional Musqueam imagery: an eagle, a deer, a butterfly, says Goldie Alam, Polygon's senior vice-president of marketing. Ulu's designs also inspired the building's logo.

“With the Musqueam, we've worked really closely with them ... to build a relationship and understand the values that are important to their community,” Alam explains. “We wanted to integrate that into the design ... We wanted to integrate those concepts about nature and organic, giving back and learning from ancestors and elders.”

The name West Wind — which comes from stəywət, a word that Alam says the Musqueam often call Point Grey — was decided upon after some research and consultation with band elders.

West Wind, at 18 storeys, is a collection of 168 efficiently designed, compact one-bedroom residences. The use of vertical space with eight-foot-plus ceilings and expansive windows creates an air of spaciousness in the suites.

With an eye to maximizing space and functionality, kitchens have integrated appliances for a cleanline esthetic and no wasted space: the seamlessly integrated look allows for a cabinet above the fridge for additional storage while all the lower cabinetry consists of fully accessible drawers.

“Drawers are very popular now,” Alam says. “They're very efficient. You can use all the space.”

The colour palettes are soft neutrals of matte white or grey cabinetry complemented by engineered stone countertops, elegant full height marble tile backsplashes and polished chrome hardware.

The ensuite bathrooms maximize storage with a cleverly concealed cabinet within the fullwidth mirrors, while the frameless glass shower surround makes the room feel spacious. Design touches like the shower bench and rain shower creates a spa-like ambience.

To help homeowners boost the efficiency of their space, Alam says Polygon worked with Vancouver's Resource Furniture “to do some adaptive furniture to show you how you can be efficient in (the residences).” Adaptive pieces essentially mean dual or multipurpose furniture items that fit the space. For instance, what appears to be a wall-mounted console or TV table can transform into a twin bed for guests and a desk that can also be used as a dining table. Resource also offers a coffee table that, with hydraulics, lifts to convert to a dining table.

“They're really great for space-saving and having more efficiency in small spaces,” Alam says.

(Until May 31, Polygon is including a furniture package from Resource when a residence is purchased.)

The commitment to functionality of the units is also evident in the building's infrastructure: All residences are fitted with an HVAC system and wired for modern technology. For added convenience, West Wind boasts two residents' lounges for entertaining larger groups, a study lounge, Ev-ready parking stalls, automatic lockers for package delivery, a dog-wash station and a bike repair workshop.

All of which translates into making West Wind a place of home comforts and convenience which extends beyond each residence out into the lelǝḿ community.

“We've built in other parts of Point Grey, but this area is unique because of our partnership with Musqueam,” Alam observes. “We appreciate their history and what they're wanting to bring back to their people. I think the way the whole village will work, where it supports their community too, gives back to them.”