Salal Apartments

North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Under a collaborative team of developers, builders and designers, this project sought to reimagine, redefine, and enrich the qualitative aspects of social housing in the District of North Vancouver (DNV). Driven by the modest and unassuming task of providing natural light and ventilation to all bedrooms and living spaces, while also responding to the neighbourhood context, this project offers a unique and iconic architectural form designed to maximize livability.

The project provides 90 affordable suites ranging from 1-3 bedrooms, with one level of underground parking and a variety of shared amenity spaces providing areas for lounging, gardening, and light leisure all arranged according to light, views, and noise. Community connections are encouraged in the ground floor amenities addressing Oxford Street. The unprogrammed courtyard spaces, act as visual and acoustic separators for the residents overlooking them.

BC Housing selected Sanford Affordable Housing Society (SAHS) to operate the building who worked with Hollyburn Community Services Society (Hollyburn) on tenant selection. The development manager, Terra also worked in partnership with Hollyburn to submit the successful proposal to the DNV to develop housing on the District-owned site. Furthermore, Terra submitted a funding application for the project under the 2018 Building BC Community Housing Fund which was approved.