East Vancouver Duplex

Goal:

Noble Architecture acted as the architect and the developer on this project. The goal was to design and build well crafted and high quality spec homes. A design that is delightful and honest with an awareness of living simply. Intentionally not “luxury”, a word often used unauthentically.
The reason to do this is not because of desire to take financial risks or being entrepreneurial by nature. But because it is the right and necessary thing to encourage market change and better housing outcomes across the city and the country.
Noble’s dream is to lift up the public expectation of developments from the current mainly medium to poor-quality housing stock.

Challenges :
1-FSR vs. Space….The goal was to focus on the quality of spaces rather than how many bedrooms and bathrooms one can squeeze in a 1400 sf home. To allow the spaces to have a little room to breath rather than solely aiming to maximize the FSR.

2-Value engineering….Who’s values are engineered out? A not always popular task, usually initiated by the client. A challenge when the architects is also the client. A lot had to go but the what architecturally mattered most stayed.

3-Finances…. this whole concept that women have less access to financing is not a myth! Financing this project was the hardest part of this whole journey.

Context:
We all know that a duplex in East vancouver is not going to solve affordability and density issues in our city. But it is a very small step towards the right direction. Two families on one lot is a tiny bit closer to a healthier more appropriate density.

Materials:
Hight quality materials such as raw natural wood shingles in anticipation of the beautiful silvery sheen and metal roof for its longevity and low maintenance.