Cedar Grove Apartments and St. Peter and St. Paul’s Ministry Centre Bring Two New Affordable Rental Projects to Victoria
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By Evan Locke
Evan is a designer in Number TEN's Victoria office.
It is no secret that Victoria, and BC as a whole is experiencing a housing affordability crisis. As of October 2018, the vacancy rate in the capital region was 1.2 percent, and the average monthly rent was $1,170 for a one-bedroom unit (two-bedroom units averaging $1,406). The development of new purpose-built rental housing projects is seen as a major factor in solving this problem. Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation (CMHC) has said that the rate of construction for new rental apartments is at the highest it has been since the 1970’s. The City’s Victoria Housing Strategy 2016-2026 targets 800 affordable rental units by 2026. Number TEN has been in the thick of it, concurrently designing two new affordable rental housing projects on Vancouver Island, both now set to go before city councils for development approval.
Winnipeg needs infill-strategy road map
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By Brent Bellamy, Creative Director and Architect
Republished with permission courtesy of the Winnipeg Free Press.
Winnipeg city council will soon be presented with details of the new residential infill strategy, a guide for development in the city’s existing neighbourhoods that represents an important opportunity to manage higher-density growth and define what our communities will look like in the future.
Image: James Brittain
A contemporary infill structure on Stradbrook Avenue shows how modern design and innovation can enhance a neighbourhood.
To the Wild West and Back: Palace Grand Theatre Restored in Dawson City
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Where the Klondike and Yukon Rivers meet, Dawson City became a boomtown of fortune-seekers in 1898 during the Klondike Gold Rush. By 1900 the muddy tent city had transformed into a prosperous outpost. The Palace Grand Theatre opened in gala style in July 1899. The theatre was a combination of a luxurious European opera house and boomtown dance hall. It was built by "Arizona Charlie Meadows"; a Wild West showman who came to Dawson City during the Klondike Gold Rush. With the gold strike in Nome, Alaska in the latter part of 1899, the excitement in Dawson City died as quickly as it rose. Over the next few years, Dawson City made the transition from gold rush boomtown to a smaller mining community. With the steady decline in population, Meadows sold the Palace Grand Theatre in 1901 for $17,000, less than a third of the initial cost, and the building was neglected over time.
Investing in pedestrian movement pays off
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By Brent Bellamy, Creative Director and Architect
Republished with permission courtesy of the Winnipeg Free Press.
Walking is good for you, and good for the economy. Cities across North America are investing in infrastructure to encourage walking in urban neighbourhoods as a way of improving health, accessibility, quality of life and safety while promoting urban renewal and economic growth.
Image: Brent Bellamy/Winnipeg Free Press
Cities that invest in infrastructure that promotes a pedestrian lifestyle are reaping social and economic rewards.
Cities recognize basic sanitation is a right
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By Brent Bellamy, Creative Director and Architect
Republished with permission courtesy of the Winnipeg Free Press.
For several years, a soaring glass tower has risen from The Forks, designed to inspire discussion and awareness of the importance of human rights in our society. This summer, a little orange structure has appeared a few blocks away that is intended to provoke a similar discussion.
Image:
Brent Bellamy
The early success of the Pop-Up Winnipeg Public Toilet pilot project is an encouraging sign that the city is embracing the importance of downtown public washroom facilities.
Number TEN Blog
Number TEN Inspired! captures the knowledge, passion and ideas of our award winning architects, interior designers and supporting staff, as they navigate through the complexities of the modern design landscape. We are creative problem solvers, advocates for better ways of doing things, and observers of all that is interesting and noteworthy in our field. This blog is our effort to share our knowledge and ideas in a way that resonates with everyone. Whether you work in the industry as an architect, interior designer, building manager, property developer, or are just someone with an interest in creativity and new ways of doing things, this blog has something for you.
