Connect Landscape Architecture is Excited to be
Part of YVR’s 20-Year Expansion Plan 

For over 30 years we have worked together with YVR cultivating an award winning international ‘experience-based’ brand. We are proud to contribute successful and sustainable design enhancements improving the overall visitor and employee experience by car, plane and transit.

Link: Daily Hive YVR Expansion Plan Article 

We are currently playing key roles on the following significant infrastructure projects:

Pier D Terminal Expansion (Completion 2021 Spring)

Creation of an island, tide pool, and forest experience welcoming passengers and providing a calming place of respite. Tide pools will simulate high and low tides. The forest will be open to the sky and will feature installation of 30 foot tall conifer trees!

With:  Kasian, Grout McTavish Architects, and PCL Constructors

CORE – Infrastructure Utility and Parkade (Completion 2021)

Reinforcing our place in the ‘River Delta’ – Replacement of existing at grade value lot parking with a visitor landscape experience. The project will integrate a geothermal plant and parkade structure to provide a more sustainable heating and cooling supply for the terminal. Rainwater will be harvested and collected for re-use. 

With:  Stantec, Francl Architects, and Ellis Don

We are also currently working on or completed the following projects with YVR:           

Templeton Greenway Strategy (Completion estimate 2020)

Working together with the Burkeville community and YVR to study design opportunities enhancing the Templeton Road right-of-way into a local and regional public amenity and provision for connecting multi-use pathway to the Canada Line Stations.

JetSet Valet Parking (Completion 2019)

Passenger valet parking shuttle facility. The landscape design symbolizes our place in the estuary.

Templeton Value Lot (Completed 2018)

The project features transplanting of onsite significant trees, drought tolerant design, stormwater management within linear bioswales, infiltration, and will achieve Salmon Safe Certification.

Aylmer Remote Parking (Completed 2018)

The new staff parking lot addresses tree canopy, stormwater management practices featuring bioswale infiltration and Salmon Safe Certification.

Pier D Terminal Expansion

Connect Landscape Architecture celebrates with the
City of Victoria the opening of the Johnson Street Bridge

On March 31, 2018 the City of Victoria celebrated the official opening of the Johnson Street Bridge – the culmination of a 10-year process. We are excited to see the work of the City of Victoria and consulting engineers MMM/WSP (original bridge design by Wilkinson Eyre Architects) come to be in this truly state-of-the-art bascule (moveable) bridge.

The 46-metre-long bridge has three lanes for vehicles, on-road bike lanes, a multi-use pathway for pedestrians and cyclists, and a separated pedestrian-only pathway. In fact, over 50% of the bridge deck space is for pedestrians and cyclists.

Connect Landscape Architecture has been working with the City to revitalize nearly 3 acres of additional public realm improvements connecting public spaces on both sides of the new bridge. The long-term vision is to create a landmark arrival and gateway connecting people through the creation of public waterfront places including: waterfront public park on the repurposed S-Curve Lands, public plaza and promenade on the Northern Junk historic site, and a gateway marker at the intersection of Pandora, Johnson and Wharf Street.  

The S-Curve Lands feature festival seating built into the hill with views towards the historic Fairmont Empress and Inner Harbour. The Northern Junk has an industrial feel with a feature ‘story walk’ leading pedestrians towards the new bridge and waterfront. The Triangle Island will feature large-scale urban public art designed by artist in residence, Luke Ramsey.

The David Foster Way pedestrian path below the new bridge allows views to the dramatic bridge structure and connects the Northern Junk to the Janion Plaza along the harbourfront.

In spring of 2017 the City approved temporary works designed to connect pedestrian and cyclist flows across and under the bridge as part of David Foster Way improvements.  In summer 2018 the first steps towards creation of these public spaces will take place in phased installations.

Statistics:

$105M, City of Victoria’s largest infrastructure project to date

Largest single-leaf rolling lift bascule bridge in Canada – one of the largest of its kind in the world.

Vehicular Crossing = 30,000

Pedestrian Crossings Daily = 4,000

Cyclist Crossings Daily = 3,000+

City of Victoria Link: http://www.victoria.ca/EN/meta/news/news-archives/2018-archive/new-johnson-street-bridge-opens.html

Vancouver Sun Link: http://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/victoria-says-hello-to-the-new-johnson-street-bridge

MMM/WSP Link: http://mmmgrouplimited.com/projects/johnson-street-bridge-replacement/

Fraser River Flood Management Strategy

For: The City of Vancouver

With: EcoPlan International and Northwest Hydraulic Consultants Ltd

The City of Vancouver is preparing for sea level rise and Connect’s Ken Larsson and Allison Tweedie are teaming up with EcoPlan International and Northwest Hydraulic Consultants to guide the engagement for the Fraser River Foreshore’s development of a Flood Management Strategy. Allison has previously worked with this same team of consultants for Surrey’s Coastal Flood Adaptation Strategy.

Like many coastal cities around the world, Vancouver is beginning to see the effects of rising sea levels and increased storm events. In 2011, the Province of British Columbia advised municipalities to plan for one metre (three feet) of sea level rise by 2100, and two metres (six feet) by 2200. Vancouver responded by commissioning a Coastal Flood Risk Assessment (CFRA) to better understand flooding risk today and in the future for Vancouver’s three primary flood zones: The Fraser River foreshore; Jericho Spanish Banks; and Downtown, False Creek and the Port lands. Of these, the Fraser River Foreshore was identified as most at risk today.

The Fraser River Foreshore stretches 16 km along Vancouver’s southern border, crossing through Musqueam First Nation, residential neighborhoods, businesses, industry, recreation areas and important foreshore habitats. Over the coming months, the team will undertake engagement with people in the area to gather input on values, guiding principles, and potential flood management options. Stay tuned for upcoming workshops and events!