Announcements – Connect Landscape Architecture

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Marina Rommel, Associate

April 18, 2019 / no comments

Marina Rommel, Associate
BCSLA CSLA

Marina has been a valued member of Connect Landscape Architecture for over 13 years. During this time, she has successfully managed and been Senior Landscape Architect and Project Manager on many of our higher profile projects including Canada Place Renewal, Vancouver Library Renovation, 1090 Pender, the Broadway Tech Centre, and Vancouver Island University.

Because of her success and dedication to her work and our clients, we are pleased to announce Marina has been promoted to Associate at Connect Landscape Architecture.

We began with a vision connecting people to nature and building healthy vibrant and sustainable places. We are excited for Marina, to advance our ambitions in reaching this goal and in shaping the next generation and the future of Connect Landscape Architecture.

Oren Mizrahi, Principal

January 28, 2019 / no comments

Oren Mizrahi, Principal
BCSLA CSLA LEED® AP

We are pleased to announce that Oren has been promoted from Associate to Principal with Connect Landscape Architecture. Oren has been integral to guiding and shaping the next generation of our office. His strengths at project management and delivery, insight into the project design opportunities, and passion for excellence, will serve our clients and betterment of our office.

Oren’s diverse skill set has been applied to numerous high-profile projects including Jericho Beach Park and the award-winning BC Women’s and Children’s hospital. He is currently involved in multiple projects at YVR as part of their 20-year expansion plans.

Connect Landscape Architecture continues the tradition of building vibrant, healthy, and sustainable communities and the ongoing pursuit of connecting people to nature in our outdoor places.

Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre

December 20, 2018 / no comments

Nk’mip Desert Cultural Centre Renewal Program

For: Osoyoos Indian Band

With: Land Strategies, Human Studio Architecture, Aldrich Pears Associates, Eos Lightmedia

The Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre, located in Osoyoos BC, is an award-winning interpretive centre that is most notable for it’s rammed earth wall – the largest in North America. The centre, which first opened in 2006, currently features cultural exhibits, walking trails and a variety of hands-on interactive displays, including two theatres and an outdoor reconstructed village.

Connect Landscape Architecture is pleased to join Human Studio and Aldrich Pears Associates in a renewal project to reinvigorate the centre with a new gallery and event space, updated interactive displays, cultural programs, and an improved outdoor performance space. The landscape vision applies sustainable and passive design strategies responding to the local climate, topography, views and ecology. The site design will meet the aesthetic, sustainable, and functional objectives of the Nk’Mip DesertCentre Renewal Program.

At the heart of the landscape vision is the Spotted Lake Courtyard, which takes inspiration from the colours and forms of the nearby unique and natural occurring feature.The Spotted Lake Courtyard will be an outdoor year round multifunctional space with terraced seating (for over 150 people) and a shade structure.

Other highlights of the landscape renewal reinforce the mountain and lake views, a wetland reed reflecting pool and outdoor view deck. Trails and structures, outdoor interpretive village and desert remediation will be improved. We look forward to the next stage of this project kicking off in 2019.

Vancouver Public Library Rooftop Grand Opening

September 26, 2018 / no comments

Public Rooftop Garden with Beautiful Views at VPL

Connect Landscape Architecture is excited to announce that the Vancouver Public Library (VPL) rooftop garden is open to the public. With views of the city skyline, the Phillips, Hager and North Garden provides Vancouver a publicly accessible rooftop garden within the downtown core.

Connect worked closely with Cornelia Hahn Oberlander to ensure her vision for the new public library garden was realized. The all-inclusive garden is reminiscent of the Ancient Gardens of Paradise from around the world in particular gardens of Pompeii. The garden is flexibly designed to accommodate large groups for lectures, receptions, and for smaller intimate outdoor readings, quiet study and individual reading nooks. The central plaza has moveable tables and chairs, and can be used for larger events and receptions. The new garden will be an oasis away from the busy world to contemplate and enjoy the sites of Vancouver.

This iconic building originally opened to the public in May 1995. The nine-storey structure was designed by the joint venture of Moshe Safdie and DA Architects after winning a design competition against 26 other architects.

The original design team of Moshe Safdie/DA and internationally acclaimed landscape architect Cornelia Hahn Oberlander had imagined and designed a rooftop garden. And yet, as is common with many projects, budgetary constraints resulted in the top two floors being leased as offices to the provincial government.

In 2015 VPL decided it was time to create a 59,000-square-foot indoor and outdoor expansion of the library on the two top floors, and bring the once-imaged rooftop garden vision to life. The project removed ½ of the upper level to create the roof garden, opening up the floor between level 7 and level 8, and publicly connecting those levels with 2 new escalators.

HIGHLIGHTS
Location
350 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, B.C.

Owner/Developer
Vancouver Public Library

Landscape Architect
Cornelia Hahn Oberlander / Connect Landscape Architecture

Architect
Moshe Safdie Architects / DA Architects & Planners

General Contractor
Smith Bros. & Wilson (BC)

Structural Consultant
RJC Engineers

Mechanical Consultant
Rocky Point Engineering Ltd.

Electrical Consultant
Nemetz (S/A) & Associates Ltd.

In the news: Vancouver Sun

06-465 18-08-31 Library Square Roof Plan

2018 CitiesAlive Green Roof and Wall Award

September 5, 2018 / no comments

Awarded for BC Children’s & Women’s Teck Acute Care Centre

Connect is excited to once again be the recipient of the CitiesAlive Green Roof and Wall Award of Excellence.

The 2018 CitiesAlive Green Roof and Wall Award of Excellence will be awarded for BC Children’s & Women’s Hospital Teck Acute Care Centre. Ken Larsson will be accepting the award at the ceremony in New York later in September.

Each year Green Roofs for Healthy Cities recognize integrated design and installation excellence with the Green Roof & Wall Awards of Excellence. Award winners will be profiled in front of hundreds of industry professionals at CitiesAlive, in the Living Architecture Monitor, and in numerous other publications.

We would like to acknowledge and thank the entire team for the success of the project, including:

Owner: Provincial Health Services Authority
P3 Team: Affinity Partnerships (Ledcor and Balfour Beatty) together with Black & McDonald
Architects: ZGF, ZGF Cotter and HDR-CEI
LEED: Edge Consultants
Civil: HUB Engineering
Structural: MKA
Mechanical: AEI
Electrical: SMP
Code: LMDG
Landscape Contractors: Houston Landscape and UCC Group

Happy Holidays from Connect

December 20, 2017 / no comments

Please note our office will be closed starting December 23rd and will reopen January 2nd, 2018.

Surrey’s Coastal Flood Adaptation Strategy

November 28, 2017 / no comments

Coastal Flood Adaptation Strategy advisory committee
Image: City of Surrey

Surrey’s Coastal Flood Adaptation Strategy (CFAS)

By: Allison Tweedie

For: The City of Surrey

With: EcoPlan International and Northwest Hydraulic Consultants Ltd

Connect is excited about Surrey’s Coastal Flood Adaptation Strategy (CFAS) which explores the impacts of climate change on Surrey’s coastline, and the long-term adaptation options available to the city. Through UBC’s Mitacs program, Connect’s Allison Tweedie has been involved with the project since its launch in Fall 2016. She has been instrumental in visually communicating climate change impacts and developing adaptation options with the projects’ interdisciplinary team, partners and various stakeholders. As our coastal communities adapt to climate change, we are excited by the role that landscape architects will play in promoting resiliency through education and designs that integrate flood defense with ecological improvements and unique spaces for people.

More information can be found here: City of Surrey Website

1090 West Pender

November 21, 2017 / no comments

1090 West Pender

For: Bentall Kennedy

With: MCM Architects

Plans for a prominent office tower in downtown Vancouver are moving ahead. The project will exceed the City of Vancouver’s Sustainable Sites Policy including harvesting rainwater for reuse.

The Public Realm acknowledges the prominence where the grid of the downtown peninsula meets the waterfront street pattern creating an enhanced and inviting pedestrian experience. Stone paving inspired by Burrard inlet extends from the lobby to the street edge boulevard and throughout adjacent café and retail.

The design features three distinct accessible roof deck terraces, and 1 inaccessible extensive green rooftop. Two tenant patios feature social lounge and meeting space, with additional common amenity deck featuring garden, gathering, and meeting space. More info here: Daily Hive Article

06-347 17-05-17 W Pender Perspective 222

06-347 17-05-17 W Pender Perspective 111

Jericho Beach Pier Replacement

November 20, 2017 / no comments

Vancouver Park Board approves accessible pier at Jericho Beach.
Renderings by Connect Landscape Architecture Inc.

Jericho Beach Pier Replacement

For: Vancouver Board of parks and Recreation

With: Moffat Nichol and Gary Williams

Connect is pleased to announce that the concept design of the Jericho Pier revitalization has design received unanimous approval on Monday November 20th. We have been working with the Vancouver Park Board and the Disabled Sailing Association for the past two years on a pier design that provides universal access for sailors.

The new pier will also include improved public access and wayfinding, native dune ecological plantings, and promenade. The elevated pier design responds to climate change with protection from wave action and increasing sea levels.

More information can be found here: Vancouver Courier Article

06-452-17-08-31-Jericho-Open-House—PLAN2

Teck Acute Care Centre

November 1, 2017 / no comments

Image credit: Teck Resources

Teck Acute Care Centre

BC Children’s and Women’s Hospital Official Opening October 29, 2017

For: PHSA

With: AFFINITY P3 (ZGF & HDR-CEI Architects; Balfour Beatty; Ledcor and Black & McDonald)

Landscape Contractor: Houston Landscapes, UCC Group

by: Oren Mizrahi

Connect is proud and excited for the opening of the new British Columbia Children’s and Women’s Hospital!

On June 15, 2016 my child was born (at the now previous facility) and my wife and I stayed there for five nights. I was floored by how caring and professional the medical staff were, but the need for a new facility to support their work was glaring.

The Provincial Health Services Authority provided a strong mandate to improve patient connection to the natural environment and this has resulted in multiple landscaped spaces throughout the building and at grade which emphasize healing. The Architecture team of CEI and ZGF, together with Affinity Partnerships (Balfour Beatty + Ledcor) ensured the design vision translated into built form.

Seeing the building come together has left me with a sense of awe when imagining what the patient experience will be like – with access to meaningful outdoor spaces providing respite, play and community.

My personal favourite spaces are the NICU rooms and view gardens on Level 2 which were recently covered by CTV News. Click here for article.

Take a tour hosted by Michael Buble. See video here.

Other media have reported on the completion of the project:
Vancouver Sun Article
CBC
Daily Hive