The Salient Group

Vancouver Vagabond’s Karen Magill visits the Flack Block and talks about its history, with some very kind words about the restoration.  Thanks Karen!  Read the entire post here.

The Alhambra building, at 8 Water Street, was honoured this week as part of the first annual Commercial Building Awards, presented by the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver.  The Alhambra took home the award for commercial renovation and restoration excellence.  To see the complete list of winners and more details about the awards themselves, see the REBGV’s press release here.

Constructed in 1887, the Alhambra was originally known as Vancouver’s most modern hotel; it’s since housed Vancouver’s first courthouse and jail, stables, restaurants and offices.  The restored building preserves the historic façade, making space for offices and ground-floor retail, and connecting the building to the Gaoler’s Mews Courtyard that runs between Water and Carrall.  More info here.

Molo, the celebrated Vancouver design studio known for innovative collapsible and flexible designs, talks lighting in the Vancouver Sun.  A group of molo’s cloud softlights are installed at the Paris Annex show suite (see photo).  The LED installation provides general, ambient lighting to create mood, and gives the room a soft shape and a friendly feel.

To get a closer look, visit the Paris Annex show suite at the courtyard of the Garage building, 12 Water St; the show suite is open daily from noon to 5pm, except Fridays.

The adjoined Water Street properties were honoured with the 2010 Lieuntenant-Governor of British Columbia Award in Architecture, and profiled in Architecture BC, the journal of the Architecture Insititute of BC.

One juror’s comment:

“This integrates history, design elements … context, site, and program. What impressed me is how all these elements are integrated while keeping the character of the existing area.”

Congratulations go to Acton Ostry Architects for the honour.

Read the entire issue here: http://www.aibc.ca/member_resources/other_aibc_documents/architecturebc/archBC_awards_2010.pdf

The Vancouver Sun’s Westcoast Homes and Design describes the new face of Gastown, including some Salient Group projects, in the current issue.  The reporter visits with some long-time residents and business-owners, such as Nancy Bendtsen at Inform Interiors, and talks about new arrivals as well.  Read the whole article here.

Five Salient Group projects in Gastown have been recognized, as a group, with a 2010 SAB Canadian Green Building Award.  They are Alhambra, Garage, Cordage, Grand, and Terminus.  From the article:

Jury comments: The rehabilitation of existing heritage buildings is always welcomed, and the additional new multi-storey infill construction of this project happily maintains the historic Gastown facade of Vancouver. The new construction is of high quality that does not mimic but rather complements the older buildings. The small, exquisite interior spaces, only three metres wide, feel larger, and the design makes effective use of natural light and thermal mass, geothermal heating, high-efficiency heat pumps, and salvaged building materials.

Architect for all five projects was Acton Ostry; many more interesting details of the projects, and photos, are at the SAB Magazine website.

The Real Estate Roundup in this week’s Business in Vancouver discusses several Salient Group projects, including the Paris Annex, and how Gastown continues to evolve.  Reporter Peter Mitham gets Robert Fung’s thoughts on what’s propelling the change, and what’s drawing new people to the area.  Read the entire article here.