Our vision for University Centre in Victoria, BC is a lively, mixed-use urban hub with landscaped boulevards that pass around and through public gathering spaces, retail, and private residences. Variable exterior height, design, and materials break down the façade to create a sense of place as a village. Retail, residential lobbies, and ground-oriented townhouses wrap the perimeter, set back at grade to emphasize and expand the public realm that enriches them. Green roofs with permeable surfaces allow for water re-use, and shade trees enhance Saanich’s urban forest. Built with wood as a sustainable alternative, we’ve also incorporated passive design principals for better energy efficiency throughout the hub.

Our design process for University Centre investigated several massing strategies to balance livability and urban design with the surrounding areas. The site sits at the intersection of two main arterial roads, and across from a residential block. Our M-shaped solution integrates the block into the residential area while creating an urban street wall along the arterial roads. Affordable living was also a consideration, with 25% of the units designed as micro suites. Its interconnected atmosphere stretches out onto second-floor patios, into the public spaces below, and mingles with the city that surrounds it.