KPF’s design converts a sprawling 50-acre, out-of-date shopping mall site in the Vancouver suburbs into a leafy and walkable urban district that integrates residential and commercial uses.
Located in the Vancouver suburbs, the Lansdowne complex sits within the rezoned and densifying downtown district of Richmond, at the Lansdowne Station of a relatively new light rail system. Its position intersects with a commercial district, a low- and mid-rise residential neighborhood, and pockets of industrial activity. Constructed in phases, the regeneration and positioning of the site is envisioned as a complete, transit-oriented neighborhood with shops, restaurants, offices, hotels, and residences as well as urban plazas, verdant parks, and pedestrian-oriented streets. Its urban scale comprises a mix of low- and mid-rise buildings to comply with aviation height restrictions and promote beneficial density.
The primary residential neighborhood is made up of courtyard blocks that create strong street edges with an overall unit mix that includes affordable and workforce housing. The plan’s commercial intensity, meanwhile, is focused on the western edge of the site and consists of residential and office buildings atop retail and hospitality podiums along with a community center. A pedestrian network creates intimate connectivity while offering visitors a sense of discovery. Strategically covered primary circulation routes protect pedestrians from the region’s damp inclement weather and intense sun in summer months. Aspiring toward contextually important environmental standards, Lansdowne leverages a district-wide heating and cooling plant and introduces green spaces to manage and mitigate storm water while restoring and reconnecting valuable ecological habitat.
