Unique building proposed for former Chevron site on Cambie Street

Jun 25 2019, 4:14 am

Two years after its closure and demolition, a proposal has been submitted to redevelop the former Chevron gas station site at the southeast corner of the intersection of West 16th Avenue and Cambie Street in Vancouver’s Cambie Village.

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A rezoning application has been submitted by local developer Wesgroup for the property at 3220 Cambie Street — turning it into a 77-ft-tall, six-storey, mixed-use building with Passive Haus green building standards.

3220 Cambie Street Vancouver

Site of 3220 Cambie Street, Vancouver. (Olson Kundig Architects / IBI Group / Wesgroup)

The Chevron gas station at West 16th Avenue and Cambie Street before its closure and demolition. (Google Maps Streetview)

There would be 47 strata homes, with the unit mix broken down as 26 one-bedroom units, 16 two-bedroom units, and five three-bedroom units.

On the ground level, the proposal envisions about 8,000 sq. ft. of restaurant and retail space, including an intersection corner commercial unit with large doors that slide open to create an indoor-outdoor hybrid patio space.

3220 Cambie Street Vancouver

Artistic rendering of 3220 Cambie Street, Vancouver. (Olson Kundig Architects / IBI Group / Wesgroup)

Seattle-based Olson Kundig Architects and IBI Group were recruited for the building’s design, which features a unique architectural punctuation that breaks down the facade.

“The facade ‘shift’ breaks down the mass of the building; the expression and scale of the shifted units relates to the residential neighbourhood to the east, while the overall height and the dynamic and open retail spaces on the ground level engage the lively rhythms of Cambie Street,” reads the design rationale.

“As a gateway to the Cambie Corridor, this project seeks to activate this important corner and threshold into this revitalizing part of the city.”

3220 Cambie Street Vancouver

Artistic rendering of 3220 Cambie Street, Vancouver. (Olson Kundig Architects / IBI Group / Wesgroup)

But this punctured form is also about function, as it helps light and air reach further into the building interior and provides a corner window for every unit.

Moreover, the design will “meet the highest energy standards” under the city’s Green Buildings Policy, maximizing passive strategies that also create comfortable and inviting living environments for residents.

Falling under the Cambie Corridor Plan, the proposal’s total floor area of 56,135 sq. ft. on the 14,811-sq-ft site creates a floor space ratio density of 3.79 times the size of the lot.

Two underground levels will contain 38 vehicle parking stalls and 96 bike parking spaces.

3220 Cambie Street Vancouver

Passive House design of 3220 Cambie Street, Vancouver. Click on the image for an enlarged version. (Olson Kundig Architects / IBI Group / Wesgroup)

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Kenneth ChanKenneth Chan

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