The lowdown on the low-rise building

The lowrise apartment, a form of condominium, provides flexibility for different segments of the market, from families starting out, to empty nesters downsizing.

Mercy, a four-storey high-end concrete multi-family development comprised of 17 residences and one level of underground parking, has been nominated as a finalist in the 2019 HAVAN Ovation Awards for Best Multi-Family Lowrise Development. The builder is HAVAN member, Kindred Construction Ltd

Located in Kitsilano, Mercy offers new housing choices for the changing needs of the residents in one of Vancouver’s more established neighbourhoods. Including a mix of studio, one- two- and three-bedroom homes, Mercy offers the benefit of condo living that is low maintenance with new-building finishes, without losing connection to one’s community.

While a smaller building most of the time means fewer amenities, lowrise condos, relative to their highrise counterparts, are typically more boutique.

Described by locals as a pearl, Mercy’s bright façade stands out as a modern development with its clean lines and luminous cladding.

A contemporary take on the traditional lowrise developments in Kitsilano, characteristic features were incorporated into the design to remain consistent with the neighbourhood’s charm.

Each residence embraces minimalist design with an open floorplan, featuring high-end Italian finishes and German flooring throughout. The studio units incorporate convertible sofa-to-Murphy-beds to create a multi-functional living space within a smaller floorplan.

Mercy’s floorplans take full advantage of the available space by minimizing unnecessary partitions and corridors, essential to smaller living spaces. Rooms are kept open and designed around the windows to maximize natural sunlight in key living areas.

The unique exterior façade consists of self-cleaning cladding panels that improve longevity and reduce maintenance requirements for the building, a strong selling point when considering strata maintenance.

Providing new housing choices for changing demographics in an established neighbourhood is critical to the livelihood of the community. We celebrate Mercy’s contribution to Kitsilano, and wish Kindred Construction Ltd, and all the other Ovation finalist builders, good luck.

Now in its 10th year, the peer-reviewed HAVAN Ovation Awards program offers consumers insight to the industry’s best home building, design and renovations. Check out ovationawards.ca. The 2019 winners will be announced May 4.

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