Modern architecture offers a ‘warm and livable feel’
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Koen, Beedie Living’s new development planned for South Burnaby, is embracing Japanese influences, from the name that translates into English as garden and intended to convey a balance of urban living with landscaping and lush greenery, to paying homage to the cultural heritage of the Saimoto family, the former owners of the site.
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The 1.2-acre property at 7280 Macpherson Ave. is close to the Royal Oak SkyTrain station, Metrotown and neighbourhood amenities and services, but away from the hustle and bustle of Kingsway, a major thoroughfare in the area, says Rob Fiorvento, Beedie Living’s managing partner.
The 147-unit wood frame low-rise development offers a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom homes ranging in size from 598 to 1,535 square feet.
While many people associate the Metrotown neighbourhood with an abundance of concrete highrises, there are not many low-rise, family-oriented developments aimed at the end user, says Fiorvento.
“If you look at the building, (site) it is quite tranquil in its setting. We really wanted to capture the natural elements of the area and we’re using a lot of natural products to try to enhance this livability,” he says, adding that so far nearly all Koen buyers are end users.
“People who want to live here are not looking to flip a unit or invest and rent it out,” he says.
The architecture is modern and with a nod to transitional design, says Fiorvento.
“A lot of times when you go modern, it gets very cold and minimalistic. We’re going modern, but with a warm and livable feel,” he says, noting the use of brick accents on the exterior will add a cosy element and enhance a sense of sturdiness and quality.
Amenities include a social lounge, fitness centre, outdoor spaces with barbecues and fire pits and a children’s play area. All units include a parking stall in the underground parking.
Fiorvento says the target market for Koen includes first-time homebuyers and people who are moving from highrise condos and looking for more space.
“We’re looking at people who want to stay in the area, who like the (local) amenities, schooling and parks, but need another bedroom and want (a quieter location),” he adds.
Another group is people who want to move into a more livable, low-rise home, says Fiorvento, while the third group are the downsizers who often want to move to smaller home but don’t want to live in a highrise tower, he adds.
Fiorvento notes Koen is attracting a substantial number of repeat Beedie Living buyers — people who have previously purchased a home built by the company or worked with the agents.
Charyle Ross, principal at Ross and Company Interiors, also leaned into the Japanese inspiration and combined it with Scandinavian influences for a Japandi esthetic — a fusion of the two styles — to create minimalistic, natural and muted colour palettes for the interiors.
Homebuyers can choose from two colour schemes.
One option has dove-grey upper cabinets while the lower cabinets, kitchen island and the panels to integrate the refrigerator/freezer will highlight a vertical grain smoked-oak finish, says Ross.
The other option also includes the dove-grey uppers, but the lower cabinets, island and panels are a light oak with a vertical grain. Major appliances are by Porter and Charles.
Kitchen countertops are concrete-look quartz complemented with marble-look porcelain backsplashes, continuing the theme of simple and neutral finishes.
One of the standout features in the kitchen design is an open cabinet that features a reeded back panel.
“It’s a place to put some decorative items and add your own personality to the space,” says Ross.
The kitchen islands provide another opportunity to add special touches with open shelves on one side of the island, while the kitchen-facing side has cabinetry for storage.
In the bathrooms the vanities reflect the selected colour scheme with white quartz countertops and backsplashes and 12-by-24-inch porcelain floor tiles. While the main bathroom has a tub, the ensuite has a shower and an oval mirror and medicine cabinet.
“The nice organic curve (of the mirror) feels soft and not so harsh,” says Ross.
The mirror, an offset sconce in the main bathroom and the reeded detail in the upper kitchen cabinet are part of Ross’ strategy to include “memory points” in her designs.
“Those are the steps I have been trying to do over the years to make our projects set themselves apart from the others,” she says.
The advantage of the Japandi design is that it is timeless, says Ross.
“In 10 to 15 years, you can look at it and not know what year it was built,” she says, adding it also lends itself to providing homeowners with so many opportunities to personalize the space.
“I love the neutral tones, but neutral tones don’t necessarily mean you have to have neutral furniture. You can always add a punch of (colour),” she says, noting it offers buyers an open, tranquil scheme without restricting them to a particular design era.
Project: Koen
Project address: 7280 MacPherson Avenue, Burnaby, B.C.
Developer: Beedie Living
Architect: Integra Architecture
Interior designer: Ross and Company Interiors
Project size: 147 wood frame low-rise condos and townhomes
Number of bedrooms: 1-, 2- and 3-bedrooms
Price: Condos from mid-$600,000s
Sales centre: 4630 Kingsway, Burnaby, B.C.
Centre hours: 10.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday to Thursday (closed Fridays)
Phone: 604-219-2676