It was our pleasure to facilitate marketing efforts for a new development of an 85-unit high-rise residential building adjacent to an existing heritage asset, the Alexander Fleck House, in the City of Ottawa.
The proposed building blends Ottawa’s heritage and modern needs. The Alexander Fleck House is the principal entranceway to the modern addition behind it. The front of the podium has been carefully designed to integrate with the Fleck house and features a number of articulations and design details that make reference to the house.
The shaft of the tower is set back from the base of the building 0.5m on the front elevation. Balconies are integrated into the building façade. A mix of materials provides greater design variation. On the podium level there addition will be comprised of red brick to match the Fleck house, along with stone cladding and composite metal panels along fascias. On the tower portion of the building there will be a combination of composite metal panels of differing colours and levels of sheen, along with glazing units which provides variation in colour as well as texture.
The design of the building uses a more subtle approach in defining the top of the building. On the west and north elevations, the ratio of opaque surfaces to reflective glazed surface increases as it moves up the building. The result is that the upper levels of the building feature considerably more glass and reflective surface than the lower levels, giving the effect of ‘dematerializing’ and making the top of the building feel significantly lighter than the base.
This compact high-rise building will enhance the community’s diversity and will help to meet the needs of some members of society, such as older singles or younger couples. Additionally, the revitalization and use of the Alexander Fleck House as the principal entrance to the residential units and amenity area for the residents provides a very special adaptation of a heritage asset for modern life.
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