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Housing

Southlands District Flats

Southlands District Flats reimagines apartment living through a contemporary interpretation of agricultural village forms. This 34-unit mixed-use development in Tsawwassen creates community through careful massing, shared spaces, and a ground-floor retail hub that anchors the broader Southlands market district while fostering intimate residential life.
project Type
Housing
location
Tsawwassen, British Columbia
client
Century Group
dates
2018 - 2023
expertise
Architecture
Modern multi-unit residential development featuring townhouse-style units with peaked roofs alongside an apartment building with ground-floor retail space.
Housing

Southlands District Flats

Modern multi-unit residential development featuring townhouse-style units with peaked roofs alongside an apartment building with ground-floor retail space.
project Type
Housing
location
Tsawwassen, British Columbia
client
Century Group
dates
2018 - 2023
expertise
Architecture
Southlands District Flats reimagines apartment living through a contemporary interpretation of agricultural village forms. This 34-unit mixed-use development in Tsawwassen creates community through careful massing, shared spaces, and a ground-floor retail hub that anchors the broader Southlands market district while fostering intimate residential life.

We drew inspiration from the farmsteads and agricultural structures that define British Columbia's rural heritage, translating their character into contemporary apartment living. The repetitive peaked roof forms reduce the perceived scale of the development while creating a distinctive rhythm that relates to both existing and future buildings in the area. This approach demonstrates how new housing can respect local character while meeting modern density needs through thoughtful design rather than generic apartment blocks.

Modern multi-unit residential development called "District Flats" featuring white angular architecture with private balconies and a contemporary minimalist design.

Ground-floor units with living areas and patios facing streets and lanes provide additional community security while encouraging civic interaction. We carefully balanced openness with privacy through strategic landscaping—hedges and low fences create comfortable buffers between public and private spaces while maintaining visual connections. This approach ensures residents feel both secure in their homes and connected to neighborhood life.

Modern multi-story residential building featuring a central courtyard with outdoor seating and landscaped garden areas.
Modern multi-unit residential complex featuring distinctive peaked rooflines and a central courtyard with outdoor seating areas.
The configuration of the units around the courtyard and overlooking walkways will help to bolster a sense of ownership by building residents and provide passive community security of the space.

The building splits into three distinct masses that create porosity and interconnectedness through the ground plane and central courtyard. This landscaped area features spaces designed to encourage interaction among residents such as a children's play area, communal dining table, cooking surface, and fixed seating. Exterior walkways overlook the courtyard, creating natural surveillance and a sense of shared ownership that transforms private housing into genuine community living.

Modern townhouse development featuring white gabled facades with three levels, recessed balconies, and contemporary black metal railings.