Burnaby Lake Village / Sperling Master Plan (6800 Lougheed)

The master plan for Burnaby Lake Village aims to revitalize 19 acres of industrial space into a vibrant mixed-use community. Framed by the Lougheed Highway to the north, a 1000-acre park to the south, an escarpment to the east, and the Sperling-Burnaby Lake SkyTrain station to the west, the wedge-shaped site poses several design opportunities. Responding to the site’s conditions, a mix of building typologies were developed to achieve hierarchies in built form that will articulate the experience at street level. A plaza marks the entryway into the development, creating a direct connection between the community and local public transit. At this plaza, the Esplanade and Serpentine pathways merge, forming diverse, pedestrian-oriented, paths of travel through the site. The Esplanade is designed as an urban high street, formally lined by mixed use buildings, while the Serpentine is a meandering, pedestrian only, pathway that makes its way across the development, connecting to public amenities throughout the community.

The development will introduce 19 new buildings to establish a dynamic, high-density community complete with affordable housing and high-quality public spaces throughout. The master plan will set a precedent for future transit-oriented developments in the area and help to further define planning guidelines for the City of Burnaby.

The materiality for the site will be dictated by the overarching vision of creating an urban village with a lively and animated pedestrian realm. Particular attention will be given to the lower portions of the buildings, carefully considering how they affect the user experience and enhance a sense of a lower-scale development despite the height of the architecture. Robust and durable materials will ground the buildings, creating a strong ground plain – a palette that feels solid and comfortable at the pedestrian scale. As the buildings climb, the materiality will lighten to lessen the visual weight and minimize the impact of the height of the towers. The use of glass though-out the main floor retail will be carefully considered to allow for transparency through the site with views into and from the plaza and serpentine park.