Celebrating the multicultural character and natural environment of a historic Vancouver community

Established in the 1890s, Joyce-Collingwood is one of Vancouver’s original neighbourhoods. At the turn of the century it was thriving, but when the epicentre of growth shifted to Vancouver’s downtown, stagnation set in. By the mid-1980s, the tides turned again, triggered by the introduction of a rapid transit line through the area; today, Joyce-Collingwood has one of the fastest-growing residential sectors. It is also one of Vancouver’s most culturally diverse communities, providing a landing spot for immigrants seeking a home in an inclusive, welcoming neighbourhood.

Joyce is a 30-storey residential tower that aspires to add vibrancy and beauty to this growing transit-oriented area. Contributing to safer and more attractive streets, it provides a diverse mix of new homes while honouring the site’s historical context.

The architecture takes inspiration from the community’s multicultural character and natural environment. At its core, the design celebrates diversity expressed through the symbolism of a patterned quilt applied to balconies, as overlapping patterns of coloured glass. Layered over the metaphorical quilt, and reflecting inspiration drawn from the environment, is the outline of Still Creek. This local body of water is the only remaining exposed creek in Vancouver and, for the first time in decades, salmon have returned to spawn here. Inspired by this renewal, the balconies are coloured to evoke salmon swimming upstream. Echoing the river’s sinuous form, the building façade also pays homage to Still Creek, while breaking the scale of massing.

Important to area growth has been its appeal to families (they comprise over half the population). To foster family-living and greater affordability, 65% of the 256 homes are micro two and three-bedrooms units, creating a true vertical community for all ages and offering the highest percentage of family housing in a new Vancouver development in generations.