“A blissful berth for a busy harbour” |
| A blissful berth for a busy harbour Posted: 08 Jan 2011 01:03 AM PST Atrium at the Pier may be on the site of the former Versatile Pacific Shipyards, but there is nothing gritty about this elegant 178-residence complex on the North Vancouver waterfront. The latest in Pinnacle International's ambitious redevelopment of the four-acre site just east of Lonsdale, Atrium comprises two mid-rise towers: the 13-storey Atrium West and 12-storey Atrium East. Sales for the most recently completed Atrium East launch early in 2011. Residences on the south side face Burrard Inlet, with a stunning view of the Vancouver skyline, but all units have huge windows and generous balconies or terraces. In some suites, a large window between the master bedroom and bath admits natural light, while affording an outside view. Jogs in the building perimeter form corner windows, even in non-corner suites for more light, space and interest. Interior jogs form nooks for home offices. These are not cookie-cutter homes. To demonstrate the variety of floor plans and decor possibilities, there are four fully furnished show suites in Atrium East: two by the False Creek Design Group and two by the CHIL Design Group (now merged with architecture and design firm B+H to become B+H CHIL Design). Each was given a large two-bedroom view suite and a smaller east-facing suite to transform. All have floors of large, white porcelain tile, which is clean, classic and reflects the light even on dull winter days; the other flooring option is walnut-stained hardwood. The colour palettes for kitchen cabinets and mosaic tile are rich brown or midnight blue. The stainless steel appliances are by Bosch, apart from the refrigerator: a sleek Liebherr unit with bottom freezer and icemaker. All suites are air-conditioned with electric fireplaces, and have crown mouldings, nine-foot ceilings and in-suite laundry. Designer Louise Noon of False Creek Design Group tried to capture the perceived lifestyle of potential buyers on the North Shore, says Jim Toy, principal of the firm. The larger suite was designed for a mature couple in a transitional style that doesn't compete with the view. More eclectic than traditional, it combines comfort, convenience and texture. The layered approach starts with establishing the backgrounds -- in this case, textured wall covering -- and finishing off with the accessories and artwork. Toy advises spending where you'll get the most bang for your buck and the most enjoyment, "which many clients tell us is the bedroom." Here, the master bedroom displays plush wallpaper on a feature wall, plus a luxurious silk bedspread, curtains and cushions. The dining table mixes comfort and transparency, with a base fashioned from an oversized stair railing, custom painted and topped with glass. The second bedroom has a headboard of artwork printed on canvas, which illustrates a creative solution to livening up a room with overscale prints that do double duty. The decor in the smaller suite is livelier and more contemporary to appeal to a younger resident. "This was about taking more of an introverted approach and making the home an oasis," says Toy. With any apartment, designers look for an opportunity to display and store, like the shelves above the mantel and in the dining area, and a glass-topped coffee table with shelf beneath. Mirrors in the dining area and on the bedroom bureau are all about reflecting the light and the view, bringing the outside in. Designer Adele Rankin of B+H CHIL Design also designed each unit for a different type of purchaser, gearing the smaller suite toward a mature couple looking to scale down and the larger suite to a younger resident. "We knew the larger one was always going to show well with a view like that," she says. The huge balcony lended itself to a great entertainment area extending from the open kitchen through the living area to the outside. She took an energetic, fresh, younger approach to the interior design. "We went to town pairing colours and were a little more out there in terms of furniture pairings," she says. The kitchen cabinets are dark blue, so she used lots of pinks, oranges and bright green. The smaller unit presented an opportunity to demonstrate how to live beautifully with less space. Colours are monochromatic, with sophisticated metallic accents and mirrors to brighten the suite. Transparent furnishings such as the see-through table base, clear chandelier and openwork vases and fruit bowl provide the feeling of more space and breathing room. These graphic, structured patterns complement the wallpaper in the master bedroom, which sets off the king-sized bed with upholstered headboard. The spacious balcony becomes an outdoor room with the addition of a table and chairs. The two Atrium buildings are joined by a ground-floor 3,000-square-foot business and amenities centre with a full kitchen, games room, large-screen TV and patio, all overlooking the harbour, with a view of the Vancouver skyline beyond. To create a consistent "five-star feeling," it and the other common spaces were designed by CHIL, as were the hotel rooms and common areas of the Pinnacle Hotel and Residences. Uptown Design Group chose the high-end interior finishes for all the residential buildings at The Pier: Premiere, Esplanade, Esplanade West, The Landing, The Hotel Residence and now Atrium. Paul McCann, who runs a distribution company in North Vancouver, and his wife, Rebecca, a financial planner, were early adopters of The Pier, where they have bought two homes, the first in the aptly named Premiere and more recently in The Hotel Residence, which they moved into last February. They bought both as pre-sales and have kept the Premiere suite as an investment. Born and raised in Surrey, Paul McCann has lived in North Vancouver for 20 years, 15 of them in Lower Lonsdale, which he feels has become the place to be. "I saw it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own near waterfront in North Vancouver," he says. "The whole development is about the location and amenities." Apart from neighbourhood amenities like Lonsdale Quay, the SeaBus and shops, bars and restaurants, residents can use the Pinnacle Hotel facilities. After work, McCann often goes for a workout in the fully equipped gym or a swim in the 25-metre pool. Now designated the Shipyards Historic Precinct, the site is being transformed into a mixed-use development with residential towers, offices, The Pinnacle at the Pier Hotel and a convention centre, plus a revitalized waterfront reflecting the location's 100-year history as an active shipyard in Canada's largest port. Public amenities will include a performance plaza and restored shipyard buildings. - - - Atrium at The Pier Location: North Vancouver Project Size: Atrium West -- 91 suites; Atrium East -- 87 suites Residence Size: 565 sq. ft. -- 1,620 sq. ft; 1 bed; 2 bed; 2 bed +den; penthouses Prices: Tower suites: $450,000 -- $950,000; penthouses: $2 million Developer: Pinnacle International Architect: IBI/HB Interior designer: Interiors by Uptown Design Group; common areas by CHIL Sales centre: Atrium East: 172 Victory Ship Way, North Vancouver (one block south of E. Esplanade at St. Georges) Hours: noon -- 5 p.m. daily Telephone: 604-983-9065 E-Mail: thepier@telus.net Web: www.thepier.info Occupancy: Immediate © (c) CanWest MediaWorks Publications Inc. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
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