I read today's Douglas Todd column in the Vancouver Sun about the poor design of so many new apartments with considerable interest. While I disagree with the headline: Hunger for profit has led to insufficient housing', I agree with the comments from Brian Palmquist that many new studio and one-bedroom units are not livable. They are designed for selling, or to get approvals, not for living. https://epaper.vancouversun.com/article/281749865330501
Coincidentally, this past week I came across a new westside rental apartment building now being leased by a very well-known and capable developer. As required by the city, there are two- and three-bedroom units, in addition to the tiny studio and one-bedroom units Mr. Todd wrote about. But when you look carefully, even the larger suites are not truly livable, especially for families with children.
So I posted the following plans and comments on Facebook, adding that if I can't stop the councillors from approving high-rise buildings on streets where they don't belong given the urban design considerations, hopefully I can convince them not to approve these buildings since so many of the units will not be very livable, especially for households with children.
Below are some excerpts from my Facebook posts which have attracted a lot of comments, even from a former metro mayor who noted that he too had foolishly bought a condo, only to discover upon moving in that the plan wasn't very functional. Denise Ryan also took time to add some comments as well.
Facebook friends asked if these units are for families, where do you put the child strollers? Good point.
As a former CMHC architect, I have always had a keen interest in designing floor plans that are livable. Perhaps that is why I notice things that others miss. If the federal government really is going to make a lot of money available for housing, hopefully it will take a renewed interest in what's being built with its money In this regard, I can only wonder what the suites are like in the Senakw development given all the slanting walls that presumably shrink the units as the building rises. But that's another story for another day.
I should add that if you look more closely, you'll see there is no room for bedside tables, let alone a dresser in the second bedroom of this $4,000 a month apartment.
1 comment:
100% agree these are tough for families to live in. However, if you make them livable, they will probably no longer be affordable (in-suite storage is very expensive). That's the dilemma. I think a family that lives in these suites would just find a way to adapt by adding Ikea armoires and generally live in a lot of clutter, until they can afford a townhouse or something. It's not a forever home, put it that way.
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