Alberni's distinctive outline is sure to make it a new icon for the West End neighbourhood of Vancouver. But its striking curves, created by Japanese architecture master Kengo Kuma, are not merely a creative's expressive gesture or an aesthetic decision. The 43-storey residential tower draws heavily on its locale, the two 'scoops' carved out from its slim, long volume, inspired by the context. The new geometries allow for better vistas and connections to the street and surroundings, both for Alberni’s inhabitants and its neighbours.
Alberni by Kengo Kuma
Created by local, design-led property developer Westbank, headed by Ian Gillespie, Alberni has just been completed. The residential scheme shows off flowing lines that are combined with timber details and larger installations. It's a choice that links back to its architect's long-standing relationship with the material. This, along with the extensive moss garden on the ground level, brings nature into what is a substantial development. This continues in the swimming pool area just above the entrance. 'In keeping with Japanese spatial traditions, the emphasis is on the atmosphere rather than the object,' the project's authors write.
'Westbank and Ian Gillespie have always pushed us to explore adventurous ideas with each new collaboration, and have been supportive in our effort to connect our works to the surrounding environment – natural and urban. We are very proud of our work at Alberni, not only the design but also the execution. Key design gestures and details are expressed with clarity. This is our ninth project with Westbank already, but our first high-rise residential work in Vancouver, as well as in North America, and this sets a high bar for us – as an expression of quality construction, engagement with city fabric, and architectural and living concept,' says Kuma.
Intricate woodwork details can be found throughout, matching in refinement the carefully orchestrated amenities on site, which include a Kengo Kuma-designed Fazioli piano, the moss garden and swimming pool, and a contemporary Japanese restaurant concept, 'inspired by the Japanese culinary art form of Kaiseki the project team experienced in Tokyo'.
-
Inspired by a pebble, the stylish new Alma charger provides pocketable convenienceWhat if technology could quietly allay anxiety and not cause it? That’s the pitch behind new luxury accessories company Addition, starting with its new Alma wireless charger
-
This clever café-cum-playroom in Poznań makes space for everyoneDesigned by Poland’s Cudo Studio, Sunday proposes a warm, dynamic take on the family café
-
Irys is an app designed by photographers for photographers. We take it for a test runIrys celebrates the art and quality of photography, along with the joy of discovery. We discuss the nature of online creativity and the artlessness of social media with founder Alan Schaller
-
The Architecture Edit: Wallpaper’s houses of the monthFrom Malibu beach pads to cosy cabins blanketed in snow, Wallpaper* has featured some incredible homes this month. We profile our favourites below
-
Explore the riches of Morse House, the Canadian modernist gem on the marketMorse House, designed by Thompson, Berwick & Pratt Architects in 1982 on Vancouver's Bowen Island, is on the market – might you be the new custodian of its modernist legacy?
-
Matsuya Ginza lounge is a glossy haven at Tokyo’s century-old department storeA new VIP lounge inside Tokyo’s Matsuya Ginza department store, designed by I-IN, balances modernity and elegance
-
Cosy-up in a snowy Canadian cabin inspired by utilitarian farmhousesInspired by local farmhouses, Canadian cabin Timbertop is a minimalist shelter overlooking the woodland home of wild deer, porcupines and turkeys
-
The Architecture Edit: Wallpaper’s houses of the monthThis September, Wallpaper highlighted a striking mix of architecture – from iconic modernist homes newly up for sale to the dramatic transformation of a crumbling Scottish cottage. These are the projects that caught our eye
-
Utopian, modular, futuristic: was Japanese Metabolism architecture's raddest movement?We take a deep dive into Japanese Metabolism, the pioneering and relatively short-lived 20th-century architecture movement with a worldwide impact; explore our ultimate guide
-
Buy yourself a Sanctuary, a serene house above the British Columbia landscapeThe Sanctuary was designed by BattersbyHowat for clients who wanted a contemporary home that was also a retreat into nature. Now it’s on the market via West Coast Modern
-
A new Tadao Ando monograph unveils the creative process guiding the architect's practiceNew monograph ‘Tadao Ando. Sketches, Drawings, and Architecture’ by Taschen charts decades of creative work by the Japanese modernist master
