How a renovation transformed the interior of this three-storey wood-frame building.

From the outside, you wouldn’t know that this 1920’s character building on the Cambie corridor is hiding a thoroughly modern interior. That’s kind of the magic of Haeccity Studio Architecture‘s renovation, completed last year. Walk by it on the street, and it’s just another classic wood-frame walk-up. Open the door, and you’ll find a sleek central shared staircase and a thoroughly contemporary black, white and wood palette.This modernization isn’t just aesthetic: the comprehensive overhaul included all new electrical and mechanical systems, seismic upgrades, and increasing the building’s capacity from 14 to 19 rental units.”The challenge we set for ourselves here was to properly equip a building, left behind by progress, to endure into the future—to continue to exist in a relevant way,” the architects at Haeccity explain in their project brief. “We wanted to give a new life to an old building, while simultaneously honouring its previous contribution to the city. At a time when many buildings are disappearing along the Cambie corridor in Vancouver, we had an opportunity to ensure these homes would flourish into a new era.”Of course, some history remains. Materials salvaged from demolition were upcycled to create new furniture and artwork—a way of reducing waste while celebrating the building’s past.

PHOTOS: Inside a Cambie Street Renovation

Sourced from BowerBird.io