Villa Maris

West Vancouver, BC

Lachman Properties Group

Gauthier & Associates (G|ALA) Landscape Architecture adds another level of elegance to a local landmark in the form of a green roof. Lovingly known as the Pink Palace and lauded for its unique architecture that evokes the flamboyance of Miami Beach, Villa Maris is a 101-unit apartment building located on the seawall in West Vancouver, BC.

As residents look out over patios towards the magnificent views of Burrard Inlet, they see an elevated island in the sky. The green roof – an elegant tableau – mimics the outlines of the shore and the gulf islands beyond.

In collaboration with Order of Canada medal winner, Cornelia Oberlander, Gauthier & Associates Landscape Architecture led the consultant team through an intensive design process. The end result is a dramatic rooftop garden that blends seamlessly with the natural beauty of the surrounding vistas.

The Villa Maris offers 270 degree view of mountain, ocean and shore. G/ALA’s design evoke the shoreline ecosystem. At first glance the architectural choices suggest simplicity, but like any ecosystem, they are in fact intricate and complex.

The use of berms, raised and rolling, suggest silhouettes of the islands perched on the horizon. Sedum mats were planted onto the berms, to create seasonal colours and key locations or shore pines as focal. points.

As an addition to an existing building, weights limits for the rooftop garden required considerable attention.

The result is a merging of an iconic building with an iconic landscape.