This three storey, mixed-use (residential and commercial) building is situated in Rossland’s historic Sourdough Alley. As an urban infill project, the building revitalizes this neglected alley which, in the 1890’s, was a hub of activity - home to to a drug store, bottling works, auction house, undertaker, boot store, blacksmith, restaurants, stables, and other shops, plus a red light district.
Conceptually, the building is an elevated two storey wood box, under which we find covered parking, a commercial unit, residential lobbies and a bike room. The two storey wood box lifts 12 residential units high above the alley, offering impressive views of Rossland’s historic downtown and the Monashee Mountains beyond. Structural concrete ‘fin walls’ support the underside of the cantilevering wood box, while defining zones for parking and pedestrian circulation around the base of the building.
With municipal approvals governed by strict heritage guidelines, the exterior materials and detailing are informed by an earnest review of historic precedents, and not by a superficial replication of a heritage ‘look’. The result is a building that is ‘of its time’, while fitting attractively into its alley setting and historic context.
Location: Rossland, BC
Client/Owner: K&M Contracting
Team: SOA (Architect), Redwood Engineering (Structural), Rocky Point Engineering (Mechanical), Ready Engineering (Electrical), B.Clark (Fire Suppression), Ground Up Engineering (Geotechnical), Rochelle Moran (Interiors).
Status: Building Permit