Building Community Resilience Through Shared Spaces
Community Land Trust Foundation of BC, McHardy Housing Co-op
Housing and Mixed Use
McHardy Housing Co-op is located at 5085 McHardy Street, beside the SkyTrain guideway in Vancouver’s Joyce-Collingwood neighbourhood. The 6-storey development brings 102 affordable homes, ranging from studios to 3 bedroom units, to a constrained urban site. Constructed with wood framing and designed to the BC Housing Design Guidelines and Construction Standards, the project is also designed and constructed to Passive House standards.
ZGF served as Prime Consultant, leading the architectural design and coordinating the consultant team from early design through completion in 2025. Working closely with Community Land Trust and project partners, we shaped an affordable residential community that pairs environmental performance with spaces designed to support daily life and connection among residents.
Designed for Everyday Connection
Social wellbeing was considered from the outset. In 2019, Happy Cities facilitated a workshop with the McHardy development team to explore how the design could encourage chance encounters, mutual support, belonging, and a sense of agency.
These ideas shaped a connected sequence of shared spaces. There is visibility from building entrance through the common amenity area into the courtyard. Patios, open circulation, community gardens, and the rooftop gathering and children’s play area create natural opportunities to meet, spend time outdoors, and make these spaces their own.
Location
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Square Feet
80,459
Completion date
2025
Certifications
Passive House Classic Certification targeted
The Happy Homes framework is a tool that helps promote happiness and social wellbeing through multi-unit housing design. The 10 principles bring together knowledge from different disciplines such as neuroscience, environmental psychology, sociology, public health and architecture. We found that thoughtful design can help address social isolation and build community resilience in multi-unit settings.
The project strives to maintain and add to the nature and greenery surrounding the building. Community gardens are provided on the Level 1 and Level 4 outdoor living spaces.
Passive House Design Standard
McHardy was designed to meet Passive House standards, reducing energy consumption and its carbon footprint while supporting better indoor air quality and long-term savings for the co-op. A highly insulated, airtight exterior helps maintain comfortable temperatures using less energy.
During testing, the building recorded 0.24 air changes per hour, compared with the Passive House maximum of 0.6. In simple terms, this means far less unwanted air leakage. Triple-glazed windows and exterior shading further help manage heat and keep homes comfortable throughout the year.
Century Group, 3 Civic Plaza
