By Christine Hearn
Photography by Bruce Law

Complementing the landscape, a bold new community takes shape on Burnaby Mountain.

For more than 35 years Simon Fraser University has existed in relative isolation in its splendid mountaintop setting. Now that isolation is about to change as the university embarks on fulfillment of a vision that will see a new community known as UniverCity being developed on approximately 160 acres surrounding the campus. Construction gets underway this summer on the first 400 of what will eventually be 4,500 homes that will house about 10,000 people. There will also be commercial, office, and academic space to service both the community and the university.

It has been a long time coming. When the university was built in 1965 the founders considered a residential community for students, faculty, and staff. Before Expo 86 there was talk of housing that could later be turned into student accommodation. There have been other proposals and discussions. But there have also been questions about the fragile forest and mountain environment, about affordable housing, about who would want to live on a mountain, and about what you put beside a university that is widely recognized as an architectural masterpiece. The planning challenges, according to Burnaby Mountain Community Corporation (BMCC) board member Ray Spaxman, vary from relatively simple to very difficult. "One of the difficult ones is the conceptual challenge of imagining a place that is a community growing out of a spectacular piece of architecture in this very special setting, " says Spaxman, former director of planning for the City of Vancouver. "What sort of character does a community have to have sitting next to this monument of architecture? What do we build that doesn't interfere or look wrong? "

In addition to the planning challenges stemming from the site, it was clear from the outset that UniverCity must be sustainable. The university is operating on what it calls the four cornerstones of a sustainable community: environment, education, equity, and economy.

The environment is respected in all aspects of design. Special attention is being given to protecting significant existing features, including trees. There is an integrated approach to storm water management, and constructed wetlands will provide additional environmental benefits.

There will be a legacy of education. Residents will be encouraged to participate in the many opportunities offered by the university, including access to the library and cultural facilities. Leading-edge technology systems and communications infrastructure, including a fibre-optic network, will connect the community to the university.

The project will also bring economic benefits. There will be opportunities for community economic development, and monies generated from the development will be used to attract the best students and staff to the university.

The community is designed to be equitable and inclusive. It will be a healthy, safe, and livable place for people of all ages, professions, and income levels. Housing options will vary from smaller apartments to larger townhouses and terraced apartments. Some townhouses will include legal secondary suites that will provide additional housing for students. Shops and services will cater to the needs of those at the university and of residents living in the community. Ownership of some of the retail space will be retained by the university to ensure that services are right for the site.

The design will be distinct to Burnaby Mountain, with a contemporary West Coast look, which will fit in with both the university and the surrounding landscape. "What we are developing here is an architecture which belongs to this time and this place, " says Michael Geller, president and CEO of the BMCC, which is responsible for the development. "The highest buildings will be just to the top of the trees - about half the height of the water tower currently on the mountain." In addition to housing, the first neighbourhood, called UniverCity Highlands, will include a park, an elementary school, retail facilities, offices, and other amenities.

Hotson Bakker Architects is designing the framework for the community. Their concept recognizes that the unique location calls for careful attention to the environment and the climate. Outdoor spaces will be designed to have some shelter. New trees will be planted and fingers of the existing forest will come into the development; there will be easy pedestrian access to the campus and to the 1,400-acre conservation park; and individual buildings will be constructed to maximize the views that radiate in all directions.

"Our general approach is to respect the horizon, building in a modern way that is much warmer than the original university, " says Norm Hotson. "We want to get away from raw concrete, to use more brick and wood. There was a very bold notion behind the original campus plan; we had a strong sentiment that the new development would complement that, but with a more domestic, warmer atmosphere."

The planning has been detailed and careful with members of the university community involved at every step. "There were a number of questions, including what is the role of the university, how will the development change the university, and how will the development change the ecology, " says Geller. "I think the main concern was that this was going to be a high-end development divorced from the university and with no place for students. "

Planners were clear from the outset that there would be a place for students in the new community and that the community would be very much part of the university, enhancing university life. "Specific benefits include a permanent residential population of sufficient size to support commercial and cultural facilities that will be a boon to life on campus, " says university president Michael Stevenson. "They include a significant improvement in the availability of housing for students; a more positive relationship between our programs and community interests; and the creation of 'real-world'‚ laboratories for research in areas including environmental sustainability, health promotion, childcare, and community governance. "

Geller says it hasn't all been easy. "I was initially met with a high level of cynicism and concern, especially on the part of the student body. But by working with the Simon Fraser Student Society and others from the university community, I think we have demonstrated that our intent is to create a valued addition to campus," he says.

Elected student representative Dave Crossley, a geography major, has been on the board since the beginning and is partway through his second two-year term. He thinks most of the issues have been resolved. "The board has taken a cautious and incremental approach, " he says. "The two main concerns of students are affordable housing and the environment.

"To some degree we have addressed housing by allowing for secondary suites and some rental housing and by a commitment from the president's office to increase residence housing as a result of income from the project. Environmental issues have been addressed through the use of innovative engineering approaches and solutions."

Certain design features of the project will further help integrate community and university. A roundabout will form an appealing gateway to the community and will reduce vehicle speed. A town square with restaurants and a pub will be a lively centre of activity and will be the place where "town meets gown. " A village-style high street will encourage strolling from community to campus and vice versa, while porches and balconies will encourage outdoor activity. In addition, a number of areas within the community have been set aside for academic use.

President Stevenson sums up the innovative concept: "There is a deep consensus that we can accomplish what was initially proposed, namely build a truly unique residential community that will enhance and animate the campus, while respecting social and environmental obligations. I've always celebrated Burnaby Mountain campus as the finest architectural design for a university in the most beautiful part of the world. This new project will be sympathetic to the core design of the campus, while extending its reputation for innovation and for balancing aesthetic and social values. I can't wait to see it take shape. "

Visit the new neighbourhood online or drop by the presentation centre in room 3100, next to the Bennett Library on the mall. You can also check out our Short History of a Mountain. aq

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