Another residential project is sprouting above the streets of Vancouver's Mount Pleasant neighbourhood, an eclectic up-and-coming area of the city where young professionals, artists, writers, and a growing number of families mix and mingle. The Independent by Rize Alliance Properties is a 21-storey flatiron tower set to add studio, one-, and two-bedroom floor plans to a steaming local housing market. 

A rendering for The Independent shows the unconventional site boundaries, image via Acton Ostry Architects

Five unique architectural expressions imagined by Acton Ostry Architects articulate the building's exterior and provide the neighbourhood with a warm and welcoming first impression of the project. The exterior facade will be clad in multi-coloured brick, glass, and metal panels with wood grain finish. The variety of colour and materiality is intended to reflect the neighbourhood's diversity in architectural styles. The cascading and cantilevered penthouse units echo the area's intrinsic energy, while a tree-topped crown recalls the dramatic height of the first-growth forests.

The Independent will contain 258 units, image via Acton Ostry Architects

The advertised amenities package entails a 1,200-square-foot fitness centre, 3,300-square-foot multi-purpose room, a community lounge, and a workroom for creative projects and repairs. But the undeniable pièce de résistance is the enormous 20,000-square-foot backyard, one of the largest private parks in Vancouver. Situated between the tower and the enclosing podium, the space will include a family-friendly children's play area, an expansive dining deck, open lawns, gardens, and abundant gathering places for neighbourly interaction. Of course, there's also space allocated for a dog walk and the requisite wash station.

A panorama shows the progress at the site so far, image by Forum contributor Roundabout

Residents of the 258 homes will choose one of three colour schemes to adorn their living spaces. Urban and chic, durable wood-laminate flooring, polished engineered stone surfaces, and fully integrated appliances by Liebherr and Porter & Charles come standard in each unit. With Rize Alliance serving as both the developer and builder on the project, their vision can be carefully and methodically executed.

Construction of the concrete-shelled project is well underway, image by Forum contributor Roundabout

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