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6th & Willow, a new townhouse project in the Fairview Slopes area of Vancouver by developer Edwin Liang of Kenstone Properties and designed by architect Michael Green. Long filled with bland suburban-style townhouses and low-scale retail, recent zoning changes in Fairview Slopes now allow for more urban-style mixed use and some sites are being redeveloped.Ema Peters

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The 25-unit townhouse complex at the crossroads of False Creek and the Cambie Corridor respects both the urbanity of the area and its connection to the natural world. At the same time, it offers an intriguing interplay between the public and private.Ema Peters

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While traditionally, townhouses feature individual entrances or private balconies, this project presents a sinuous façade along 6th Avenue. The depth of the rugged, weathered steel screen allows residents to take in the street and city view to the north, while maintaining privacy.Ema Peters

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The screen offers a sense of protection from the busy streetscape, but as suites are angled out along 6th Ave., the thin strips of steel also offer a surprising sense of delicacy, with the curvilinear line wrapping around the corner and up Willow Street, creating a flatiron effect.Ema Peters

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From the inside, the north-facing suites looking out to 6th Ave. embrace the street, rather than try to repel it, as some of the fortress-like frontages of other buildings in the area can do. The glazing lets residents feed off the energy of the streetscape, but remain far enough above it to enjoy the continuous stream of silver SUVs and Smart cars that contrast with the weave of conifers across the street and the mountains in the distance.Ema Peters

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Ema Peters

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Ema Peters

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