Then-and-Now: Vancouver Olympics lives on

When an athlete’s village is constructed for an Olympics such as the summer version this year in Rio, materials and finishes can leave a lot to be desired.

What is often desirable, however, are the locations.

Often by the water or offering downtown city views, people that move into these condominium units will overlook any shortcomings to be where the action is.

Such is the case for the 2010 Olympic village winter version in the South East False Creek neighbourhood of Vancouver.

This Olympic Village comprised temporary structures and 10 to 20 permanent mixed-use buildings with approximately 1100 condos units.

South East False Creek will eventually be home to 12,000 to 16,000 people.

For the Vancouver-based international architectural firm of Mitchell Freedland Design, the challenge of refreshing one of these residences was tackled over a period of nine months from start to finish.

“The existing residence did not convey the client’s aesthetic, nor adequately meet their programming lifestyle needs,” according to president and architect Mitchell Freedland.

This was accomplished, Freedland says, by stripping the suite down to allow for a more cohesive visual vocabulary, as well as meeting their lifestyle needs.

“By illuminating the unnecessary visual clutter, a sense of calm and organization was achieved to the clients’ delight,” says Freedland.

The suite design that the architect incorporated “was a response to the magnificent water and city views.

The palette and restrained detailing compliment the context,” says Freedland.

The 660 metre waterfront path along South East False Creek is one of the final pieces of a 22 km scenic seawall alongside Vancouver’s inner coastline from Coal Harbour to Kitsilano Beach.

The architecture firm always works closely with clients to first establish what they have in mind.

In this case, “the client wanted a sanctuary in the city that they could enjoy alone as much as for entertaining friends and family,” explains Freedland.

It turned out that the existing hardwood flooring was in good enough condition and was refinished to compliment the new scheme.

“Custom lacquer cabinets were incorporated with existing cabinetry,” says Freedland, while “beautifully figured quartzite slab was used for the kitchen backsplash, as well as, the custom wine room to add a natural organic element.”

So what has been the response to the finished project?

“The finished results were received with praised reviews and continues to be a source of pride for the client,” enthuses Freedland.

Six years after Canada’s latest Winter Olympics, one Vancouver resident can celebrate another golden moment.