HAVAN Awards for Housing Excellence elevate homebuilders


With the goal of helping consumers connect to the best in the building industry, the Homebuilders Association Vancouver (HAVAN) has renamed the HAVAN Ovation Awards to the HAVAN Awards for Housing Excellence.

The bold new look, aligned with the newly rebranded corporate logo, was revealed on March 4 at the Finalist Soiree, which took place at the Permanent, 330 West Pender Street. These are the same awards that consumers have grown to trust, but now elevated to a more easily recognizable brand.

Ron Rapp, HAVAN CEO, said, ‘“Metro Vancouver is on the world’s real estate stage. Our members continue to build beyond code, finding solutions to meet the homeowner demands and housing challenges that we face in our region. It’s only natural that we elevated the brand to keep pace with our builders, and to better connect consumers to the industry’s best.”

Rapp continued, “Highlights this year include: an infill project with an outdated bungalow in a highly sought-after neighbourhood that was transformed into four Built Green gold- and platinum-certified homes; a multi-family development rezoned and designed to almost triple the density of a previously planned condo, which is now a 14-storey rental building approved under Vancouver’s Rental 100 program; a custom-built home with ‘intelligent windows’ that maximize comfort and energy efficiencies of the home; and bespoke renovations, including a show-stopping copper-clad fireplace to warm the hearts and realize the dreams of a homeowner. 2020 is an outstanding year!”

The HAVAN Awards for Housing Excellence, presented by FortisBC, put a spotlight on the accomplishments of the homebuilding industry each year. Capturing the best new-home construction, renovation and design projects in Metro Vancouver, the awards showcase breathtaking custom-built homes, kitchen and bathroom renovations, single and multi-family developments, as well as the latest in high-performance building technology and innovative housing choices.

Now in its 11th year, this established, premier industry awards program selects finalists through a rigorous judging process, by a peer-reviewed panel of award-winning builders, renovator and designers from outside of the region. A full list of finalists and photos of the projects are available at:
havan.ca/awards.

Winners of the 2020 HAVAN Awards for Housing Excellence will be announced on Saturday, May 9 at the Gala, taking place at the luxurious JW Marriott Parq, 39 Smithe Street, Vancouver.

Photo: Martin Knowles Photo/Media
Builder: Novak Contracting & Construction Ltd.
Project: Outside In
Location: Surrey
Project Finalist: Custom Home:$2 million to under $3 million; Best Space: New Construction, Best Special Feature, New or Renovated (2); Best New Kitchen: $50,000-99,999; and Best Master Suite:New or Renovated

Open to the stars above, this fully enclosed, two-storey interior courtyard, with automated louvered roof, keeps rain and bugs out, and heat from heaters in. A single touch transforms the feature wall into an outdoor theatre with a 4K projector, and 130-inch movie screen, complete with 5.2 surround sound. But wait, there is more! A single touch and the floor retracts to reveal a six-seat sunken hot tub. Bring on the popcorn and bubbly!

Photo: Upper Left Photography
Builder: Kindred Construction Ltd.
Major Associate: VictorEric Premium Homes
Project: Curved Contemporary
Location: Southlands, Vancouver
Project Finalist: Best Landscaping: Custom or Renovated

Curved Contemporary is a bespoke, three-storey residence with a striking profile that emulates nature and complements the curvature of its surrounding landscape. The distinctive architectural design elements were created using exacting construction techniques by Kindred Construction in association with VictorEric Premium Homes. The residence utilizes View Dynamic Glass for the exterior glazing. This automated, intelligent-glass system uses electrochromic technology and predictive controls based on real-time environmental inputs to modulate the tinting and reduce glare and heat gain, while maximizing occupant comfort and improving energy efficiency.

Photo Credit: Amanda Oster
Builder: Best Builders
Major Associate: Beyond Beige Interior Design
Major Associate: Architrix Architects
Project: New House on Old Town Road
Location: Langley
Project Finalist: Best New Kitchen: $100,000 and over; and Best Master Suite: New or Renovated

Challenged by an over-expansive great room lacking “that something special,” Best Builders, in partnership with Beyond Beige Interior Design and Architrix Architects, designed and custom-built a copper-clad fireplace. Soaring from floor to ceiling, the fireplace becomes a striking focal point, while defining the kitchen and living areas of the grand room in this open-plan Langley home. Adding both visual and physical warmth, the flame is left completely open, creating the illusion of a copper chimney floating above the flames. The ethanol fireplace with custom-sized trough was built for maximum flame- and heat-transfer control. The natural copper element will change colour over time, making this fireplace a piece of art in itself.

Image courtesy of Acton Ostry Architects. Photo: Michael Elkan Photography
Builder: Edgar Development
Associate: Acton Ostry Architects
Project: The Duke
Location: Mount Pleasant, Vancouver
Project Finalist:  Best Multi-Family Highrise Development, Best Outdoor Living Space: Single Family Production or Multi-Family (new); Best Interior Design Display Suite: Multi-Family Home; and BC Housing Award for Excellence in Innovative Housing

LEED Gold-certified, 99 Walk-Score/96 Bike-Score with secure parking for 250-plus bicycles, Edgar Development, in association with Acton Ostry Architects, looked outside the box for future-forward solutions when designing The Duke. Appealing to locals in this artistic, eclectic Vancouver neighbourhood, the innovative design pushes setbacks to the inside, creating a central circulation space/atrium and open-air hallways, promoting socialization and creating a community vibe. The 14-storey, multi-family building adds 201 rental units and features an exterior mural and a one-of-a-kind rooftop deck with 360-degree city and mountain views. A floating canopy — a first for residential towers — protects the atrium from weather without inhibiting the airflow.

Photo: Upper Left Photography
Builder: Adisa Homes
Project: Harmony Hideaway
Location: Alta Lake, Whistler
Project Finalist: Best Townhouse/Condominium Renovation: Under $250,000

Nestled in a 1980s apartment complex, this fully renovated lakeside Whistler condo brings the outside in, while impressively maximizing the small space. With a love for contemporary design and the great outdoors, the owner envisioned a minimalist cabin that reflected her modern sense of style and the natural beauty of the surroundings.

Photo: Andrew Doran Photography
Builder: Vesta Properties Ltd.
Associate: Concept to Design Inc.
Project: Coastal Elegance
Location: Langley
Project Finalist: Best Custom Home $3 Million-plus; Best New Kitchen $100K-plus; Best Space New Construction; Best Outdoor Renovated Space: Custom or Renovated; Best Interior Design Custom Residence: New or Renovated

Inspired by a classic Hampton style for a blend of luxury and west coast casual, layers of creamy whites, a neutral colour palette and rich hardwood floors are consistent throughout. Built by Vesta Properties Ltd. in association with Concept to Design Inc., Coastal Elegance is an entertainer’s dream. The impressive two-storey great room with coffered ceilings and the U-shaped upper hall, lit by large clerestory windows, offer expansive views of the pool and property. The NanaWalls in the great room and adjacent lounge open in an L-shape to the covered, outdoor kitchen, dining and living area, connecting all main areas of the home for the ultimate indoor-outdoor entertaining space. The stately multi-level brass pendants complete the great room and connect the two floors.

Photo: Britney Gill Photography
Builder: Naikoon Contracting
Project: The Ridge (640)
Associates: Architectural Concepts: Duane Siegrist Architect, Architecture: Tina Hubert Architect, Energy Advisor: E3 eco group, Building Envelope: Richard Kadulski Architects
Location: North Vancouver
Project Finalist: Best Infill Development: Six Units or Less

Naikoon Contracting brought together a team of experts including Duane Siegrist Architect, Tina Hubert Architect, E3 Eco Group and Richard Kadulski Architect to construct this innovative, urban infill project that replaced an existing single-family bungalow with four unique, ultra-energy-efficient, detached modern homes. Exteriors included low-maintenance metal-clad fascia, brick and composite panel, with clear cedar siding and soffits for added warmth and natural character. Outdoor living space is maximized with roof decks on all homes and even on the garage, including wet bar, gas fire pits and barbecues for relaxing with views to the water, city and mountains. Strategically positioned roof-top planters and landscape mesh screens create organic privacy and green beauty. Energy Star-certified and Build Green gold- and platinum-certified.

Photo: Paul Grdina Photography
Builder: PSL Construction
Associate: Sarah Gallop Design Inc
Project: Bath Bomb
Location: Burnaby
Project Finalist:
Best Bathroom Renovation: $35,000 and over

White walls, walnut cabinetry and contemporary black plumbing fixtures create a chic, modern-day his-and-hers master en suite spa in this renovation by PSL Construction in partnership with Sarah Gallop Design Inc. The luxurious, oversized glass shower enclosure and raised tub, positioned by existing windows, allow for unobstructed sight lines to the forest, creating an atmosphere with a lofty “in-the-clouds” spa-like feeling. Flawless vertical grain application of walnut cabinets lifts the eye upwards to the sky. A floating vanity and wall-mounted toilet and shelving retain the airy feeling. A deep-seated shower bench keeps necessities at hand. Perfection!

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