The Chief Leonard George Building has won the 2025 AFBC Innovation Award! This award celebrates bold ideas, visionary practices, and inventive uses of materials and technologies. GBL is proud to be recognized for design excellence along with other inspiring projects across the province.
For more information on the project, visit /projects/chief-leonard-george
Architect: GBL Architects
Structural Engineer: @fastepp
Landscape Consultant: @pfsstudio
Sustainability Consultant: @rdhbuildingscience
Mechanical Engineer: @ame_group
Owner Representative: @collierscanada
General Contractor: @ventanaconstructioncorp
Electrical Consultant: @wspcanada@architecturefoundationbc@bchousing@intelligent__city@bc_indigenous_housing@aboriginalheadstartabc
#modularconstruction #roboticconstruction #indigenoushousing #vancouverhousing #masstimber #ChiefLeonardGeorgeBuilding #premanufactured #culturalrelevance #basketweave
#intergenerationalhousing #culturalintelligence #AFBCAwards #passivehouse
#GBLarchitects #Vancouverhousing #VancouverArchitecture
Join us at the 2026 @oaarchitects Ontario Association of Architects Conference for CE12 “Woven Together: Chief Leonard George Building.”
Thursday May 14,
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM ET
Our Associate Principal Achim Charisius will be speaking alongside Brenda Knights, CEO of @bc_indigenous_housing and Michael Wilkinson, M.Eng, P.Eng., Principal & Building Science Specialist at @rdhbuildingscience .
Together, the panel will explore the delivery of the Chief Leonard George Building, Canada’s first mixed use tall mass timber Passive House building, and the collaboration, innovation, and technical coordination required to bring the project to life.
Learning objectives for this Continuing Education Session include:
• Understanding how integrated design facilitates innovation
• Working with premanufactured CLT floor and envelope panels
• Reducing carbon through mass timber construction
• Minimizing waste, noise, and construction impact through prefabrication
Learn more and register via link in bio.
#OAA #OAAContinuingEducation
We’re pleased to share that Vancouver City Council approved the CD-1 rezoning for C45 earlier this week.
Located in Oakridge between West 44th and 45th Ave, C45 is a proposed mixed-use development bringing together residential and hotel uses, office space, retail, and a dedicated social service space.
Positioned within the evolving Cambie Corridor, C45 will contribute to a vibrant, transit-oriented community that supports connection, accessibility, and everyday urban life.
Canada’s first net-zero multi-family residential building.
The 68-unit seniors’ social housing project in Olympic Village was shaped by a comprehensive approach to energy performance, combining passive design strategies, advanced building systems, energy monitoring, and an occupant awareness program.
Energy demand is significantly reduced through a high-performance building envelope and heat recovery systems. The building is heated using waste heat captured from an adjoining grocery store, while roof-mounted solar thermal systems support domestic hot water production.
Together, these strategies allow the building to offset its annual energy use, demonstrating how integrated design can achieve net-zero performance while supporting a more sustainable and resilient model for housing.
Photos 1,2: @martin_tessler
#Sustainability
Today is Earth Day, and we’re reflecting on long-lasting sustainable communities and the impact they have on the people who live in them.
Completed for the 2010 Winter Olympics, the Vancouver Athlete’s Village set the benchmark as the first LEED Platinum neighbourhood-scale development in North America. The development transformed seven hectares of former industrial land into a vibrant, mixed-use waterfront community shaped by a comprehensive master plan.
Conceived as a complete urban ecosystem, the master plan brought together residential, commercial, and community uses with parks, a central plaza, and a public waterfront promenade. Informed by decades of city-led planning, it reflects a broader vision for sustainable community building rooted in social, economic, and environmental performance.
Sixteen years on, it continues to show that lasting impact comes from integrated thinking, where architecture, infrastructure, and community are considered together.
At GBL, sustainability is a foundation. We believe thoughtful, context-driven design shapes places that feel better to live in and stand the test of time.
In collaboration with @merrickarch@milkovicharch@francl_arch@ciccozziarchitecture
Photos 6,7,8,9: @martin_tessler
#EarthDay #Sustainability
The Chief Leonard George Building featured on CBC News.
Emerging from the rebuilding of a social housing complex lost to fire, the project reflects a vision led by the @bc_indigenous_housing , shaped by community, sustainability, and long-term resilience.
The segment includes perspectives from BCIHS CEO Brenda Knights and GBL Associate Principal Architect Achim Charisius.
It’s a privilege to have contributed to this work.
Watch the full video via link in bio.
Over five years of working with Emily Milford at GBL Architects — and still one of our most valued collaborators.
Her precision, clarity, and ability to lead teams through complex projects is what sets the tone for strong execution. She keeps consultants aligned, decisions clear, and projects moving the right way. What stands out most is our shared mindset - doing things properly, with care and intention.
Now an Associate Principal at @gbl_arch , Emily is a strong example of women leading in our industry. This International Women’s Month, we’re proud to recognize her impact.
Grateful to build alongside her.
#PlacemakerCommunities #GBLArchitects #InternationalWomensDay
This past weekend for International Women’s Day, we were honoured to exhibit Soroptimist House at the @architecturefoundationbc x @wia_vancouver ‘Making Space: The Feminine Palette & Presence in Design’ event.
As the first affordable housing project in North America developed, designed and delivered by an entirely female team, Soroptimist House is a testament to what happens when women lead the way in shaping our urban landscape.
The 13-storey building will reach completion later this year and provide 135 affordable rental homes and a community of social connection for women, prioritizing and making space for women to thrive.
Project Owner: @si_vancouver
Development Lead: @purposedriven_dev
Southwynd Place Redevelopment at 8080 Yukon received unanimous approval from City Council at a recent Public Hearing! This project will be Vancouver’s largest social-housing non-profit-led mixed-income community, designed to foster intergenerational living among seniors, families, and young professionals. Centred on resident wellness, this four-building master-planned development will remain nonprofit-owned in perpetuity, setting a new standard for inclusive, community-driven housing.
#GBLArchitects #AffordableHousing #VancouverHousing #VancouverArchitecture #VanArch #ResidentialArchitecture
Project Owner: Kiwanis-Soroptimist (1974) Senior Citizens Housing Society
Co-Ownership Groups: Kiwanis Club of Vancouver, Soroptimist International of Vancouver
Development Manager: @purposedriven_dev
Landscape: @gauthierla__gala
Structural and Sustainability: @rjc_engineers
Transportation: @islengineering
Civil: @aplin_martin
Mechanical and Electrical: @smithandandersen
Amela Brudar, GBL’s Senior Principal, will be joining the International Architectural Roundtable panel to discuss Strategies for Mixed-Use Environments at The Buildings Show (December 3-5, Metro Toronto Convention Centre).
Mixed-use developments have emerged as multi-faceted solutions for tackling global challenges including housing shortages, environmental sustainability and economic resilience. While developers are increasingly capitalizing on the convergence of product types to achieve significant returns, architects face the challenge of designing cohesive and innovative mixed-use environments. This year’s roundtable will delve into design strategies and ideas that effectively integrate diverse programmatic elements within mixed-use developments. It will highlight solutions from various contexts, providing valuable insights into the future of architecture and its role in meeting the dynamic needs of urban landscapes.
Moderated by:
Adele Weder | Architectural Writer, Critic and Curator
Panelists:
Amela Brudar | Senior Principal, GBL Architects
Roberto Bannura | Partner, Beijing, @stevenhollarchitects
Frans de Witte | Partner and Director Studio Americas, @mvrdv
David Pontarini | Founding Partner, @hariripontariniarchitects
Michael Sørensen | Partner and Design Director, @henninglarsenarchitects
To register for the event, visit
#thebuildingsshow
The Sawmill Housing development was shortlisted for the 2025 Plan Awards under the Housing category. This international award celebrates excellence in architecture, interior design, and urban planning. Congratulations to the winning projects that were announced today! GBL is proud to be recognized for this project which integrates industrial heritage with a sustainable form that challenges glass tower conventions.
Photography: @adrienwilliamsphotos
Architect: GBL Architects
Client: TL Housing Ltd., Vancouver Affordable Housing Agency, Community Land Trust Foundation of BC
Landscape: @dk_landscapearchitecture
Electrical: @nemetzsa
Mechanical and Energy Model: @williamsengineering
Structural: BMZ Structural Engineers
Building Envelope: @aquacoast.engineering
Code & CP: Mark Roozbahani Consulting Ltd.
Geotechnical: Geopacific Consulting Ltd.
#GBLarchitects #Vancouverhousing
#VancouverArchitecture #SawmillHousingDevelopment
