62M is a 41-unit residential development located at the edge of downtown Winnipeg and the Red River. Compressed between a freeway and the backs of neighbouring properties, the site was considered undesirable due to restricted views and a lack of street frontage. Lifted up on 35’ high stilts, the project overcomes the limitations of its surroundings with an iconic form and unprecedented sightlines.
The three storey, circular building is both spatially efficient and cost-effective. As a whole, the 360° plan provides the widest possible perimeter for glass with the smallest amount of exterior envelope to construct. In addition, 40 units have identical, pie-shaped layouts that simplify assembly. Each 610 s.f. suite is arranged so that the entry and utility spaces occupy the narrow end, closest to the circulation core. This configuration frees the remaining square footage for a flexible, open living area that culminates in an expansive wall of floor to ceiling glass.
The protected open-air corridors surround a cast-in-place concrete core that serves the elevator, exit stairs and a service shaft while providing all of the lateral stability for the structure. Finishes are left raw whenever possible to both simplify construction and to minimize future condominium maintenance costs. The primary material palette consists of raw cast-in-place concrete, weathering steel and glass in a conscious attempt to move away from expected off-the-shelf mid-rise developer materials specifications.
Recognizing the potential of the central core, a glass penthouse was designed in place of the original core roof. Making use of every inch of available space within the core and its rooftop, the penthouse provides a fully functioning bachelor suite complete with bathroom (with sauna), kitchen, sunken living room and roof deck. Mirror polished columns support the pre-fabricated roof structure while creating the illusion of 360º of uninterrupted views of the city and the prairie horizon beyond.
At ground level, 20 supporting columns spaced between alternating pairs of parking stalls form a ring just inside the building’s perimeter. The columns’ thinness is a clear counterpoint to the band of housing, emphasizing the weight and mass of the building floating above. The resulting building breaks all conventions for entry-level developer housing while making use of a derelict site and providing a striking new addition to the Winnipeg skyline.
Material Used :
1. Duxton - windows - fibrewall 658 series
2. Kone - elevator - ecospace 200
3. Penner Doors - steel lobby + stair doors
4. Alumicor - Penthouse curtain wall aluminum framing - 2600 series
5. Penner Doors / Madero - fibreglass suite entry doors
6. Diamond Steel Roofing - soffit cladding
7. Neon Works - lobby custom neon lighting
