Sen̓áḵw Masterplan | 2026

Sen̓ákw is a landmark mixed-use urban development that promotes reconciliation and celebrates the reclamation of unceded territories as Indigenous places with the homecoming of the Skwx̱ wú7mesh Úxwumixw to their ancestral lands. Situated on a 10.4-acre site, a slice of what was once an 84-acre parcel hosting the Skwx̱ wú7mesh village of Sen̓ákw, the project seeks to rebuild a vital, resilient, and inclusive community that is interconnected with its rich natural setting.

Drawing inspiration from the Skwx̱ wú7mesh Úxwumixw’s deep embrace of nature, community kinships, and collective well-being, the project proposes a unique ‘Village in the Park’ approach. The program is accommodated across ten residential and mixed-use towers ranging from 22 to 58 stories, one 12-storey mass timber hybrid commercial office tower, and five circular mass timber commercial pavilions nestled into a generous programmed landscape.

The siting and orientation of the structures are designed to promote the passage of air, light, and movement through the new urban park, while cultivating a spirit of healthy living and community. In the context of this unprecedented exercise in urban Indigenous placemaking, the abundance of free green space will support diverse platforms for storytelling, cultural exchange, and relations building for Senákw and the wider community of Vancouver.

The design leverages the Burrard Bridge as a natural cover for outdoor recreational, leisure, and cultural amenities that can be enjoyed by residents and the public year-round. The network of programmed pavilions, integrated green infrastructure, and generous native plantings activate the social and ecological fibers of the regenerative ground plane while enhancing microclimate and urban comfort.

Sen̓ákw recognizes the site’s historic roots while celebrating the path to its future with distinctive Coast Salish architectural design elements. The project incorporates two emblematic building typologies that converge at the foot of Burrard Bridge.

The ‘Mountain’ towers have an organic, topographical massing. The chiseled form is accentuated with fritted glazing and abstracted balconies inspired by the Coast Salish ‘trigon’ motif. The rooftops of the Mountain buildings are deliberately angled towards the North, exalting the peaks of the Ch’ich’iyúy Elxwíkn’, which symbolize a culturally significant story of peace for the Skwxw̱ ú7mesh Úxwumixw.

The ‘Long’ towers have a more restrained and pragmatic form, mnemonic of the traditional long houses that once stood in the Sen̓ákw village. The salmon, an animal of great cultural significance to the Skwxw̱ ú7mesh, and their dynamic motion have inspired a series of screens that ripple and curl across the reflective glazed façade. These emblematic screens embrace balconies to filter natural light and provide visual privacy between units.

Supported by a new on-site Low Carbon District Energy Plant incorporating an innovative blackwater-powered heating and cooling system, an enhanced multi-modal transit network, and a crucial supply of new rental housing, the project will be a new paradigm of Indigenous-led revitalization and will demonstrate sustainable leadership on a global scale.

Together with other innovative operational initiatives, this low-carbon strategy allows Sen̓áḵw to be one of the highest performing rental communities in Canada. With increased focus on embodied energy, the project has great potential to become a true low-carbon community.

Sen̓ákw contributes a significant flow of new studio and 1—4-bedroom rental housing into Vancouver, one of the most supply-constrained housing markets in Canada. 1,200 of the 6,000 rental units will be affordable, with 250 reserved for Skwx̱ wú7mesh Úxwumixw members at deeply affordable rates. In addition to the universally accessible units offered in each tower, 10% of Senakw’s residential units are designed as adaptable housing that can be easily retrofitted with accessibility features.

These units will evolve with the needs of residents, ensuring the well-being and connectivity of multiple generations. The residential towers’ rooftops are designed as building amenities to be shared and enjoyed by all.

In a collaborative process that blends cultural narratives with the tectonic language of architecture, Coast Salish artwork is integrated throughout the site to recall the rooted and continuing stories of the Skwx̱ wú7mesh Úxwumixw. Embedded in the functional design of built forms, these stories will unfold through the day-to-day experience of residents and the public, empowering dialogue and a spirit of community.

Sen̓ákw returns this parcel of land to the stewardship of the Skwx̱ wú7mesh Úxwumixw, upholding the value of intergenerational care that aspires to contribute healthy places for their descendants and for Vancouver.

Category:Residential TowersYear:2026Location:Vancouver, British Columbia, CanadaArchitects:Revery ArchitectureLead Architect: Venelin Kokalov Lead Architects:Don KasianArchitects of Record: Kasian Architecture Interior Design and Planning Ltd.Design Team: Amirali Javidan, Jacqueline Wiles, and Bibi Fehr General Contractor:Peak Construction Group Client: Nch’ḵay̓ Development Corporation and Westbank Corp. Photographer: Tandem Studios, David Kvocak, and DroneCam Studio