Ortus by Icona Properties is creating a unique rooftop space called Skyhaven to suit its owners’ many moods and needs in the South Oak neighbourhood of Vancouver. Icona’s goal is to create places that matter, and they’re committed to the community by supporting and enhancing the social, cultural and recreational lives of its homeowners.
That’s where Skyhaven comes in. This 4,000 square foot resort-style patio comprises five distinct zones:
Unwind is a lounge area includes a cozy fireplace and an oversized screen for movie or sports nights;
Graze lets homeowners enjoy outdoor dining with a gourmet prep station and extra-long table under an illuminated pergola;
Repose is a quiet, contemplative retreat with room for yoga practice and swinging chairs for reading;
Hustle contains an outdoor workspace with casual bar seating for those wishing to work from home;
Finally, Bloom is made up of a community garden is a place to cultivate fresh herbs and
vegetables.
Outdoor space is a luxury in urban areas. Ortus offers its residents a shared space with plenty of amenities, but also creates its own neighbourhood right within the building, with Skyhaven at the centre of its community.
Livabl spoke to Monique Janower, chief operating officer at Icona Properties, about Ortus and Skyhaven.
What was the inspiration for Skyhaven?
It was about challenging ourselves around our design commitment and trying to build a complete community. It’s like being a neighbourhood within the building. I think every developer, if they aren’t already, should be acknowledging that we are in a post-pandemic world, and it really is reflecting that we are living differently.
We know that social connectedness in neighbourhoods changed with the garage door in single-family homes. It changed when people drove into their garage, closed the garage and they never met their neighbours. So in this multi-family building, we wanted to create opportunities for people to interact with their friends and family, but also spend time with their neighbours in different ways. Hopefully, the benefit of that social connectedness helps create complete communities. It was really at the foundation of what this rooftop patio could become for this building.
And that can look different for different people?
Each individual’s definition of social connectedness can differ. People might want to find a tranquil moment as the sun is rising, and that’s one of the zones [being offered on Skyhaven].
For other people, that social belonging and connectedness comes out through a dinner party, with family and friends. So it’s different, distinct zones that recognize and appreciate that we don’t want to spend our days identically. Sometimes we want to be alone or in small groups, and other times we want to have a large social mix.
So this is also allowing people to socialize in a comfortable outdoor environment in a post-pandemic world?
I think we all adjusted to finding different ways to be in outdoor spaces. We actually have great 365 living and there are some covered areas on the rooftop. There is an opportunity, regardless of the season, to have safe and healthy spaces.
We don’t know what’s going to come. But we do know for sure that if we look at our work-life balance, very few people are at the office five days a week, and we wanted to make sure that both inside and outside the building, there were opportunities to not just socialize, but also work. So small but really important details [in the rooftop zones] included access to power.
People might be there for longer periods of time, they might need sun, shade, power, and there’s different work environments that don’t necessarily have to be indoors. It’s almost like a third place outside of their home.
Can you describe the idea of Ortus being a place where a homeowner can take advantage of “shared luxury”?
This is a boutique 54-home building. We contemplated a lot of different approaches with how this rooftop could be utilized. Is it private spaces for a limited number of homes? Or is it a thoughtfully designed rooftop with amazing amenities for everyone that lives in the building? We’ve invested in a way that when [homeowners] buy into their home, they’re buying into access to this private club. It’s private access to a number of different experiences that come with your home. No one has to invest in things like a pergola or gourmet kitchen. You have access to luxuries like that whenever you might need them.
What’s beneficial about the location of Ortus?
It’s on the west side, in the South Oak area. People interested in becoming homeowners in our building are familiar with that location. It’s kind of a gem of an area — there’s a lot of other developments that are being built and plans for the neighbourhood. But people really value the location. Access to downtown is 15 minutes away, and the airport is only eight minutes away. They’ll have close access to shopping like Oakridge on Cambie and Marine Gateway, and it’s close to Richmond. Vancouver’s a pretty pet-friendly community and Ortus has access to green spaces on all three sides. It’s a good time to invest in a neighbourhood that’s really transforming and is going to be meaningfully improved upon in the next five or six years. The location and access are really important.
To learn more about Ortus, visit ortusliving.com.
