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At the northwest corner of Broadway and Alma, Leckie Studio’s 16-storey rental tower for Westbank brings sculptural concrete forms, family-sized rental housing and Musqueam-inspired public art to one of Point Grey’s busiest intersections.

Named The Raven by Westbank, the project takes its name from the public art installation above the building entrance. Spa:l’ (Raven) by Thomas Cannell features three ravens symbolizing transformation and protection. Inspired by nature and Musqueam traditions, the vibrant aluminum figures contrast with the building’s concrete architecture.

The building sits at the west end of the Broadway corridor, one of Vancouver’s busiest transit routes. Architect Michael Leckie says the site “called for an iconic building to anchor the busy transit corridor and urban axis.”

Rental housing with room for families

The project is entirely rental, with 164 homes spread across the 16-storey tower. Of those, 131 are market rental units, while 33 are secured below-market rentals intended for households earning between $30,000 and $80,000 annually through the City of Vancouver’s Moderate-Income Rental Housing Pilot Program.

The building includes a mix of unit types, from smaller apartments to larger family-oriented homes. In total, 59 of the residences are two and three-bedroom units designed for families. Four retail spaces are located at street level.

Every home includes either a balcony or terrace, providing private outdoor space. Residents also have access to rooftop amenity areas overlooking downtown Vancouver and the North Shore mountains. Landscaped terraces soften the building’s stepped form while adding greenery for residents and neighbours alike.

At the west side of the site, a pedestrian pathway leads to three townhouse units integrated into the development.

Stacked with purpose

The building’s most distinctive feature is its staggered massing.

Leckie says the stacked massing was “very ambitious” and “was achievable through rigorous unit planning to allow the building’s structural loading to transfer between volumes.”

The tallest portion of the building is positioned at the southeast corner, marking the end of the Broadway corridor while helping reduce shadowing on neighbouring residential buildings. The form then steps downward toward the west side, allowing it to transition more comfortably toward future lower-scale development nearby.

Standardized, but distinctive

For Leckie, one of the project’s greatest successes is the way the architecture uses standardization to support both design quality and construction efficiency.

“The architecture is designed with a rigorous approach to standardization as a means to maximize value in the construction process. The exterior cladding is a custom prefabricated concrete panel system that uses a standardized series of components,” says Leckie.

The result is a building that feels substantial without appearing overly heavy. Prefabricated concrete panels give the exterior a rugged, tactile quality, while the staggered form breaks down the overall scale of the tower.

Inside, Leckie Studio continued that durable architectural language.

“We intentionally used a robust and raw-feeling material palette aligned with the design brief for a rental building,” Leckie says.

Designed for daily life

The Raven places a strong emphasis on cycling as a way to get around. The building includes 273 bicycle parking spaces, along with a bicycle washing and tuning area and a dedicated elevator connecting secure bike storage directly to the lobby.

For a rental building on a major transit corridor, the focus feels practical rather than ornamental. The design supports residents moving through the city by bike, transit and foot, while the retail spaces add activity at street level.

The Raven is also being designed and constructed to meet the City of Vancouver’s Low Emissions Green Building requirements.

For Leckie Studio, the project brings together a demanding urban site, ambitious massing and a pragmatic rental brief. The result is a building that treats rental housing with a level of architectural care more often associated with condominium projects, from the public art at the entrance to the private outdoor spaces above Broadway and Alma.

“The building is intended to have a rugged yet refined character,” says Leckie.

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As the curtain closed on the 34th year of the 2026 Georgie Awards, winners throughout 52 categories were honoured in home building, renovation, design and marketing.

One of the winners was an off-grid retreat on a remote island off the Sunshine Coast. Vancouver-based Lincoln Construction’s The Nest won Best Custom Home: $1 million to $1.5 million at both the Georgie and HAVAN awards. Perched atop Keats Island, the three-level, 1,063-sq.-ft. home combines cedar cladding, black steel, and a modern roofline that sits impressively alongside the canopy of trees and ocean.

Inside, The Nest’s warm and efficient layout was devised to maximize every square foot. Designed by Daria Sheina Studio, The Nest was conceived to seamlessly integrate with its Pacific Northwest surroundings, while setting a new benchmark for sustainable, prefabricated design. The cabin is powered by solar energy with battery storage, vaulted ceilings and clerestory windows.

Erik Lincoln, CEO and founder said: “The uniqueness is both in the intricate architectural elements, and in the owners vision and esthetics for a one-of-a-kind, picturesque cabin.”

Another top winner was Kelowna’s 3rd Generation Homes Ltd., in partnership with Su Casa Design, which took Best Single-Family Detached Home over 2,500 sq. ft. and Best Indoor Design Display Suite over $100,000 for The Oakhaven in West Kelowna.

Overlooking the lake and surrounding peaks, the 3,786-sq.-ft, contemporary farmhouse rancher is a four-bedroom home wrapped in timeless stone detailing on the exterior and European-inspired curved archways in the wet bar and doorways. The piece de resistance, says president of 3rd Generation Homes’ Gerald deVeer, is the wet bar. Off the living room, he says the wet bar offers an entertainment-style zone that adds a touch of elegance with its brick-inspired brown-black tile, and gold accent with seating for three.

The collaboration with Andy Friesen, principal designer at Su Casa, was invaluable, says deVeer.

Friesen went on to explain that the design team balanced transitional esthetic with a relaxed hint of SoCal-inspired style, creating spaces that felt both timeless and perfectly tailored to modern living.

“The goal was to offer a design that stood apart while still feeling cohesive within its setting. From the moment you enter the house, you are impacted by the views beyond,” says Friesen. “All of the main areas of the house were intentionally placed along the back of the house to capture the best part of the property, which is the view.”

Meanwhile, Whistler-based Coast Construction won Best Multiplex Home Projects for its triplex, Aspen Collective. Jennifer Raffler, marketing and administration manager, says the triplex, which also won the 2026 HAVAN award for Best Multiplex Development, stood out for its distinct yet unified design that focused on refined detailing and efficient layouts.

Each 1,200-sq.-ft., two-bedroom unit offers incredible views to the west and east of Whistler Valley, with boxed balconies, deep overhangs that define the rhythm of elevation, and glazing that captures site angles with dramatic mountain views.

In addition, the rock-stack retaining wall, native planting, and tree preservation zone integrate seamlessly into its forested site, whereas the palette of stone, steel, warm wood anchors architecture within its alpine context while delivering crisp, contemporary curb appeal.

Raffler pointed out that inside, each unit features engineered oak flooring, heated tile, and custom birch detailing in millwork. Unit two adopts bold tone with black cabinetry, quartz counters, and a stone fireplace, echoing a mountainside lodge, while the third unit’s sliding glass wall converts flex office into guest room.

“Unit one replaces kitchen island with dining table for open flow, framed by sculptural slatted stair,” says Raffler. “Compact but bright, each interior leverages light, proportion, and texture for comfort and individuality.”

Storage was integrated throughout with custom millwork, sightlines oriented toward natural views for efficient design that meets personalized use.

Once the black tie show ended and the awards were handed out, several winners, nominees and attendees kept the celebration going with dancing, a little gambling, and for those still hungry, there was a hamburger slider bar.

This year, 600 entries were submitted to CHBA BC in 52 categories. The big winner of the evening, with three awards was Everglade Development. They won for Satori Townhomes, Best Advertising Campaign, Best Corporate/Project Website and Marketing Campaign of the Year. A few other winners, including Hasler Homes Ltd., Alair Homes Squamish and Bhaus Construction, each garnered two wins.

For the full list of winners, visit georgieawards.ca/winners-and-finalists/

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