flexiblefullpage -
billboard - default
interstitial1 - interstitial
catfish1 - bottom
Currently Reading

A 42-story tower envelops residents in Vancouver’s natural beauty

Multifamily Housing

A 42-story tower envelops residents in Vancouver’s natural beauty

Ole Scheeren’s first North American residential building maximizes space and light.


By Novid Parsi, Contributing Editor | March 15, 2022
FIfteen Fifteen exterior
Fifteen Fifteen is meant to add to the city's beauty.

The city of Vancouver is world-renowned for the stunning nature that surrounds it: water, beaches, mountains. A 42-story tower, Fifteen Fifteen, will envelop residents in that natural beauty. Designed by Ole Scheeren, the residential skyscraper will include 202 residences ranging from studios to three bedrooms—all with floor-to-ceiling windows and access to outdoor spaces. 

Studios to 3 Bedrooms
Fifteen Fifteen will consists of studios, as well as three bedrooms.

On the mid and upper levels, the tower also will boast 18 glass-encased homes called “Observatory Residences.” With a starting price of $5 million, each Observatory Residence features 270-degree, floor-to-ceiling windows in a cantilevered space that protrudes from the building, engineered with steel I-beams and diagonal bracing. For residents, the design creates the sensation of floating above the city, ocean, and mountains.

Observatory Residences
Observatory residences consists of 270-degree floor-to-ceiling windows. 

Located on Vancouver Harbour in the downtown neighborhood of Coal Harbour, Fifteen Fifteen is starchitect Ole Scheeren’s first North American residential building. It’s also the only one for which Scheeren has designed both the interiors and exteriors. His design aims to maximize space and light while maintaining privacy and security. The building has over 65 floorplans, and each residence can be customized with bespoke features and finishes. Residents can choose from three color and material palettes that Scheeren designed to reflect Vancouver’s natural surroundings.

Nature aspect
Interaction with nature was important in the design of Fifteen Fifteen.

“For many years, I have explored the question of how we want to live—in relation to our own private spaces as well as our communities, our cities, and the environment—and what architecture means in this context,” Scheeren says in a statement. “Fifteen Fifteen is about connectivity—connecting people to each other and to their surroundings—and offers an interactive way of living.”

Commissioned by Bosa Properties and Kingswood Properties in 2015, Fifteen Fifteen is expected to open in 2026.

Owner-developers: Bosa Properties and Kingswood Properties

Design architect and architect of record: Ole Scheeren

MEP engineers: Bycar and Nemetz

Structural engineer: Glotman Simpson

Related Stories

MFPRO+ News | Nov 15, 2023

Average U.S multifamily rents drop $3 to $1,718 in October 2023: Yardi Matrix

Multifamily fundamentals continued to soften and impact rents last month, according to the latest Yardi Matrix National Multifamily Report. The average U.S. asking rent dropped $3 to $1,718 in October, with year-over-year growth moderating to 0.4%, down 40 basis points from September. Occupancy slid to 94.9%, marking the first decline in four months.

Industrial Facilities | Nov 14, 2023

Some AEC firms are plugging into EV charging market

Decentralized electrical distribution is broadening recharger installation to several building types.

MFPRO+ Special Reports | Nov 14, 2023

Register today! Key trends in the multifamily housing market for 2024 - BD+C Live Webinar

Join the BD+C and Multifamily Pro+ editorial team for this live webinar on key trends and innovations in the $110 billion U.S. multifamily housing market. A trio of multifamily design and construction experts will present their latest projects, trends, innovations, and data/research on the three primary multifamily sub-sectors: rental housing, senior living, and student housing. 

Multifamily Housing | Nov 9, 2023

Multifamily project completions forecast to slow starting 2026

Yardi Matrix has released its Q4 2023 Multifamily Supply Forecast, emphasizing a short-term spike and plateau of new construction.

MFPRO+ News | Nov 1, 2023

Washington, D.C., Queens, N.Y., lead nation in number of new apartments by zip code

A study of new apartment construction by zip code showed Washington D.C., and the Queens borough of New York City are the hottest multifamily markets since 2018, according to RentCafe.

Adaptive Reuse | Nov 1, 2023

Biden Administration reveals plan to spur more office-to-residential conversions

The Biden Administration recently announced plans to encourage more office buildings to be converted to residential use. The plan includes using federal money to lend to developers for conversion projects and selling government property that is suitable for conversions. 

Sponsored | MFPRO+ Course | Oct 30, 2023

For the Multifamily Sector, Product Innovations Boost Design and Construction Success

This course covers emerging trends in exterior design and products/systems selection in the low- and mid-rise market-rate and luxury multifamily rental market. Topics include facade design, cladding material trends, fenestration trends/innovations, indoor/outdoor connection, and rooftop spaces.

MFPRO+ Special Reports | Oct 27, 2023

Download the 2023 Multifamily Annual Report

Welcome to Building Design+Construction and Multifamily Pro+’s first Multifamily Annual Report. This 76-page special report is our first-ever “state of the state” update on the $110 billion multifamily housing construction sector.

Mass Timber | Oct 27, 2023

Five winners selected for $2 million Mass Timber Competition

Five winners were selected to share a $2 million prize in the 2023 Mass Timber Competition: Building to Net-Zero Carbon. The competition was co-sponsored by the Softwood Lumber Board and USDA Forest Service (USDA) with the intent “to demonstrate mass timber’s applications in architectural design and highlight its significant role in reducing the carbon footprint of the built environment.”

boombox1 - default
boombox2 -
native1 -

More In Category

Mass Timber

Charlotte's new multifamily mid-rise will feature exposed mass timber

Construction recently kicked off for Oxbow, a multifamily community in Charlotte’s The Mill District. The $97.8 million project, consisting of 389 rental units and 14,300 sf of commercial space, sits on 4.3 acres that formerly housed four commercial buildings. The street-level retail is designed for boutiques, coffee shops, and other neighborhood services.




halfpage1 -

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021