Burnaby Alliance Church Annex

  • Category: Community
  • Address: 8585 Armstrong Avenue, Burnaby
  • Date: estimated completion 2022

The Burnaby Alliance Church Annex is a 2-storey 11,000 sq ft stand-alone building that complements the programming offered by the main church building. The annex provides additional worship spaces to serve a growing congregation that offers separate Sunday services in three different languages.

Ph5 worked with the congregation to define the program and develop a strategy for flexible spaces that would support a diverse range of activities throughout the week. The principal space is a large multi-purpose room that serves as a sanctuary, community hall and gym. Supporting spaces include flex-use meeting rooms, lounge spaces, large kitchen, offices, reception and areas specifically designed for children and youth.

The church sought to create the maximum floor area with only surface parking to control costs. To accommodate the parking requirements, most of program is on the second floor. The monolithic form imparts a dignified presence and reduces the visual impact of surface parking by incorporating some parking within the building volume. The main floor cover parking area has finished walls and ceiling and doubles as a covered outdoor play space during off-peak hours. Exterior surface parking stalls are defined by highly permeable concrete grid pavers and provide sustainable on-site rainwater management.

Brick facades and brick screens around the covered parking and over selected windows accentuate the monolithic form of the building while a subtle variation in brick colour provides texture. The off-centre roof peak ridge creates a high-volume space for the sanctuary and lower ceiling heights for the classrooms. The rising peak and front façade turn towards the intersection and distinguish the entrance.

The site design strengthens a pedestrian connection from the street to Cariboo Hill School and Park located directly behind the church. The site retains a view corridor from Westburnco Park, down Coquitlam street to the north shore mountains.

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