After announcing the initiative last fall, B.C.'s Ministry of Housing has now released free standardized home designs meant to accelerate approvals and construction for greater density on lots previously zoned for single-family homes and duplexes.
Time- and cost-savings can be achieved as local governments and builders become familiar with the designs, said a Sept. 4 press release from the ministry. The designs are meant to complement provincial legislation introduced in November 2023 that enables more small-scale, multi-unit housing by requiring changes to municipal zoning rules.
According to the new catalogue published by the province, most of the designs are based on “building blocks” that can be mixed-and-matched. Examples of building blocks include garages and stackable bedrooms.
The designs can be used to construct accessory dwelling units, duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes and townhomes up to three storeys high. There are many potential configurations with interchangeable floor plans. In addition, there are various roof shapes, materials and exterior-cladding options to choose from, with customizable features like window awnings and porches.
Each design complies with the provincial building code and can be tailored for different lot sizes and configurations, according to the ministry.
The component-based designs were commissioned from Leckie Studio Architecture + Design, a design studio in Vancouver.
“Our designs … are intended to be modern interpretations of the local building vernacular across the province,” Leckie Studio principal Michael Leckie said in a statement. “The designs are highly adaptable to a range of site and contextual conditions with multiple options for total floor area, roof form and esthetics.”
The idea is to speed up home-building by enabling municipalities to fast-track approval of the designs to expedite permitting and development. Furthermore, if the designs are eventually used on a larger scale, supply chains could potentially evolve to support pre-fabrication of wall assemblies.
“While these homes don’t necessarily need to be built in a facility, the systemized approach aligns well with the potential for pre-fabrication,” Chris Hill, president of construction firm BCollective, said in the release. “The first standard home project will be like every other home but, with repetition, the entire supply chain will become more efficient.”
Other members of the team behind this initiative included Carbon Wise Consulting, Christine Lintott Architects and Wiser Projects.
