Masters of the Masterplan
Hollybridge is all set to stake its rightful place as a unique landmark on the banks of the mighty Fraser
Hollybridge is approaching completion as an integral part of the 30-acre master plan at River Green. It’s been a long journey after more than four years of planning and construction that included the COVID crisis.
We spoke with IBI Group’s Gwyn Vose, who has been working on Hollybridge right from the start as Project Designer and Lead Architect.
“Hollybridge followed on from the original James Cheng towers in the first phase of River Green’s master plan which we worked on in the early 2000s. But it’s a departure from those early designs with a distinctive stepped form that allowed us to create unique terraces and balconies overlooking the river,” explains Vose.
Hollybridge is composed of three mid-rise towers oriented to maximize views over the water or towards the mountains. Some homes can see both due to the exceptionally open outlook to the north and west.
“We were also able to reclaim some original woodland from the farm that was on the site back in the day, removing invasive trees to create a windbreak to the northeast. So there’s a natural vista in that direction from the eastern part of the development where the basketball half-court looks out.”
The natural attributes of the waterfront also inspired material choices and architectural motifs.
“Being next to the river we saw the long grasses and the ripples in the water. There are vertical stone elements in each building that recollect those tall reeds. And the amenity spaces that flow between the three towers speak to the water patterns on the river, flowing between and uniting them as one.”
Hollybridge even brings water indoors with a long, Olympic-sized training pool in the wide podium at the base of the two buildings. Floor plans are also designed to flow seamlessly, with decks and windows that are oriented to maximize sightlines and capture natural light.
“Hollybridge is a unique building in Richmond, in its colour and its dramatic stepped form with the large decks and terraces. There’s nothing quite like it, especially with the quality of the amenities which is a signature of ASPAC as a developer.”
Hollybridge certainly offers some of the most extraordinary properties ever built in Richmond. Just one example sets the tone — Suite 801 in Tower H. It comes with four spacious bedrooms, three and a half bathrooms, a family room, a great room with living space, dining area and kitchen. But that’s not all — the terrace and deck is almost as big as the interior, bringing the home’s total floor space to an eye-popping 2275 square feet.
When Gwyn Vose and his team imagined a life right on the waterfront, this is what they had in mind. And in just a few short months of 2023, Hollyridge owners will be moving in and the last few prestigious homes will be available to those who are lucky enough to snap them up.
