Vancouver's Olympic Village has been built on South-East False Creek, just across the water from venues like the white-domed BC Place (left) and GM Place (right) that will host the opening, closing and medal ceremonies.
The buildings are designed to try to meet the highest environmental standards in terms of energy and water use.
Thanks to the use of special windows, and design features to keep the sun out in summer, these blocks of flats consume 50% less energy than standard buildings in Vancouver.
Thick layers of insulating foam help keep the heat in in winter, and out in summer. This, too, contributes to the buildings' 50% energy savings.
The Community Centre is set to achieve the "platinum" grade of the LEED environmental standards, organisers say. That is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, the North American standard for green construction.
One technique to help achieve this is to use superior insulation for the walls, as the City of Vancouver's Manager of Development for the site, Ian Smith (right) points out.
Two of the blocks of flats were designed by Vancouver-born architect Arthur Erickson. This is the future kitchen of one of the penthouse flats.
The penthouse flats are expected to sell for several million dollars after the Olympics. This is the north-facing view that that money will buy.
A small proportion of flats, like these lime-green ones, will be available at what organisers say will be affordable rather than market rents to ensure a mixed community.
The Olympic Village will be home to 3,000 people. They will have shopping and recreation facilities on site, to reduce the need for cars, and so help the environment. This former salt factory is becoming a gastro-pub.
Work is nearing completion, like on this Arthur Erickson block of flats. The City of Vancouver is expected to hand the Village over to the Olympic Organising Committee in November. It will revert to the City after the Games.
What are these?
Bookmark with:
What are these?