Coen North and Upland

Project

LEED Gold

Year

2022

Location

Vancouver, Washington

Client

Holland Development

Size

133,913 SF

72,000 SF Class-A Office

6 Stories

312 units

Ramin Rezvani served as the Senior Designer for this project while working at Ankrom Moisan Architects

The Challenge

Urban Regeneration in Vancouver

The Coen North and Upland project in Vancouver, WA, revitalizes a long-vacant site, seamlessly integrating it into the downtown core. More than just filling an empty space, the design reconnects the urban fabric, strengthens pedestrian and retail activity, and balances residential, office, and retail uses within a cohesive development.

Blending Class-A office and residential spaces required careful planning to provide distinct identities while maintaining a unified architectural expression. The design balances density with livability, ensuring a pedestrian-friendly environment while integrating parking and service access without compromising street-level activity.

Ultimately, Coen North and Upland transform a fragmented site into a dynamic, connected urban destination, reinforcing downtown Vancouver’s growth and vibrancy.

Site Location

Located between Columbia and Washington Streets, the site historically disrupted foot traffic and business flow. A full retail podium at street level reestablishes these connections, creating an active streetscape that bridges the urban energy of downtown with the civic openness of Esther Short Park. Thoughtful massing, orientation, and materials ensure the project complements rather than overwhelms its surroundings.

Diagram by Ankrom Moisan Architects

Shared Outdoor Amenity Deck: Balancing Privacy and Community

The project features a second-story outdoor amenity deck shared between the residential and office components, offering a valuable communal space in an urban setting. Balancing multiple user groups while maintaining privacy posed a unique design challenge, but the inclusion of dedicated outdoor space was a key priority for the team. The deck was carefully zoned to accommodate simultaneous use by different groups, ensuring both separation and flexibility. At the same time, its layout allows for seamless connectivity, creating opportunities for larger gatherings and fostering a sense of community within the development.

Diagram by Ankrom Moisan Architects

Photo by Lango Hansen Landscape Architects

Contextual Masonry and Modular Facade Design

The office façade of Coen North and Upland bridges the district’s historic masonry character with the evolving architecture of Washington Street. A prefabricated masonry-clad concrete system ensures construction efficiency while maintaining craftsmanship and detail.

Non-structural masonry is arranged in concentric rings around windows, creating a sculptural, layered effect that adds depth and visual rhythm. Varying masonry density across panels highlights key areas, breaking down the building’s mass into a more human scale.

Flashed, textured artisan bricks interact with light, shifting in appearance throughout the day—deep shadows at sunrise and sunset, subtle tonal variations at midday. This materiality honors the area’s architectural heritage while introducing a fresh, contemporary expression.

Beyond aesthetics, prefabrication improved precision and streamlined installation, blending contextual sensitivity with modern efficiency to reinforce the project’s role as a vital urban connector in downtown Vancouver.