Photo courtesy AdamandKev Photography

North Vancouver's Accessory Building plays a public and private role by adding office space into an existing residential neighbourhood. Working from home never looked this good.

A North Vancouver building was one of 20 winners at the American Institute of Architects (AIA) 2009 Small Projects Awards. Now in its fifth year, the program honours excellence in small project design, recognizing objects (e.g. furniture and fixtures), accessible residential designs, and small project structures.

The sole winner located in Canada was North Vancouver's Accessory Building, designed by the B.C. firm, Mcfarlane Green Biggar Architecture + Design (MGB). It won in the category of small structures—which covers projects with a construction budget up to $500,000—alongside eight American structures and one from the Netherlands.

Categorized as 'non-parking use,' the 25-m² (269-sf) Accessory Building contributes to an emerging model of infill mixed-use within established residential neighbourhoods, specifically addressing potential for the home office. Design elements include:
• a pair of folded, L-shaped roofs that mirror each other in section;
• public street access to a courtyard and mezzanine;
• interior millwork and stairs that maximize storage space and minimize clutter;
• large sliding doors that can expand the corner to a garden court; and
• intersecting vertical and horizontal planes that frame the garden, creating various weather-protected spaces and a carport.

MGB's Michael Green, designer and owner of Accessory Building, aims to add office density into existing residential areas.

"We can reduce our individual footprint on earth by increasing the density of how we live and work," he told Construction Canada Online. "Keeping offices in residential neighbourhoods eliminates the need for two separate parking spots at home and work. It also encourages local businesses, such as eateries and shops, which enhances the community's life and vitality—a benefit lost when people commute to work."