Made possible through the Langley Memorial Hospital Foundation, Aspire is a new 148-unit rental complex for residents aged 55 and over. The beautiful building boasts several sizes and styles of units, including 42 below-market affordable apartments. Sitting atop Hospital Hill in Langley, British Columbia, the units feature full-height windows, providing residents with stunning views and plenty of natural light. A goal of the project was to preserve as many of the existing older trees as possible, as well as to ensure the site was completely wheelchair and walker-friendly.
The six-storey wood-frame building is constructed over one level of parkade space and has a gross total floor area of roughly 150,000 square feet. Williams Engineering (WE) was retained as the mechanical and electrical engineering consultants on this new construction project, which achieved occupancy in 2023. WE’s electric designs included working drawings for power, communications, lighting, and life safety systems and the base building design for the commercial shell spaces on the main level. Heating is provided in the residential suites using electric baseboard heating, coordinated between WE’s mechanical and electrical teams. Domestic hot water is provided throughout the building using central gas-fired water heaters with distribution and recirculation piping. The commercial spaces are provided with sanitary, ventilation and domestic water cap-offs in anticipation of future tenant fit-outs.
In 2023, Aspire was named the Judges’ Choice Best Overall Entry in the Fraser Valley Commercial Building Awards and also won first place in the Affordable Housing category.
