WINNER OF A 2019 CANADIAN ARCHITECT AWARD OF  MERIT
The reservoir, which is nearly complete, has a sculptural presence that visually alludes to lakes and oceans.
The Clayton Reservoir is one component in a series of climate resilience upgrades being made to Metro Vancouver?s water infrastructure. Local reservoirs play an important role in managing the distribution of water, particularly in the face of increasingly warm and dry summers, and a supply dependant on winter rainfall. Rapid population growth in the former agricultural area of Clayton Heights has put additional pressure on water capacity.
Although new reservoirs are a part of the solution, reducing water consumption is also critical. This project set an aspirational goal of citizen engagement, aiming to create stewards for water conservation. The water reservoir?s massive walls are clad with precast concrete panels, hung from embedded stainless steel brackets.
The design expresses the reservoir?s purpose through undulating curves that reference the water held within. The patterns allude to the mountain creeks from which the water comes, and the ocean to which it ultimately flows. The shadows on the façade shift depending on time of day and weather, which influences the mood of the project in a way that is reminscent of a lake?s ever-changing surface.
The building has already been sparking conversations amongst neighbours, construction workers and visitors about the role water plays in all our lives.
Reducing th...