More families will be able to live in a proposed rental development in East Vancouver.

This is made possible because the developer is using the courtyard form as a building approach for the project at 2735 East Hastings Street.

“To increase the number of family units, maintain an efficiency of unit planning, and to maximize density, the project is configured in a courtyard form,” states the design rationale submitted by BHA Architecture Inc.

BHA Architecture is the design consultant of Chard Development, which has proposed a six-storey building under the City of Vancouver’s Rental 100 program.

The project will feature 63 rental units above retail and restaurant uses on the ground floor.

The rental units are comprised on 38 one-bedroom units, 20 two bedrooms, and five three-bedroom units.

“With the courtyard, two-bedroom units along the north side of the building are able to have a bedroom facing the exterior to the north and a second bedroom facing the interior courtyard,” the design rationale explains. “This, in part, allows the project to achieve 40% (25) family units, which is beyond the 35% required for the Rental 100 program.”

“Furthermore,” the document continued, “the courtyard brings social benefits and improved livability by supporting spontaneous interactions among residents and providing greater access to daylight and cross ventilation for many of the units.”

“In addition, mechanical units have the ability to draw fresh air from the courtyard as opposed to the busy street,” the design rationale went on. “With weather protected walkways and opportunity for landscape features and gathering space, the courtyard offers an improved experience relative to the dominant double-loaded corridor (ie. conventional internal hallway) model.”

The design rationale is part of the rezoning application for the property, which is located at the northeast corner of East Hastings and Slocan streets.

The current zoning allows for a four-storey mixed-use building.

The property is home to restaurants and retail shops. One of these restaurants is The Slocan.