Multiplex Design Competition

The District of Squamish is hosting a Multiplex Design Competition. The competition is one of the actions outlined in the Squamish Housing Action Plan and is funded by the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation Housing Accelerator Fund.

In addition to receiving a cash award, the winners of the competition will be credited with the design of plans which are recognized as being appropriate for use in specific neighbourhoods of Squamish, depending on the Flood Construction Levels. These plans will be identified in District information regarding multiplexes as carefully considered designs for Squamish properties; the intention will be to connect property owners with designers of those plans who will have the opportunity to sell those plans to a broader customer base. 

VIEW the Multiplex Design Competition Brief

Design Competition Categories

There are three design competition categories:

1. Second Storey Dwellings
2. Elevated Dwellings
3. Ground Level Dwellings

Design Competition Timeline

Awards - $10,000 First Place Prize for Each Category

First, second, and third place winners for each of the three categories will be selected by members of the District of Squamish Advisory Design Panel.

• First place winners for each of the three categories will receive a cash prize of $10,000.
• Second place winners for each of the three categories will receive a cash prize of $2,000.
• Third place winners for each of the three categories will receive a cash prize of $1,000.

First, second, and third place designs will be identified promoted as award winning designs through District of Squamish channels. Members of the public will have access to contact information for the designers of the winning plans for each of the categories.

Ownership of the design plans will be retained by the designers, who will be able to sell the designs to members of the public.

Benefits of Participating

• Design promotion by District with contact information for the architect/design team.
• Recognition of winning designs which are identified as suitable for use in specific areas of Squamish.
• Involvement in supporting innovative, diverse and attainable housing within the District of Squamish.

A FAQs has been developed below as questions have been asked by applicants

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Multiplex Design Contest Questions

• Is there still a limit of one front driveway per property (i.e. no u-shaped driveways or similar)?

  Yes, however front driveways are not permitted on properties with rear lanes.

• Are we able to add a driveway to the rear to access the same building (i.e. a fourplex with one front driveway accessing two garages, and one rear driveway accessing two garages)?

  Properties with a rear lane are not permitted to have vehicle access from the fronting road. The District of Squamish Development and Control Bylaw does not allow for any driveways off the frontage when lane access is available.

• Do all unit entries (aside from the secondary suites) need to be visible from the front of the property and/or front-facing?

  Unit entries are not required to be visible from the front of the property; entries are not required to be front facing.

• Does the main door of every dwelling need to face the main street, or can it be facing the rare lane?

  The main door of every dwelling does not need to face the main street, they can face the rear lane.

• Is just one duplex allowed for this competition or does it need to be a minimum of three dwellings in all categories?

  The Multiplex design contest is based on the R-1 zoning which permits single unit dwellings, two-unit dwellings and a new permitted use, multiple dwelling residential, which is defined in the zoning bylaw as a physical arrangement of three or more attached principal dwelling units. While all these uses are permitted within the R-1 zone, the use of designs with 3 or 4 units is expected to make an important contribution in achieving increased affordability for design submissions. Consequently, designs submissions should include either a triplex of fourplex, or a combination of two duplexes or a duplex and single unit dwelling.

• Can attached dwellings be attached just side by side (just sharing a "party wall"), or do they need to be stacked (sharing floor/roof and walls)?

  

   

  Attached units can be attached side by side or stacked.

• Do stairs to access dwelling units need to be interior ones or can be exterior ones?

  Exterior stair access is permitted.