Heatherwick Studio changes its vision for 1700 Alberni towers in Vancouver

The studio founded by the British designer Thomas Heatherwick has updated its design for 1700 Alberni, a pair of residential skyscrapers – one of 30 storeys and one of 39 – set to be built in Vancouver's West End neighbourhood and initially designed as two overturned bottle-shaped towers spiked with angled balconies dotted with plants.

The updated proposal – carried out for Kingswood Properties and Bosa Properties – simplifies both of the skyscrapers' shape, enlarges the balconies – of differing sizes – and curves their lines, in order to create a woven pattern on the facades. The two towers have also been repositioned to maximise the outward views. The complex will contain 387 apartment and at its highest point will reach 385 feet.

According to the studio, the new design best fits what people – not just in Vancouver but all over the world – expect of their towns and cities, which is reflected in what they want from their new homes: bigger and more useable outdoor spaces, that create extended living areas, allowing them to take their work or recreational time outside. Furthermore the redesign better connects the towers to the surrounding landscape, reducing the visual impact of the buildings.