perspectives

Planning for Metro Vancouver’s Population Surge: A Collaborative Approach

By

Greg Moore

Metro Vancouver is on the cusp of significant growth, with its population is projected to increase by 50,000 people each year, reaching 4.2 million by 2050.

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perspectives

Green Spaces and Mental Well-being: A Path to Happier Communities

By

Greg Moore

In the final installment of our "Happy Communities: Building Spaces that Thrive" series, we turn our attention to the crucial role of green spaces in fostering mental well-being and overall happiness in urban environments.

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perspectives

Happiness Economics: Measuring Prosperity Beyond GDP

By

Greg Moore

In the second installment of our "Happy Communities: Building Spaces that Thrive" series, we delve into the intriguing world of Happiness Economics, a pivotal concept that redefines our understanding of prosperity and success in community development.

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perspectives

Community Connectivity: The Foundation of Happy Communities

By

Greg Moore

The first installment of our "Happy Communities: Building Spaces that Thrive" series. The concept of community connectivity is about crafting spaces and environments that foster interaction, engagement, and a sense of belonging among residents. By exploring theories like the Third Place and others, we can grasp how these elements contribute to a community's well-being and happiness.

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perspectives

Sustainable Management of Water and Sanitation

By

World Water Day takes place on March 22nd, and serves as a valuable reminder of the importance of clean, accessible water and effective sanitation systems in our global and local ecosystems. To take part in World Water Day, we connected with valued icona partner Aplin Martin to learn to build healthy, sustainable communities.

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perspectives

icona Properties: 2023 Highlights & 2024 Vision

By

Reflecting on 2023, Icona Properties proudly acknowledges a year marked by significant growth and community impact. Guided by our values of Creativity, Community, Integrity, Vision, and Tenacity, we've made substantial strides in realizing our vision of creating meaningful places.

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perspectives

Metro Vancouver Special Study Areas

By

Carol Mason

Our experienced local government consultant, Carol Mason, unpacks just what is a Special Study Area and their importance to Metro Vancouver's Regional Growth Strategy - Metro 2050.

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perspectives

The Inequity of Zoning Regulations

By

Greg Moore

In honour of International Women’s Day, we at icona reflect on how our industry has the opportunity to become more inclusive to women regarding the zoning process.

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profiles

icona partner series: Placemark Design, unlocking the possibility of place

By

In the fourth installment of an ongoing series of partner profiles, icona shines the spotlight on their strategic partnership with Paul Fenske and Theo Finseth, Partners and Co-Founders at Placemark Design, a multi-disciplinary design, development, and planning studio based in Vancouver, BC.

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perspectives

A National Housing Crisis is a Municipal Housing Crisis

By

Greg Moore

The housing crisis in the region is a multi-faceted issue that requires a comprehensive approach from all levels of government, including municipal, provincial, and federal. However, it's not just the government that needs to be part of the solution; private developers also have a crucial role to play in addressing the housing crisis.

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perspectives

icona in 2022: A year of challenges and breakthroughs

By

Greg Moore

During an eventful year, we discovered just how resilient our communities can be—and how important they are in making our world a better place.

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perspectives

Financial literacy. A strong foundation and a roof overhead.

By

Karolina MacDonald

Financial resilience helps us enjoy greater stability, autonomy and wellbeing. The good news is that even in a challenging economy, enhancing your financial literacy can help you become more resilient and grow your wealth.

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perspectives

How urban design can enhance mental health

By

Ling Meng

Mental health is influenced by complex factors, including our genes, what we eat and even how well we sleep. But did you know that the design of our urban spaces is one of those factors?

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perspectives

Sparking Creativity with a Multidisciplinary Approach

By

Dennis Lenarduzzi

icona does things differently than other developers. We place creativity at the centre of everything we do, and our multidisciplinary approach is integral to this process.

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profiles

icona partner series: Carol Mason, champion of housing diversity

By

Carol Mason

In the third installment of an ongoing series of partner profiles, icona shines the spotlight on our strategic partnership with Carol Mason, an experienced local government consultant with an accomplished career in regional governance.

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perspectives

The Gendered City: Improving Lives Through Inclusive Design

By

Every city has a distinctive style. But can it have a gender? On the surface, the idea seems impossible. How can things like buildings, roads, parks and sidewalks have a gender? Look a little deeper, and the gender assumptions woven into our urban spaces become clear. And when we ignore this fact, it can have negative consequences for both women and the entire community.‍

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profiles

icona partner series: Brian Johnston, a community services pioneer

By

In the second installment of an ongoing series of partner profiles, icona shines the spotlight on our strategic partnership with Brian Johnston, a recreational consulting expert who has changed the way communities across Western Canada stay healthy and connected.

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profiles

icona partner series: SLA, a nature-based design studio

By

In the first of an ongoing series of partner profiles, icona shines the spotlight on our strategic partnership with SLA, a globally renowned, landscape architecture studio headquartered in Copenhagen.

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perspectives

Zoning changes tackle Metro Vancouver's housing challenges

By

Housing affordability and climate change are two of the biggest issues facing Metro Vancouver. Innovative changes to how local governments approach rezoning could be the key to solving them.

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perspectives

Design-forward development: the aesthetics of placemaking

By

The look and feel of the communities we live and work in have a surprisingly direct impact on our quality of life, including productivity, health and happiness. At icona, we see good design as a necessity, not a luxury.

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profiles

An interview with icona founder Tony Cai

By

icona is focused on creating complete communities — places where people can live, work and play. That means our company needs to understand how people live and what they need. We need to listen to them.

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perspectives

Connected communities: A design concept that improves our lives and our planet

By

Greg Moore

Creating communities that connect people to the resources and experiences they need to live purposeful lives is hard to do right, but icona is pioneering a holistic approach that brings the goal closer than ever.

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perspectives

Post-pandemic design: How will it change our homes, offices and communities in the future?

By

Ling Meng, Laurie Schmidt, Michael Heeney

Embracing a post-pandemic future will take creativity — one of icona’s core values. Learn more about the values that drive icona.

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