Phoenix Net Loft

Client: City of Richmond

Location: Richmond, BC

Program: Cultural. Community. Heritage

Photography: Clayton Perry Photography and Michael Elkan Architectural Photography

An old weathered barn with vertical wood siding, elevated on stilts, with a metal roof, set against a partly cloudy sky at sunset.

The Phoenix Net Loft is a historic structure with significant context, located on the shoreline of the Fraser River estuary at the Britannia Heritage Shipyards. Sitting over the water, it is adjacent to a public bike and walking path, just a short distance from the Village of Steveston. Originally used by the local fishing industry to store fishing nets, the building holds a rich history deeply tied to the area’s heritage.

The City of Richmond engaged O4 to lead an intensive rehabilitation of the Net Loft and explore potential program ideas to transform the space into a vibrant community building. The resulting feasibility study considered a variety of programmatic options, including converting the space into artist studios, a maker space, a shoreline ecology interpretive centre, and a public market. Each concept aimed to honor the building's history while reimagining its role as a dynamic resource for the community.

Architectural drawing of a waterfront building with sketches and diagrams showing floor plans, sections, and space allocation.
Architectural diagram of a building with labeled sections including skylights, operable openings, screens, and envelope restoration, with inset images of skylights, wooden screens, and interior spaces.