It was clear to the team at Hotson Architecture, the designer of District Flats, that creating a building and homes that fit into the fabric of the Southlands village community was crucial. 

In essence, Southlands feels and functions like a small town, and the design team wanted to emphasize community and togetherness with this latest collection of 34 spacious one and two-bedroom homes. 

“Too often with apartment buildings or condo buildings, there are spaces that act to separate people or to cut residents off from their surrounding environment,” said Eric Stockand, an architect at Hotson who worked on District Flats.

“The most interesting part of District Flats is that it’s shaped around the courtyard,” Stockand says. “It all centres around this idea of community and threads nicely into the Market District and pathways that bring unity to Southlands.” 

District Flats’ heart is a harvest table and play area in that central courtyard. “We also leaned into designing open staircases around the building and little, attractive, spacious points for neighbours to cross paths and interact,” said Kai Hotson, principal at Hotson. “You just don’t get that in a typical multi-family building.”

District Flats is Southland’s most urban offering to date, as the condos are located in the heart of market square with restaurants such as the planned Four Winds Brewing location and existing Prado Cafe nearby, making it easy for new residents from the city to transition their lifestyle to Southlands. 

Indeed, more people are leaving big city life behind. A report by Leger Canada for Aviva Canada from earlier this year showed that 31% of Canadians have been considering ditching the big city to relocate to a rural community. 

The homes at District Flats are ideal for young professional singles and couples — and active downsizers. 

Each home comes with a private outdoor space, bright, light filled living spaces and large windows to invite in the surrounding beauty and character. 

The urban inspired design includes open-concept layouts while the refined industrial interiors are inspired by urban lofts and design studios with details such as chimneys, quartz counters, matte black kitchen accents, and coloured tile showers.

The courtyard provides the ideal location for long table dinners under the stars. With catenary lighting, a comfortable lounge, and a play space, this communal garden invites you to be as social as you choose.

“We shaped the building with a unique, pitched roofline with peaks that helped to break down the scale, and shape it to the rhythm of the neighbourhood,” Hotson said. 

Hotson said they also articulated the cladding in a contemporary style and alternated the balconies to add some visual vibrancy. “Our material palette leans industrial, which I think is a nod to the agricultural buildings and history of the property.” 

To learn more about District Flats, please click here and register today!