Single Stair Accessible Flats

Cities across North America are starting to allow small scale, single stair apartment buildings or “point access blocks”. These buildings are everywhere in Europe and Asia, and offer numerous benefits including better accessibility, better daylight and cross ventilation, and better affordability.

In Vancouver recent building code changes allow for a single exterior stair serving a max of 4 to 6 units per floor.

”Light, Air, and a Social Stair”

Our team has been working with Lanefab on prototypes to prepare for the arrival of this new housing option.

A modern residential apartment complex with multiple stories, balconies, and solar panels on the rooftops, surrounded by trees and a parking lot with cars and cyclists.

The “4/5” prototype shown mid block and at the corner.
66’ frontages made from two 33’ lots.

50’ Lot: The “4/5”

Accessible, family friendly, low carbon, passive house.
Low (50%) site coverage = green space.

Single stair and elevator.

A residential street with modern multi-story apartment building, traditional houses, parked cars, and a person riding a bicycle during daytime with trees and landscaped plants.

The “4/5” mid block, among single family homes on 50x122’ lots.
The front of the building is 4 storeys while the rear is 5 storeys.

A multi-story residential building with solar panels on the roof and a rooftop deck featuring outdoor furniture, surrounded by nearby houses and trees in a neighborhood.

The “4/5” mid block, among single family homes on 50x122’ lots.
The front roof can be a large roof deck (either common or private) and the upper roof can hold solar panels and heat pumps.

A multi-story modern apartment building with balconies in a residential neighborhood, surrounded by greenery and neighboring houses, with a parking area and landscaped yard.

The “4/5” mid block, viewed from the lane. The 5 storey portion has larger sideyards that are 20% the width of the lot. For a 50’ lot that equals 10’.
There can be a small amount of accessible parking spaces at the lane.

Aerial view of a modern apartment building with balconies, surrounded by houses and trees in a suburban neighborhood.

The “4/5” mid block, among single family homes with a green roof carport.
This is bike-centric housing, with parking for cargo bikes and e-bikes in common areas and within each suite.

Aerial view of a modern multi-story house with multiple rooms visible inside, surrounded by a landscaped yard with trees and walkways, adjacent to neighboring houses and parking lot.

Example floor plan with the stair, open hallway and elevator in the middle.
Each half of the floor can hold one or two units. In this version there are three 1BR units per floor, all with windows or doors on 3 sides.

50’ Corner Lot:
The Corner Store

A four-story modern mixed-use building with retail space on the ground floor and apartments above, located on a city street with trees, parked cars, and pedestrians.
A modern multi-story apartment building with balconies, surrounded by trees and parked cars, with people walking and biking nearby.

“Orphan Lots”:
The Small Lot Single Stair Building

A modern, multi-story residential apartment building with balconies, surrounded by trees and neighboring houses, with people riding bikes on the street.

Single Stair Neighborhoods

Aerial view of a modern apartment complex with multiple buildings, surrounded by trees and neighboring houses, located along a street labeled 'Town Centres (No Sidewalk)'

A “Perimeter Block” neighbourhood built up from small lot single stair buildings.

A digital rendering of a residential development with multiple apartment buildings surrounding an empty central lot, with trees lining the roads and the label "TOWT CENRES (NO SIDEYARD)" on one street.

Single stair buildings on 33’, 50’, 66’ and 100’ lots.