Maplewoods Townhomes, decorative fire lane

Blue StreetBond with white current lines across the emergency access lane at Maplewoods in North Vancouver, a fire lane that reads as a river instead of a no-parking zone.

Every strata and multi-family development needs a fire lane, and the fire code is specific about marking it. The trouble is that the colouring required can cut across an otherwise well-designed exterior. At Maplewoods in North Vancouver the emergency access lane is coated in Safety Blue StreetBond with white current lines flowing down its length, so a lane that must stay clear reads as a river between the townhomes rather than a no-parking zone.

StreetBond is a water-based acrylic pavement coating. It suits a fire lane because the colour is consistent across the full surface rather than patched from several passes, the aggregate gives traction in the wet North Shore conditions this site sees for much of the year, and the finish stands up to the occasional heavy vehicle, delivery trucks and emergency apparatus, that a fire lane exists for. The manufacturer publishes an 8+ year life cycle, recoated rather than replaced, which keeps the maintenance burden on the strata small.

The photographs show the lane from the townhome side, the blue running the full width between the retaining wall and the fence, and from the stairs above, where the white lines read as current. Red fire lanes are the traditional specification; blue is increasingly what architects and developers ask for because it sits with the grey-and-glass language of a modern strata building. A developer specifying a fire lane should ask for the marking colour and the finish together, not one after the other.

Read the full story: Maplewoods, North Vancouver: a blue StreetBond decorative fire lane