Meandering down a section of Robson Street on the iconic 800 block in downtown Vancouver, passers-by can sit, relax, play, and socialize on the “Urban Reef” installation. Designed by Kaz Bremner and Jeremiah Deutscher with local furniture collective Higher Works, Urban Reef won the inaugural 2014 VIVA Vancouver: Robson Redux design-build competition out of 78 submissions worldwide.

The winning design, known as Urban Reef, stemmed from two ideas highlighted in the competition brief. First, was the concept of engaging Vancouver’s urban vibrancy. While Vancouver is frequently noted for its natural setting and scenic amenities, a rich urban fabric and culture exists that the City wanted to highlight through the Robson Redux competition. Second, was the underlying theme for the competition: connection.