Point access blocks for the Fraser Valley. One stair, one lift, one lot. Every parcel, every rule, and a building that fits.

Giving Form to Big Ideas

One
Stair

by Form Architects

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One StairForm Architects · Point access blocksPrototype · October 2026

1

Data

Everything that decides what can be built on a lot, gathered into one record: the plan, the zoning, the transit tier, the lot itself, the building code and the local market. Every entry carries its source.

One stair,
every home

A point access block is a small apartment building in which every home opens off one shared stair and lift. No corridor, no second stair, and homes that reach from the front of the building to the back.

TodayTwo stairs, a corridor, one-sided homes, no three-bedrooms.

Now possibleOne stair and lift, through homes, two of four family sized.

The limitBCBC 3.2.10: one exit stair up to six storeys, sprinklered, with a wider stair and smoke control.

Three changes
in two years

TimelineZoning reform, the code change and the new municipal plans arrived within two years of each other. The shaded band is the window between the code change and today.

ZoningBills 44 and 47, November 2023. Three to six homes on most lots, minimum heights and densities in transit-oriented areas, no resident parking minimums near transit.

CodeBC Building Code Revision 3, August 2024. Subsection 3.2.10: one exit stair up to six storeys. One lot is enough.

PlansEvery municipality rewrote its OCP and zoning by the end of 2025, drawing the map of where six storeys are now expected.

Eight municipalities,
eight rule books

The code is provincial. Everything else changes at the boundary: designation names, the zone the plan points to, setbacks, minimum frontages, parking, fire service and the local market.

Lot counts: Form Architects screening of municipal open data, October 2026. Houses on land the new plans designate for apartments. Pitt Meadows publishes no open parcel data; its count comes from the City's map viewer and is shown pending consent.

Seven layers
on every lot

The stackOne Stair reads all seven for every parcel and keeps the source of each line.

1OCP designationWhat the plan expects here: apartment, mixed use, town centre.
2Transit-oriented area tier400 or 800 m from a station sets the minimum height and density.
3ZoningWhat is allowed today, and which zone the plan points to.
4Lot geometryWidth, depth, corner, lane, slope, odd shapes.
5Setbacks and envelopeSide yards decide whether anything fits at all.
6Building Code 3.2.10Six storeys, sprinklers, the wider stair, travel distance.
7Fire service and servicingThe capability note, water supply, the pipe in the street.

The opportunity

17,074

house lots

on land the new plans designate for apartments, seven municipalities

18 to 21 m

the typical lot

on 36 to 38 m of depth, wide enough for four homes a floor

0

parking minimum

for residents inside a transit-oriented area

2029

SkyTrain opens

seven new stations from Fleetwood to Langley

Width decidesSix storey FAR on one Surrey R3 lot by width band, with 3 m side and 6 m front and rear yards. Half of Surrey's 4,430 Tier 3 R3 lots sit in the 18 to 21 m band, right at the edge.

The opportunity is not evenly spread, and it is site-size dependent. The point access block wins on the narrow and the small: the lot a bar building cannot use.

Surrey holds two thirds of the lots and the SkyTrain. Abbotsford has the clearest land economics, with the median house worth 8 percent of its land. Mission and Chilliwack have the lowest entry cost. The Langleys and Maple Ridge hold smaller, well defined pockets. Each rewards a slightly different building, which is why One Stair carries six forms rather than one.

Sources: BC Building Code 2024 Revision 3, Subsection 3.2.10. Surrey Zoning By-law 12000 and Corporate Report R089 (2024). Form Architects, Fraser Valley Lot Study and Small PAB Study, Surrey, October 2026.

Next2Forms →

2

Forms

Six predesigned point access blocks, drawn and tested against the code clause by clause, each matched to a lot size that recurs across the valley. Pick the one that fits the lot; One Stair places it.

HomesCore: stair and liftLotStreetParking below grade

Which form
for which lot

Measure	F15 Narrow	F18 Single	F21 Abbotsford	F24 Wide	F24 Corner	F33 Twin
Lot	15 × 36 m	18 × 36 m	21 × 33 m	24 × 38 m	24 × 36 m, corner	33 × 36 m, two lots
Storeys	4	6	6	6	6	6
Homes a floor	3	4	4	5	4 + shop	4 + 4
Homes	11	23	22	28	22	44
Three-bedroom	3	6	5	10	5	12
Parking	Surface, 4	P1, 9	Surface, 8	P1, 14	P1, 11	Shared P1, 24
FAR	1.6	2.61	2.5	2.9	2.8	2.9
Side yards	1.5 m	3.0 m	3.0 m	3.0 m	3.0 m	3.0 m
Where it fits	Mission, Township, older Surrey plats	Surrey Tier 3, City of Langley	Abbotsford apartment streets	Maple Ridge, Chilliwack	Any corner lot on an arterial	Maple Ridge assemblies, Surrey Mid-Rise
Status	In development	Built out	In development	In development	In development	In development

All six stop at six storeys, the limit for one exit stair under BCBC 3.2.10. Homes a floor are capped at four per core for travel distance. FAR excludes parking below grade and the stair penthouse. Figures for the five forms in development are targets from the lot-size study and will move as each is drawn.

Form 2 · Built out

F18
Single

Six storeys over one level of parking on an 18 × 36 m interior lot in a Surrey Tier 3 transit area. Four homes open off one landing on every floor, every one a corner home, and every floor gets a three-bedroom.

23Homes

6Three-bed

2.61FAR

9Stalls

85%Efficiency

+18.5 mRoof

288 m²Floor plate

Site The upper floors fill the 12.0 × 24.0 m envelope left by 3.0 m side yards and 6.0 m front and rear yards. At grade the building steps in to 10.6 m so the ramp runs open down the left side.

P1, −2.5 m Nine stalls: six along the rear wall, three under the building beside the core. Bike room, storage and service rooms under the lobby.

Ground, +0.5 m Three homes and the lobby, half a metre above the sidewalk. The three-bedroom steps out onto the rear yard over the parkade.

Levels 2 to 6 Four homes off one landing, no corridor: a one-bedroom and a two-bedroom at the front, a two-bedroom and a three-bedroom at the back. 87.5% usable.

Roof, +18.5 m The shared amenity goes on the roof: a 112 m² deck over the rear half, green roof and mechanical over the front.

Long section Through the core. P1 at −2.5 m, ground at +0.5 m, five typical floors at 3.0 m, roof at +18.5 m, penthouse top at +21.5 m.

Street elevation Between two R3 houses, 3.0 m from each side lot line.

Floor area
Ground floor, gross	254.4 m²
Levels 2 to 6, gross	5 × 288.0 m²
Gross floor area	1,694.4 m²
Usable, net	1,445.2 m²
FAR on 648 m²	2.61
Roof deck	112.3 m²

Homes	Area	Count
Studio	41 m²	1
One-bedroom	45 m²	5
Two-bedroom	61 to 62 m²	11
Three-bedroom	83 m²	6
Total		23

WorksNo corridor, all corner homes. Four homes share one landing on every floor, each with windows on two sides.

WorksParking is a choice. Surrey sets no resident minimum in a transit-oriented area. The nine stalls serve the market, not the bylaw.

BreaksNothing here is allowed today. R3 allows two homes inside a TOA; MR7 asks for 2,000 m² and 36 m of frontage. This needs a site-specific zone.

BreaksThe stair caps the density. 2.61 FAR against the 3.0 Tier 3 allows. A seventh floor would pass 3.0, but one stair stops at six.

A test fit, not a design. Stall and aisle dimensions, ramp grades, the 6.0 m front and rear yards and the BCBC 3.2.10 conditions all need confirming by a registered architect before a number here is relied on. Source: Form Architects, Small PAB Study, Surrey, October 2026.

In development

F15 NarrowFour storeys, three homes a floor, surface parking behind. For the 15 m lots that nothing else fits.Drawing

F21 AbbotsfordSix storeys with surface parking off a side drive, sized to the 21 × 33 m lots on Abbotsford's apartment streets.Drawing

F24 WideFive homes a floor, two of them three-bedroom, over a full parkade. Maple Ridge and Chilliwack plats.Queued

F24 CornerTwo frontages, a shop or live-work at the corner, homes above. Lobby and ramp take the side street.Queued

F33 TwinTwo single-stair cores side by side on a 33 m consolidated lot, sharing one parkade and one ramp. 44 homes.Queued

Next3Site →

3

Site

Every parcel in the Fraser Valley. Colour by municipality, set a lot size, set aside odd shapes, and see the transit rings. Click a lot.

Loading parcels…

Municipality

Lot size

Width to m

Depth to m

Leave out lots over 1 acre

Odd shapesoff

Grey out lots that fill less than 0% of their bounding rectangle Hide them instead

Layers

Transit-oriented areas, 400 and 800 m rings Municipality names and borders Highways and the SkyTrain

Showing every parcel. Set a size range, or move the shape slider to set aside wedges and flag lots.

1 km

Loading parcels 0 of 7 municipalities

4

Build

Pick a lot. One Stair runs the seven checks, chooses the forms that fit, and returns a scheme a builder can price and a planner can read at a pre-application meeting. This is a sample of what a Build returns.

The lot

Lot: 18.0 × 36.0 m, 648 m²
Municipality: Surrey
Plan: Surrey 2050, Low-Rise
Transit: Tier 3, 400 to 800 m from Surrey Central
Zoning today: R3, two dwellings
Envelope: 12.0 × 24.0 m, 3.0 m sides, 6.0 m front and rear
Forms that fit: F18 Single, two schemes

The seven checks

OCP designation: Low-Rise, apartments expectedPass
Transit tier 3: 8 storeys and 3.0 FAR must be allowed, no resident parkingPass
Zoning: R3 allows two homes; MR7 asks for 36 m frontage. Site-specific zone neededRezone
Lot geometry: 18.0 m wide, 36.0 m deep, 100% of its rectangle, interior lotPass
Setbacks and envelope: 12.0 × 24.0 m plate, four homes a floorPass
Building Code 3.2.10: six storeys, sprinklered, 1.5 m stair, travel distance metPass
Fire service and servicing: Surrey Fire capability under Note A-3.2.10, water supplyConfirm

Two schemes were predetermined for this lot. Pick one below.

Two schemes for this lot

23Homes

6Three-bed

2.61FAR

9Stalls

1,694 m²Gross

85%Efficiency

+18.5 mRoof

Site 12.0 × 24.0 m envelope; ramp open down the left side.

P1, −2.5 m Nine stalls, bike room, storage.

Ground, +0.5 m Three homes and the lobby.

Levels 2 to 6 Four homes off one landing.

Roof 112 m² deck over the rear half.

Long section Through the core.

Street elevation Between two R3 houses.

Statistics
Lot	648 m²
Footprint, levels 2 to 6	288.0 m² · 44.4%
Gross floor area	1,694.4 m²
Usable, net	1,445.2 m²
FAR	2.61 of 3.0 allowed
Homes: studio · 1 · 2 · 3 bed	1 · 5 · 11 · 6
Stalls, required · provided	0 · 9
Long-term bikes	28
Roof deck · required	112 · 92 m²
Excavation	P1 540 m² plus ramp

Code checklist, BCBC 3.2.10
Storeys above grade, 6 maximum	6
Sprinklered throughout, NFPA 13	Yes
Exit stair width, 1.5 m minimum	1.5 m
Stair pressurized or vestibuled	Vestibule
Travel distance to the stair	Within limit
Occupant load per storey	16
Suite entry doors, 3.2.10.4	Rated, self-closing
Emergency power	Generator
Fire department capability, Note A-3.2.10	Confirm with Surrey Fire

22Homes

6Three-bed

2.63FAR

13Stalls

1,706 m²Gross

80%Efficiency

+19.0 mRoof

Site Short central ramp from the street.

P1, −2.0 m Thirteen stalls both sides of a central aisle.

Ground, +1.0 m Homes either side of the ramp.

Levels 2 to 6 Four homes off one landing.

Roof 135 m² deck.

Long section Through the ramp and core.

Street elevation Ramp opening on the street.

Statistics
Lot	648 m²
Gross floor area	1,706 m²
Usable, net	1,365 m²
FAR	2.63 of 3.0 allowed
Homes: studio · 1 · 2 · 3 bed	5 · 5 · 6 · 6
Stalls, required · provided	0 · 13
Stalls per home	0.59
Roof deck	135 m²
Excavation	P1 540 m² plus ramp

Code checklist, BCBC 3.2.10
Storeys above grade, 6 maximum	6
Sprinklered throughout, NFPA 13	Yes
Exit stair width, 1.5 m minimum	1.5 m
Stair pressurized or vestibuled	Pressurized
Travel distance to the stair	Within limit
Occupant load per storey	16
Suite entry doors, 3.2.10.4	Rated, self-closing
Emergency power	Generator
Fire department capability, Note A-3.2.10	Confirm with Surrey Fire

What a Build
returns

Site planTo scale on the real parcel, with setbacks, neighbours, the ramp and the nearest station.

Floor plansParkade, ground, typical and roof, with every home labelled and measured.

Section and elevationThrough the core and from the street, with levels and the height limit.

StatisticsFloor area, FAR against the plan, unit mix, parking, bikes, amenity, excavation.

Code checklistEvery 3.2.10 condition with the clause behind it, and what is left to confirm.

Pre-application summaryOne page a planner can read: the plan, the tier, the zone, the ask.

Schematic only

A Build is a schematic design and a test fit, not a permit set. Every scheme must be verified and sealed by a registered architect before it is relied on, priced or submitted. Stall and aisle dimensions, ramp grades, setbacks, servicing and the BCBC 3.2.10 conditions all need confirming for the specific site. Form Architects can carry any Build into a tailored scheme.

Find a lot on the mapOr ask Form Architects for a Build: [email protected]

Back to1Data →

OneStair

Data

One stair,every home

Three changesin two years

Eight municipalities,eight rule books

Seven layerson every lot

The opportunity

house lots

the typical lot

parking minimum

SkyTrain opens

Forms

Which formfor which lot

F18Single

In development

Build

What a Buildreturns

One
Stair

One stair,
every home

Three changes
in two years

Eight municipalities,
eight rule books

Seven layers
on every lot

Which form
for which lot

F18
Single

What a Build
returns