Downtown Architectural Walk

Vancouver Community College - 250 W Pender St

1948-1949 - Built in the international style by Sharp & Thompson, Berwick and Pratt, it emphasizes that structure should express function. The overall shape is boxy with large sheets of glass and flat unadorned surfaces.

BC Hydro Centre - 333 Dunsmuir St

1991-1992 - This post modernist building is 80.8 m high with 19 stories and 26,995 square meters of floor space. The blue roof reflects a water theme as does Tony Bloom’s WaterWork sculpture by the entrance plaza.

Architects - Musson, Cattell, Mackey Partners

Royal Bank - 400 W Hastings St

1903 - Designed in the classic revival style this was Vancouver’s first “Greek Temple” bank. It retains its Doric and Ionic columns as well asthe three original bank vaults in the interior. 

Architect - Dalton and Eveleigh

Union Bank of Canada - 580 W Hastings St

1920 - Reminiscent of a Geek temple, this building is designed in the second renaissance Italian style. It is now the Wosk Centre for Dialogue.

Architect - W. Marbury Somervell and Putnam

Sinclair Centre - 757 W Hastings St

1983-1986 - This complex was designed in 1983 to incorporate four heritage buildings: the old Post Office, Winch Building, Customs Exchange Warehouse and Federal Building. Renovations were completed in 1983 and the complex was named after federal cabinet minister James Sinclair. The original clockwork from the clock tower is on display in the interior.

Architect - Richard Henriquez

Post Office - 715 W Hastings St

1905-1910 - This was Vancouver’s main post office from 1910 to 1958. It is seven floors, 43 meters high and is described as an Edwardian Baroque design with English and French architectural influences. The landmark clock tower chimed the time every half hour.

Architect - David Ewart

Granville Square Plaza - 200 Granville St

1971-1973 - The tower on the north side of the plaza is 142 meters high with 30 stories. The tower was part of the ambitious Project 200 waterfront complex, however, after citizen protests the project was stopped to protect views and restrict building heights. It was the tallest building in Vancouver from 1973-77.

Archietect – Francis Donaldson

Credit Foncier - 850 W Hastings St

1913-1914 - Built in the Edwardian style this building is 43 meters high with 10 stories. The structure is a mixture of finely cut stonework, 26 corinthian columns and a crested copper cornice.

Architect - H. L. Stevens and Company

Bank of Canada - 900 W Hastings St

1966 - The building is 58 meters high with 15 stories. The exterior of the building is clad with pre-cast finished concrete panels and columns. Bronze was used for all building metals. The Greek cross floor design allows for six corner offices per floor.

Architect - Thompson, Berwick Pratt

Marine Building - 355 Burrard St

1930 - Built in the art deco style this skyscraper has 21 floors and is 98 meters tall. It was inspired by the Chrysler building in New York. A wide range of marine life and transportation themes are depicted on the terra cotta exterior. This building was the tallest in Vancouver from 1930 to 1939.

Architect - McCarter and Nairne Partners

Five Bentall - 550 Burrard St

2002-2007 - This edifice is 140 meters high with 34 stories and 31,288 sqaure meters. Five Bentall was constructed in two phases, 22 floors initially then 34 floors as market conditions improved. The canopies are made of tempered laminated glass suspended on stainless steel spider- type assemblies to give a beautiful sheer finish.

Architect - Musson, Cattell, Mackey Partners

Christ Church Cathedral - 690 Burrard St

1895 - Designed in a gothic revival style with sandstone, ceiling beams of Douglas fir and stained glass windows, it is a combination of old world design and new world material.

Architect - C.O. Wickenden

Cathedral Place - 925 W Georgia St

This skyscraper is 116 meters high with 23 stories. It was constructed on the site of the old Georgia Medical Dental building and incorporated many of the mouldings, fixtures and statues of the original structure.

Architect - Paul Merrick

Shangril-La - 1120 W Georgia

2005-2009 - At 201 meter tall, this 62 storey building is the tallest in Vancouver. The extensive greening on the tower facade was inspired by the imaginary land in James Hilton’s novel Lost Horizon. The landscaping includes, a bamboo grove, galleria and waterfalls.

Architects - James Cheng

The Electra - 970 Burrard St

1955-1957 - This is the old BC Hydro building and Vancouver’s first skyscraper. It was build in the modernist style and is 89 meters high with 22 floors. It was converted into condominiums while retaining the original blue green mosaics of B.C. Binning.

Architects - Berwick, Pratt and Partners

Robson Square and Law Courts - 800 Smithe St

1979-1983 - Like a skyscraper on its side, it reflects west coast landscapes with pools of water cascading down the evergreen sides of the building.

Architect - Arthur Erickson

Hudson Bay Company - 640 Granville St

1913-1926 - Designed in the Edwardian Baroque style, it utilizes iron and reinforced concrete with glazed terracotta column. It was built in phases in 1913 and 1926.

Architect - Burke, Horwood and White

Scotia Tower - 650 W Georgia St

1974-1977 - At 137 meters, this skyscraper has 36 floors and 43,166 squared meters of floor space.

Architects - Webb, Zerofa, Menkes and Housden