Photographer: Andrew Latreille | ArchDaily

Vancouver Architecture City Guide: 20 Projects Behind North America's Most Livable City

Hana Abdel — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 04:00:00 +0000

As the overview of the FIFA World Cup 2026 cities continues, we move on to what is currently the most livable city in North America, Vancouver. Dubbed the city of glass by artist Douglas Coupland, who was referring to the downtown's dominant steel-and-glass architectural aesthetic, the city actually boasts diverse architecture, from 20th-century Edwardian buildings to unique 21st-century modernist sites.

Purple Brand Operations Studio / Scott & Scott Architects

Hana Abdel — Fri, 08 May 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Built as a 14,000 sq' (1300 sq.m) workspace for the denim focused fashion label Purple Brand, the project consists of the interior design of a warehouse built in 1973 in Vancouver's Mount Pleasant industrial district.

'sʔitwənx UBC Okanagan Child Care / Public Architecture + Design

Valeria Silva — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Sʔitwənx explores a design approach called Architectural Pragmatism, which means working with, rather than against, the many challenges that come up during a project. Instead of resisting limitations, the design looks for creative opportunities within them. For example, when faced with a tight budget, pre-made roof trusses were chosen. Instead of hiding these simple materials, they were exposed, showing that even low-cost construction can be architecturally interesting

SFU Stadium / Perkins&Will

Hana Abdel — Sat, 31 May 2025 11:00:00 +0000

The opening of the new Simon Fraser University (SFU) Stadium marks the realization of a vision that has been part of the university's story since its inception. Originally, the campus master plan envisioned concrete bleachers as part of the athletics precinct; however, those were ultimately cut due to budget constraints. This left the campus without a key community gathering space—until now. While athletic events take place on only about 20 days each year, the vision for the stadium extended beyond game days. The intent was to create an outdoor gathering space that could serve both formal and informal purposes, offering a variety of experiences and encouraging students to engage with the space however they choose.

wək̓ʷan̓əs tə syaqʷəm Elementary School / hcma architecture + design

Hana Abdel — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 10:00:00 +0000

wək̓ʷan̓əs tə syaqʷəm Elementary School is the Vancouver School Board's first completed school to be constructed entirely of prefabricated CLT (cross-laminated timber) panels, a material that reduces embodied carbon and makes for a calm and inspiring learning environment. The school is part of a Vancouver School Board pilot project to assess the possibilities of mass timber for future schools.

A Guide to Off-Grid Architectures

Eduardo Souza — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Anyone who lives in a big city may have dreamed of moving elsewhere and living isolated, in a house among the trees or on a deserted beach. During the pandemic and the endless months of quarantine, many more may have had this same idea. As romantic and seductive as this may seem, however, living deep in nature comes with some important practical challenges. Rarely would anyone give up the little comforts they are used to, like turning on a faucet or charging their cell phone. If the location is, in fact, remote, it may not have electricity, drinking water, gas, sewage, or solid waste collection. But there remain several possibilities for a life with comfort and without neighbors. What are the main solutions to enable this and how can an architectural project provide an off-the-grid life?

Four & Four House / Mcleod Bovell Modern Houses

Valeria Silva — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 16:00:00 +0000

Situated on a steep waterfront lot flanked by a suburban context, the Four & Four House knits together the client’s affinity for mid-century, post-and-beam construction with contemporary adaptations. The site’s generous width with its semi-naturalized condition presented an opportunity for landscape elements to organize the sequence of the house in the form of four distinct courtyards. Clad in locally-milled yellow cedar, four massive beams frame these spaces:

Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre / Formline Architecture + Urbanism

Pilar Caballero — Sun, 26 Dec 2021 17:00:00 +0000

Nestled between the Irving K Barber Learning Centre and the Koerner Library located at the centre of Canada’s second largest university, this project unifies architectural themes of memory and social dialogue. This is a place for re-thinking the relationship between Indigenous peoples and Canadian society and a centre for dialogue for community members and scholars and a powerful recognition of Indigenous culture and history in the heart of the campus. This two-level facility is comprised of a portion of existing basement space in Koerner Library and new construction above on the mid-level plaza leading from Koerner Library to the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre.

Design Guide: 7 Essential Features of a Net Zero Building

Eduardo Souza — Thu, 09 Dec 2021 06:45:00 +0000

Kiribati has a population of around 110,000 people and its economy is centered on fishing and agriculture. Comprised of 33 islands in the Central Pacific, its highest point is only 81 meters above sea level, which makes it potentially the first country that could disappear completely due to global warming and the consequent rise in sea levels. The climate crisis has been a hotly debated topic in recent years and terms such as carbon footprint, greenhouse effect, atmospheric aerosols, and many others, are already staples in our vocabulary. Another widely spoken term is “net zero”, or net zero emission, used as a goal for buildings in different industries and countries. Basically, it means that the energy balance is zero.

Nanton Residence / BLA Design Group

Andreas Luco — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 18:00:00 +0000

The Nanton Residence is a modern brick home located in Vancouver, Canada. Designed for a large multi-generational family, this residence makes a bold statement from its position on a highly visible corner lot next to Vancouver’s Arbutus Greenway. The house is a collaborative project between Wiedemann Architectural and an emerging studio, BLA Design Group. The practice of BLA Design Group is built around an approach to architecture in which each project is led by the unique conditions of both the local and site-specific context, as well as the idiosyncratic needs of each client. The Nanton residence embodies these objectives as it comprises a series of large terraces which integrate into a long sloping site and feature sweeping views westward over Vancouver.

SoLo House / Perkins&Will

Pilar Caballero — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Siting lightly upon a forested knoll overlooking the spectacular Soo Valley north of Whistler in British Columbia’s Coast Mountains, SoLo is not a typical alpine home. With Delta Group’s intention to pioneer a future zero-emissions approach to building, Perkins&Will designed a prototype that demonstrates a unique approach to building off-grid in a remote environment where every choice has consequences. The performance led, the home expresses a restrained material palette while generating more energy than it uses, eliminating fossil fuels and combustion from its operation.

Collingwood House / BLA Design Group + Campos Studio

Andreas Luco — Tue, 15 Sep 2020 17:00:00 +0000

The Collingwood House is a unique local collaboration between established practice and an emerging studio to create a living accommodation that is responsive and personal. It is a successful example of small-scale residential architecture that utilizes its immediate context and the local climate to generate a sensitive contemporary house. Upon winning the Beebreeders’ Microhome competition in 2019, Bla Design Group received its first commissioned project, the Collingwood House. They invited Campos Studio to collaborate, to bring their approach to architecture in which each project is led by the specific conditions of the local context.

Copper Spirit Distillery / RSAAW

Andreas Luco — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 16:00:00 +0000

Copper Spirit Distillery integrates an artisanal gin, vodka, and rye distillery with a tasting room and much needed residential rental units for islanders. This groundbreaking project is the ﬁrst of its kind to combine industrial and residential use of this nature in Canada. Located on Bowen Island, a municipality that is part of Metro Vancouver, the 8,815 square foot building integrates residential and industrial programs challenging both provincial code and local urban plan concepts.

CNC Heavy Mechanical Trades Training Facility / Office Of Mcfarlane Biggar Architects + Designers Inc.

Daniel Tapia — Tue, 21 Jan 2020 17:00:00 +0000

Located in Prince George, the College of New Caledonia ‘Heavy Mechanical Trades Training Facility’ offers young people across the region an elegant LEED Gold educational building that responds to the unique demands of Northern BC. A re-interpretation of the local industrial typology and the program’s heavy equipment guides its architectural expression. The ‘Heavy Mechanical Trades Training Facility’ is the newest addition to the College of New Caledonia’s main campus in Prince George, BC. The project supports the college’s mission to provide access to lifelong learning for the communities throughout the region and to facilitate the achievement of diverse personal educational goals.

Yew House / Campos Studio + Tom Chung Studio

Andreas Luco — Thu, 25 Apr 2019 16:00:00 +0000

Yew Street House is a traditional Vancouver house that was renovated to suit aging in place. The project was executed as a collaboration between Vancouver design firm Campos Studio and Toronto based industrial designer Tom Chung. Yew House is situated on a small corner lot in Kitsilano, one Vancouver’s original working class neighbourhoods. Originally built in 1907, the house underwent a patchwork of renovations and in the 1970’s most of its land was sold off to accommodate a neighbouring development. Due to the sale of this land it is now impossible to build a new house on the lot. Therefore, the plan became to upgrade the existing house by gutting it down to the studs, reinsulating and seismically upgrading the shell.

Cranley Residence / Architecture Building Culture

Pilar Caballero — Thu, 05 Jul 2018 11:00:00 +0000

This project takes its cue from the landscape. It is a single story house that climbs the sloping property in four large steps. Living is at street level and each bedroom is on its own terrace with the master bedroom at the top. To take advantage of the sun and landscape, all rooms have south facing windows with direct access to the courtyard garden.

Wilson School of Design / KPMB Architects + Public Architecture + Design

Rayen Sagredo — Mon, 23 Apr 2018 11:00:00 +0000

With over 300 apparel companies, BC’s lower mainland is a center of excellence for technical fashion design, and the new Wilson School of Design at Kwantlen Polytechnic University is set to be the preeminent school for this industry on the West Coast. The broader purpose of the University is to fuel the local economy by generating a steady pool of talent and expertise in the fields of graphic design, interior design, fashion marketing, and fashion technology. The design of the new school fosters interdisciplinary collaboration by positioning flexible design studios, labs, open offices and shared spaces across all five floors.

Marine Gateway / Perkins&Will

Sabrina Leiva — Fri, 10 Mar 2017 18:00:00 +0000

Marine Gateway is a mixed-use development in south Vancouver that has reinvented the concept of transit-oriented development (TOD) to one that is transit-integrated. Unlike typical TODs that are designed around or near a central transit hub, Marine Gateway seamlessly integrates a transit hub into the design of the community itself, creating convenient access.