Vancouver Convention Centre West Featured Image

Vancouver Convention Centre West

Client

British Columbia Pavilion Corporation

Location

Vancouver, BC

Completion

2009

Size

102,000 sm (1,097,920 sf)

Certification

Double LEED Canada Platinum

Offering breathtaking views of the North Shore Mountains, Stanley Park and over the Burrard Inlet, the multi-award-winning Vancouver Convention Centre West is recognized as one of the most unique and spectacular convention centre sites in the world. After 8 years of design work, this 1,100,000-sf waterfront venue opened in April 2009.

This project is the first convention centre in the world to earn LEED Platinum certification. Seven years later, it also became the first LEED v4 Existing Building Platinum recipient in Canada. With this, the Vancouver Convention Center West became the world’s first Double LEED Platinum convention centre project in the world.

Sustainable design elements include a six-acre living roof featuring west coast plant life and bee hives for pollination, recovering rainwater while attracting birds and butterflies. Concurrently, waste water is treated on site and used for irrigation and other grey water applications like toilet flushing. To further energy efficiency, the building uses seawater for the heating and cooling system.  With 40% of the building suspended over seawater, the consciously designed foundation recreates an enhanced natural shoreline for marine life. Tiered platforms offer the natural growth area needed for sea kelp, fish habitats and other sea life.

DA Architects + Planners proudly collaborated with MCM Partnership and the Seattle based LMN Architects.

Vancouver Convention Centre

View of the North facing façade of the convention centre adjacent to Vancouver Harbour.

Vancouver Convention Centre

West side of the convention center. The angular roof form accompanied by the concrete columns create a rhythm to the convention centre.

Vancouver Convention Centre

View of the convention centre from Stanley Park.

Vancouver Convention Centre

Main entrance of the convention centre.

Vancouver Convention Centre

Interior view of the foyer, defined by the floor to ceiling glazing and the sloped wood slat ceiling; which morphs to following the roof structure, adding a dynamic tension.

Vancouver Convention Centre

Interior view of the level 2 Ocean Foyer. The unique wood wall showcases the natural grain of wood, one of the a most attractive local products of the North Coast.

Vancouver Convention Centre

A close up of the individually stack wood blocks that expose the unique grain of wood.

Vancouver Convention Centre

View of the Northeast corner of Vancouver Convention Centre West.

Vancouver Convention Centre

View looking upward to the Summit Terrace located at the Northeast corner.

Vancouver Convention Centre

The projects green roof is a response to the surrounding North Shore Mountains and forests. It acts as a insulator during the summer and winter, while also providing an urban habitat along the coast.

Vancouver Convention Centre

Northeast elevation of the Vancouver Convention Centre West.

"The Convention Centre is an expression of our commitment to design collaboration. Alongside Seattle-based LMN Architects, MCM Partnership, the contractor and PAVCO, DA addressed abundant complexities through an open, interdisciplinary approach so effective the building earned LEED Platinum certification." Randy Knill

Recognitions

2020 Global Bisrisk Advisory Council (GBAC) STAR™ accreditation | Global Biorisk Advisory Council, GBAC

2020 National Air Filtration Association's Clean Air Award | National Air Filtration Association

2017 Green Building Excellence Award for Existing Building | The Canadian Green Building Council, CAGBC

2017 LEED Canada Platinum | Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance 4.0 | The Canadian Green Building Council, CAGBC

2010 LEED Canada Platinum | New Construction and Major Renovations 1.0 | The Canadian Green Building Council, CAGBC

2013 World Architecture News Sustainable Building of the Year Award | World Architecture News, WAN

2011 World Architecture News Effectiveness Award | World Architecture News, WAN

2013 National Honor Award for Regional and Urban Design | American Institute of Architects (AIA)

2013 Honor Awards for Architecture | American Institute of Architects (AIA)

2011 Honor Awards for Architecture | American Institute of Architects (AIA)

2011 Committee on the Environment Award | American Institute of Architects (AIA)

2010 Northwest & Pacific Region Design Honor Award | American Institute of Architects (AIA)

2010 British Columbia Wood First, Champion

2010 Award of Excellence in the Legacy Category | Real Estate of Greater Vancouver’s Commercial

2010 Award of Excellence | Lumen West

2010 Illumination Design Award of Merit | Illuminating Engineering Society of North America, IESNA

2010 Sustainable Architecture & Building Magazine Canadian Green Building Award | SABMag

2010 Canadian Urban Institute’s Brownie Award for Best Overall Project | Urban Land Institute

2009 Kentz Award The Outstanding Steel Structure | Canadian Instititue of Steel Construction, CISC

2008 AIPC "World's Best Conference Centre" Apex Award | International Association of Convention Centres

2002 AIPC "World's Best Conference Centre" Apex Award | International Association of Convention Centres

Award for Excellence in Green Building Practices | GLOBE Foundation and World Green

Roy Willwerth Precast Concrete Architectural Recognition Award | Canadian Precast Concrete Industry