Client
British Columbia Pavilion Corporation
Location
Vancouver, BC
Completion
2009
Size
102,000 sm (1,097,920 sf)
Certification
Double LEED Canada Platinum
Category
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.
View of the North facing façade of the convention centre adjacent to Vancouver Harbour.
West side of the convention center. The angular roof form accompanied by the concrete columns create a rhythm to the convention centre.
View of the convention centre from Stanley Park.
Main entrance of the 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.
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.
A close up of the individually stack wood blocks that expose the unique grain of wood.
View of the Northeast corner of Vancouver Convention Centre West.
View looking upward to the Summit Terrace located at the Northeast corner.
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.
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."
