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Canada's third most populous metropolitan area continues to come into its own as a "Skyrise" city. Vancouverites have witnessed several notable highrise additions in recent years, as the city embraces skyscrapers and increased densities in the midst of what some are calling a real estate boom, and others calling a bubble. The many new additions to the cityscape since the start of the 21st century will have a lasting impact on Vancouver's built form, height precedents, and architectural landscape for years to come. While a great number of tall buildings have been completed or topped off in Vancouver over the last several years, we have selected just a few to highlight, with the help of before and after comparison shots from Google Street View.
The most notable addition currently under construction in Vancouver is the Arthur Erickson-designed Trump International Hotel and Tower Vancouver on West Georgia Street, which is sure to be a highlight on the skyline for years to come. Construction of the 63-storey hotel and condo tower began in 2012 and is currently on schedule for completion in 2016. Now topped off at a height of 617 feet, or 188 metres, the building stands as the second tallest in Vancouver, and is located across the street from the city's current tallest structure, the Living Shangri-La Hotel.
Below, we compare views along West Georgia Street, between 2009, prior to the building's construction, and towards an almost completed tower in 2015.
2009:
2015:
Another well-received addition to Vancouver's skyscraper portfolio is the 470-foot, 36-storey MNP Tower at 1021 West Hastings Street. Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, the office tower started construction in 2012 and was completed earlier this year. Comparisons between 2009 and 2015, captured from the intersection of West Hastings and Hornby, help illustrate this development's impressive architecture and the interesting juxtaposition between the modern skyscraper and the historic 1939 Art Deco Marine Building in the foreground.
2012:
2015:
The recent construction of the Private Residences of Hotel Georgia has added a new landmark to the city, while preserving an historic one. The 1927-built, 12-storey hotel, listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places, is now complemented by a 48-storey mixed-use tower, designed by IBI Group and Endall Elliot Architects. In this comparison, we take a look at views of the site from West Georgia and Howe, captured between 2009 and 2015.
2009:
2015:
West Pender Place 1 is another notable addition, designed by Jim Hancock of IBI/HB Architects. In this comparison, captured from West Pender and Nicola Street, the early stages of the building's construction are visible in the 2009 image, while the 2015 image reveals the completed 36-storey development.
2009:
2015:
Though not quite as tall as the other projects featured in this article, The Mark is a great representation of the highrise infill projects adding new density to the city. Designed by Hotson Bakker Boniface Haden Architects, construction of the 41-storey residential tower got underway in 2010 and was completed in 2013. For this comparison, we look at views of the site captured from the intersection of Drake and Seymour before and after construction of the project.
2009:
2015:
In the after image, the 11-storey affordable housing project Karis Place adds further infill to the dense neighbourhood, creating a new urban streetwall along Seymour.
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