List of tallest buildings in Vancouver

The central business district of Vancouver

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada has more high-rise buildings per capita than most North American metropolitan centres with populations exceeding 1,000,000. Vancouver's population density is the 4th-highest in North America and the city has more residential high-rises per capita than any other city on the continent.[1]

There are roughly 650 high-rise buildings that equal or exceed 35 m (115 ft).,[2] and roughly 50 buildings that equal or exceed 100 metres (328 ft). Vancouver has 27 protected view corridors which limit the construction of tall buildings which interfere with the line of sight to the North Shore Mountains, the downtown skyline, and the waters of English Bay and the Strait of Georgia.[3]

The tallest building in Vancouver is the 62-storey, 201 m (659 ft) Living Shangri-La[4] and represents the city's efforts to add visual interest into Vancouver's skyline.[5] The Private Residences at Hotel Georgia completed in 2012 at 157 m (515 ft) and 48 stories is currently the second-tallest in the city.[6] One Wall Centre, at 150 m (492 ft) tall, with 48 storeys, is currently the city's third tallest building.[7] One Wall Centre has the distinction of being the first building in the world to use a tuned liquid column damper to control wind vibrations.[7] One tower currently under construction, Trump Vancouver at 188 metres will become the city's 2nd tallest building when completed in 2016.

Vancouver's history of skyscrapers began with the Dominion Building (1909), the Sun Tower (1911) (originally named the World Tower, then the News-Advertiser Tower, after the newspaper it was home to in each case), the Vancouver Block (1912), the second Hotel Vancouver (1916) and the Marine Building (1929). The Dominion Building, Sun Tower, and Marine Building were, in succession, the tallest building in the British Empire at the time.[8][9][10] The third Hotel Vancouver was completed in 1939 at 111 m (364 ft) tall, and was the first building to have stood taller than 100 m (328 ft) in the city.[11]

Building construction remained slow in the city until the late 1960s, other than the completion of the new BC Electric headquarters (soon renamed BC Hydro headquarters, and today the Electra condominiums). From 1968 to 1981, Vancouver witnessed a major expansion of skyscraper and high-rise construction. Many of the city's office towers were completed during this period, such as the Harbour Centre, Bentall Centre, Royal Centre, Granville Square and Pacific Centre office tower/mall complexes.[12][13] A ten-year lull in building construction came after the expansion, though Vancouver experienced a larger second building expansion beginning in 1991 and continuing into the present.[1]

In the last two decades Vancouver's pioneering urbanism, with its density and innovative developments, has been emulated by major cities throughout the world. As part of the city's push for liveable high-density areas (called Vancouverism by planning theorists),[14] many mixed-use and residential buildings were built, such as Concord Pacific Place, the largest master-planned residential complex in North America.[15] One Wall Centre and Living Shangri-La were the city's first buildings to break the 150 m (492 ft) and 200 m (656 ft) marks, respectively.[4][7]

Tallest buildings

This list ranks Vancouver skyscrapers that stand at least 100 m (328 ft) tall, based on standard height measurement. This includes spires and architectural details but does not include antenna masts.

Rank Name Image Height
m / ft
Floors Year Notes
1 Living Shangri-La 201 / 659 62 2008 This is the 22nd tallest building in Canada. This is the tallest building in the city and in British Columbia.[4][16]
2 The Private Residences at Hotel Georgia 158 / 518 48 2012
3 One Wall Centre 150 / 491 48 2001 This building is also known as the Sheraton Wall Centre.[7][17]
4 Shaw Tower 149 / 489 41 2004 [18][19]
5 Harbour Centre 146 / 481 21 1977 This is the tallest office building in the city.[12][20]
6= Royal Centre 141 / 463 37 1973 This building is also known as the RBC Tower or Royal Bank Tower.[13][21]
6= The Melville 141 / 463 43 2007 [22][23]
8 Bentall 5 140 / 460 34 2007 [24][25]
8 Park Place 140 / 459 35 1984 [26][27]
8 Fairmont Pacific Rim 140 / 458 44 2010 [28][29]
11= Granville Square 138 / 453 30 1973 This building is also known as 200 Granville Square.[30][31]
11= Four Bentall Centre 138 / 453 35 1981 [32][33]
11= Scotia Tower 138 / 453 34 1977 [34][35]
14 TD Tower 127 / 417 30 1972 This building is also known as the Toronto Dominion Tower.[36][37]
15= Capitol Residences 126 / 414 43 2011 [38] [39] [40][41]
15= Patina 126 / 414 42 2011 [42][43]
17 W-43 125 / 411 43 2009 This building is also known as the W Building.[44][45]
18 Three Bentall Centre 122 / 400 32 1974 This building is also known as the Bank of Montreal Tower.[46][47]
19 Empire Landmark Hotel 121 / 396 42 1973 This building is the tallest free standing hotel in the city. This building is often referred to by its original name, the Sheraton Landmark.[48][49]
20 Jameson House 119 / 381 38 2011 [50][51]
21 The Ritz 118 / 388 37 2008 [52][53]
22 West One 117 / 384 38 2002 This building is also known as Beach Crescent - West One.[54][55]
23 Cathedral Place 116 / 382 23 1991 [56][57]
24 West Pender Place 1 113 / 370 36 2011 [58][59]
25 Hotel Vancouver 111 / 363 17 1939
26= Venus 109 / 359 34 2000 [60][61]
26= Hyatt Regency Vancouver 109 / 359 35 1973 This building is also known as the Hyatt Regency Hotel.[62][63]
26 Marriott Pinnacle Hotel 109 / 357 35 2000 [64][65]
29 Residences on Georgia 108 / 354 36 1998 [66][67]
30= The Pinnacle 106 / 348 36 1996 [68][69]
30= Callisto 106 / 348 35 2004 [70][71]
30= Residences on Georgia 106 / 348 36 1998 [72][73]
30= Dolce 106 / 348 31 2010 [74]
34 Two Harbour Green 105 / 345 31 2008 [75][76]
35= 1177 West Hastings 104 / 342 27 1968 [77][78]
35= Oceanic Plaza 104 / 342 26 1977 [79][80]
35 1075 West Georgia 104 / 340 27 1968 Originally known as the MacMillan Bloedel Building [81][82]
38= Landmark 33 103 / 338 35 1998 This building is also known as Marina Pointe - Landmark 33.[83][84]
38= QuayWest Tower I 103 / 338 35 2002 This building is also known as Marina Crescent - QuayWest I.[85][86]
38 Elan 103 / 337 34 2008 [87][88]
41 Sheraton Wall Centre Hotel 102 / 335 35 1994 [89][90]
42 FortisBC Centre 101 / 332 24 1992 Located at 1111 West Georgia Street, it was formerly known as the Terasen Centre and was previously the site of the Rayonier Building (originally known as the Alaska White Pine Building), ca. 1954 to 1990.[91][92]
42= Paris Place 101 / 330 33 1995 [93]
42= HSBC Building 101 / 330 23 1987 [94][95]
45= Canaccord Tower 100 / 329 24 1981 This building is also known as Canaccord Place.[96][97]
45= Coast Plaza Hotel & Suites 100 / 329 32 1969 [98]
45= Carmana Plaza 100 / 328 34 1999 [99]
45= Guinness Tower 100 / 328 25 1969 [100]

* Indicates buildings that are still under construction but have been topped out.
= Indicates buildings that have the same rank because they have the same height.

High-resolution panorama of a large, brightly lit skyline at night. A mountain range lies in the background, and a bridge is visible on the left-hand side of the panorama.
A high resolution panorama of Vancouver with the mountains behind, looking roughly north from the vicinity of Broadway and Oak Street. The bridge on the left of the image is the Granville Street Bridge.

Tallest under construction

This lists skyscrapers that are under construction in Vancouver and planned to rise over 100 m (328 ft) tall, but are not yet completed structures. As of September 2012 there are 4 buildings over 100 m (328 ft) tall under construction.

Under Construction

Name Height
m / ft
Floors Year Notes
Trump Vancouver 188 / 616 63 2016 To be the second tallest building in British Columbia upon completion in 2016.[101]
MNP Tower 144 / 469 36 2014 Seeking Platinum LEED certification, definitely will be Gold LEED at least.[102]
Telus Garden - Residential 136 / 446 53 2014 Seeking gold LEED certification as part of the new downtown Telus headquarters project.
Marine Gateway 105 / 343 35 2015 To be LEED Gold certified.
Maddox 100 / 330 37 2014

Timeline of tallest buildings

This is a list of buildings that in the past held the title of tallest building in Vancouver. The Dominion Building was the tallest building in the British Empire upon its completion, as were also in their time the Sun Tower and the Marine Building.[103]

Name Image Street address Years as tallest Height
m / ft
Floors Reference
Dominion Building 207 W. Hastings St. 1910–1912 53 / 175 14 [104]
Sun Tower 100 W. Pender St. 1912–1914 84 / 276 17 [105]
Marine Building 355 Burrard St. 1930–1939 98 / 321 21 [106]
Hotel Vancouver 900 W. Georgia St. 1939–1972 111 / 364 17 [107]
TD Tower 700 W. Georgia St. 1972–1973 127 / 417 30 [37]
Royal Centre 1055 W. Georgia St. 1973–1977 141 / 464 37 [21]
Harbour Centre 555 W. Hastings St. 1977–2001 146 / 481 28 [20]
One Wall Centre 1000 Burrard St. 2001–2008 150 / 491 48 [17]
Living Shangri-La 1120 W. Georgia St. 2008–present 201 / 659 62 [16]

See also

References

General
Specific
  1. 1.0 1.1 "About Vancouver". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  2. "Tall Buildings of Vancouver". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  3. City of Vancouver (February 2011). View Protection Guidelines (Report). City of Vancouver Planning Department. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Living Shangri-La". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-06-30.
  5. "Downtown Vancouver Skyline Study" (PDF). Special Council Meeting Minutes. City of Vancouver. 7 and 23 April 1997. Retrieved 2008-12-13. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. "The Private Residences". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 "One Wall Centre". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-06-30.
  8. Early Vancouver, Maj. J.S. "Skit" Mathews, Vancouver Archives
  9. Vancouver: From Milltown to Metropolis, Alan Morley
  10. NB because of the terrain of the city's downtown peninsula, which is a large hill, the tallest is not always the highest, and the Marine Building remained the tallest structure even though its prominence on the city skyline was not as high as that of the Hotel Vancouver (at 77m vs the Sun Tower's 84m or the Marine Building's 98m.
  11. "The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  12. 12.0 12.1 "Harbour Centre". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  13. 13.0 13.1 "Royal Centre". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  14. Vancouverism: Definitions "Vancouverism". Canadian Architect. Retrieved 2008-12-20.
  15. "Concord Pacific Place, Vancouver". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  16. 16.0 16.1 "Living Shangri-La". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  17. 17.0 17.1 "One Wall Centre". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  18. "Shaw Tower". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  19. "Shaw Tower". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
  20. 20.0 20.1 "Harbour Centre". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  21. 21.0 21.1 "Royal Centre". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  22. "The Melville". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  23. "The Melville". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
  24. "Bentall 5". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  25. "5 Bentall Centre". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
  26. "Park Place". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  27. "Park Place". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
  28. "Fairmont Pacific Rim Vancouver". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  29. "Fairmont Pacific Rim Vancouver". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
  30. "Granville Square". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  31. "200 Granville Square". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
  32. "Four Bentall Centre". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  33. "Four Bentall Centre". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
  34. "The Scotia Tower". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  35. "Scotia Tower". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
  36. "Toronto Dominion Tower". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  37. 37.0 37.1 "Toronto Dominion Tower". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  38. http://www.condopedia.com/wiki/Capitol_Residences
  39. http://www.bccondos.net/833-seymour
  40. "Capitol Residences". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  41. "Capitol Residences". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
  42. "Patina". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  43. "Patina". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2011-04-21.
  44. "Woodward's, Vancouver". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-07-12.
  45. "W43, Vancouver". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-07-12.
  46. "Bank of Montreal Tower". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
  47. "Three Bentall Centre". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  48. "Empire Landmark Hotel". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  49. "Empire Landmark Hotel". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
  50. "Jameson Tower". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
  51. "Jameson House". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  52. "The Ritz". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  53. "The Ritz". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
  54. "West One". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  55. "Beach Crescent - West One". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
  56. "Cathedral Place". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  57. "Cathedral Place". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
  58. "1477 West Pender". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  59. "West Pender Place I". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
  60. "Venus". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  61. "Venus". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
  62. "Hyatt Regency Vancouver". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  63. "Hyatt Regency Hotel". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
  64. "Marriott Pinnacle Hotel". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  65. "Marriott Pinnacle Hotel". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
  66. "Residences on Georgia". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  67. "Residences on Georgia II". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
  68. "The Pinnacle". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  69. "The Pinnacle". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
  70. "Callisto". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  71. "Callisto". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
  72. "Residences on Georgia". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  73. "Residences on Georgia I". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
  74. "Dolce". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  75. "Two Harbour Green". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  76. "2 Harbour Green". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
  77. "1177 West Hastings". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  78. "1177 West Hastings". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
  79. "Oceanic Plaza". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  80. "Oceanic Plaza". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
  81. "1075 West Georgia". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  82. "1075 West Georgia". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
  83. "Landmark 33". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  84. "Marina Pointe - Landmark 33". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
  85. "QuayWest Tower I". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  86. "Marina Crescent - QuayWest I". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
  87. "Elan". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  88. "Elan". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
  89. "Sheraton Wall Centre Hotel". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  90. "Sheraton Wall Centre Hotel". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
  91. "Terasen Centre". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  92. "Terasen Centre". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
  93. "Paris Place". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  94. "HSBC Building". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  95. "HSBC Building". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
  96. "Canaccord Place". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
  97. "Canaccord Tower". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  98. "Coast Plaza Hotel & Suites". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  99. "Carmana Plaza". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  100. "Guinness Tower". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  101. "1133 West Georgia Street". City of Vancouver. p. 3. Retrieved 2009-12-30.
  102. "1021 West Hastings". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2011-01-10.
  103. "Dominion Building - Sign". WayMarking.com. Groundspeak Inc. Retrieved 2008-12-31.
  104. City of Vancouver's plaque on the building, photo visible here
  105. "Sun Tower". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  106. "Marine Building". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  107. "Hotel Vancouver". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2008-12-13.

External links