Vancouver Is Driven by Design
Range Rover & SHARP
Have a few hours to spare this summer for a design-driven road trip? Well, Vancouver offers some of the most stunning architecture and natural scenery anywhere in Canada. A road trip here combines natural landscapes, architectural marvels, cultural institutions and artistic experiences, offering a uniquely comprehensive exploration of design.
So, let’s start at the western tip of the University of British Columbia and head north, making a few stops along the way.
We kick things off at the UBC Museum of Anthropology. This stunning building was crafted by Arthur Erickson in 1976 and blends West Coast landscape with First Nations heritage, showcasing Canadian identity through concrete architecture and symbolic totemic art. The museum is at the tail end of an 18-month closure for seismic upgrades — alongside a revitalization and reinterpretation of displays of Northwest Coast Indigenous carvings, poles, weavings and other works from the past and present — with a plan to reopen to the public on June 13th. That said, the exterior work has been complete, and visitors are still free to walk the grounds and appreciate its architectural grandeur.
From there, head east, with a quick detour past the Granville Giants murals. Gustavo and Otávio Pandolfo, better known to the world as the artist duo OSGEMEOS, transformed Vancouver’s Ocean Concrete worksite on Granville Island with these bold murals, painted on 23-metre tall industrial silos – creating a 360-degree public art piece spanning 7,200 square meters, and revitalizing the area near the public market in the process.
From there, keep heading east to Pacific Central Station. Designed in 1911, the Station underwent significant restoration in 2009 to address deterioration and modernize infrastructure while preserving its Beaux Arts architecture and original design. It’s form-meets-function in the centre of the city, and is a must-see.
A little north from there you’ll find the historic Gastown landmark, Hotel Europe, a six-storey flatiron-shaped hotel designed by Parr and Fee Architects in 1908. (Notably, it’s Canada’s first reinforced concrete structure and Western Canada’s earliest fireproof hotel.) You’ll recognize the building as the backdrop for many films, like The Changeling, Legends of the Fall and even The NeverEnding Story.
Heading towards Stanley Park, your next stop is Waterfront Station. The landmark’s neoclassical design boasts a red-brick facade with Ionic columns, adorned with scenic Canadian landscape paintings. Though renovated in 2015, the building retains all its charm.
Close nearby, you’ll come to the Marine Building. Completed in 1930, it stands as Vancouver’s premier Art Deco icon, featuring lavish design and marine-themed ornamentation, captivating tourists and architects alike.
Our next stop is only a few minutes away. Just keep driving through the city’s most iconic park, crossing over into West Vancouver over Lions Gate Bridge – which is a Van design icon in its own right. Once the longest suspension bridge in the British Empire, it represented the dawn of suburban development in West Vancouver. Alfred J.T. Taylor spearheaded its innovative design and garnered support for it from the Guinness family to make it a reality.
From there, we’re continuing on to take in Marine Drive, a neighbourhood known for historic, prestigious and elegant homes. Perhaps one of the most iconic is Downs House II, representing the epitome of West Coast Modernism as conceived by architect Barry Downs. Built in 1979, it seamlessly integrates architecture with nature. Located on a cliff overlooking Garrow Bay, its cedar and glass design is the perfect complement to its panoramic views. (Downs is renowned for his other landmarks, too, like Canada Place, Library Square and North Vancouver Civic Centre.)
Vancouver Is Driven by Design
Downs House II. Photography by The White Space Co
Vancouver Is Driven by Design
Downs House II. Photography by The White Space Co
Vancouver Is Driven by Design
Downs House II. Photography by The White Space Co
Vancouver Is Driven by Design
Downs House II. Photography by The White Space Co
Vancouver Is Driven by Design
Downs House II. Photography by The White Space Co
Next, head back to highway 99 and go north. We need to make a quick stop at Fergie’s Cafe in Squamish. hunterOFFICE redesigned Fergie’s after it suffered a devastating fire, creating a remarkable elevated timber structure. Supported by concrete piers, the new minimalist cedar-clad space thoughtfully blends with nature to offer some stunning views. No better place for a quick bite surrounded by nature than Fergie’s.
Once we’re done, we’ll continue to Whistler and our final stop, the Audain Art Museum — a destination that showcases an impressive collection of Indigenous art, contemporary masterpieces and rotating exhibitions. Michael Audain, a notable Canadian developer and art collector, enlisted Patkau Architects to create the structure. Its design tackles environmental concerns while providing an ideal backdrop for local artworks. Situated in a former works yard, the museum seamlessly integrates into Whistler Village while preserving trees and addressing natural challenges.
Of course, Vancouver and surrounding areas offer plenty more destinations that are worth the drive – these are only a few of our favourites. But it’s hard to think of a destination in Canada that blends the natural, the architectural, the cultural and the artistic better. In the world, really.
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