The tower, pool and waterfall situated on the prominent corner at 1500 West Georgia Street function as the west gateway to the Central Business District (CBD), and are highly visible on the walking route from Stanley Park via the Causeway.
Architect Peter Cardew was the project architect for this building, which was originally known as Crown Life Plaza (1978). It is currently on the City’s informal list of Recent Landmarks, and the Heritage Commission has recently recommended that the entire immediate block, including the Plaza, be added to the Vancouver Heritage Register.
There is a proposal to develop the east side of 1500 Georgia Street, involving the alteration or removal of the pool and waterfall to make way for an up-to-50-storey residential tower which would dominate the Plaza.
The siting, scale, form and overall character of the new residential tower would completely alter the coherence and context of Cardew’s original design.
Threat
What is the threat to 1500 West Georgia Street?
There is a proposal to develop the east side of 1500 Georgia Street involving the alteration or removal of the pool and waterfall to make way for an up-to-50-storey residential tower that would dominate the Plaza.
The original version of the scheme had a number of boxes projecting out from a rectangular building including a box slightly above ground level that cantilevered over the significantly altered pool. This treatment is no longer proposed, but the siting, scale, form and overall character of a large new residential tower would alter the coherence and context of the original design.
The Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada include the principle that new infill should be ‘compatible and subordinate’ with the heritage building and setting. This proposal for 1500 West Georgia Street is not appropriate for the existing context.
Significance
Why is 1500 West Georgia significant?
The tower, pool and waterfall situated on the prominent corner at 1500 West Georgia function as the west gateway to the Central Business District (CBD).
Peter Cardew was the project architect in 1978 for Rhone & Iredale, and this striking landmark postmodern complex – originally known as Crown Life Plaza – launched his rise as one of Vancouver’s top designers.
The 20-storey office tower at 1500 West Georgia has an angled primary facade facing the length of Georgia Street, and shares a simple brick base with the pool and waterfall, which anchor the site. The building’s west and south facades are similar, yet distinguishable, with the south leaning to sculptural Brutalism. The overall visual effect as experienced from Georgia is the tower appears to float above a lake, with water falling over into a weir.
1500 West Georgia is currently on the City’s informal list of Recent Landmarks, and the Heritage Commission has recently recommended that the entire block, including the Plaza, should be added to the Vancouver Heritage Register with an “A” listing.
Other downtown Mid-Century Modern landmarks include: Erickson’s Macmillan-Bloedel and Evergreen buildings, Rhone & Iredale’s Westcoast Transmission Building (adapted into The Qube) and the BC Electric Building (converted to The Electra).
Position
Heritage Vancouver’s position
Heritage Vancouver supports infill on the east side of 1500 West Georgia Street.
However, we would like to see a design that would defer to this landmark complex as the CBD west gateway, and that would not significantly alter the pool or the waterfall.
Actions
What you can do
We strongly encourage the citizens of Vancouver to:
- Write a letter to Mayor and Council to express that 1500 West Georgia Street and other Recent Landmarks should be added to the Vancouver Heritage Register as part of the Heritage Action Plan.
- Write a letter to Mayor and Council to express that 1500 West Georgia is a masterful modernist complex that deserves to be preserved and respected, and that the proposed development for 1500 West Georgia Street is incompatible with the building, its setting and the context.
