3 towers planned for old Canada Post building in downtown Vancouver (PHOTOS)

November 15, 2016 by Harvey Kardos

Vancouver Towers

A striking new design has been proposed for the old Canada Post building in downtown Vancouver.

Local architectural firm Musson Cattell Mackey Partnership has submitted a rezoning application for the property on behalf of landowners BC Investment Management Corporation and developer Bentall Kennedy to retain the existing structure and add three towers on top.

The design for the mixed-use complex is a modification of the plan revealed earlier this year that originally had five towers rising on top of the 1958-built, city block-sized post office building.

The facade of the existing industrial structure will be retained, but its interior will be gutted and reconfigured into a seven-storey podium containing a shopping centre on the lower levels. This includes a retail concourse, space for large retailers suitable for supermarkets or even a department store, smaller units for restaurants and other retail, retail frontage along all the street fronts, and an indoor retail concourse.

View from the intersection of Homer and West Georgia streets:

Vancouver Towers - Canada Post

On the upper levels of the podium, office space will be located on the West Georgia Street end of the floors and rental housing along the perimeters facing Hamilton, Homer, and Dunsmuir streets.

The core space of these upper levels will be converted into vehicle parking with access by a up-spiral access ramp cut into the centre of the building. There are six levels of parking, including 1,168 bicycle spaces.

A 17-storey office building on the West Georgia Street side of the complex will be built on top of the podium while retaining the pair of 19-foot-tall heritage Canadian coats of arms on the podium’s facade.

Two other towers – 18 and 20-storey buildings with residential units – will be built above the rest of the podium, parallel to Hamilton and Homer streets. These two towers are amalgamated versions of the previous proposal for four residential towers.

Project proponents are pusuing separate shorter towers due to the view cones that restrict heights over the site.

View looking west on Dunsmuir Street:

Vancouver Canada Post Towers

The ‘playful-gridded’ facade design for the three towers is an immense departure from the previous bulky, cookie-cutter concept. New elements of glass in the towers above provide a contrasting light appearance to the existing podium below with solid heavy materials.

“The design inspiration is informed by contrast forms. The Post on Georgia seeks to both distinguish itself and be compatible, subordinate, and respectful towards the existing heritage building,” reads the architect’s rationale.

“This is achieved by not attempting to replicate or assimilate, but rather differentiate the new buildings above, contrasting with the existing heritage podium in both form and materiality.”

The current ground level parking space along West Georgia Street will be turned into a new public plaza, and the podium’s rooftop will feature a landscaped courtyard space with a large central reflection pool-like water feature.

New public plaza at West Georgia Street: see photos

 

author Kenneth Chan via dailyhive.com